PhD Candidate in Bioinspired Architectured Materials

 

We have a vacancy for a PhD Candidate at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

The position will focus on the fundamental study in the design principles of architectured materials in Nature. Deep understanding the clues of nature designs will lead to design of novel bioinspired architectured materials with remarkable mechanical properties for further industrial applications. Additive manufacturing techniques will be intensively used to explore the design principles of architectured materials.

 

You will report to Associate Professor Chao Gao

Duties of the position

The candidate will intensively study on the complex design of architectured materials in nature to achieve outstanding mechanical performance. Fundamental study will be performed to understand biological principles which offer important design guides to develop advanced and adaptive architectured materials. Designed novel materials/structures/devices shall have a lot of potential applications in several industrial areas. The main duties of candidate include the following tasks:

Extract design principles of architectured materials in nature and develop theoretical models

Build numerical models and carry out experiments to verify the theoretical models

Design bioinspired architectured materials to achieve high functionality by using these design principles

Participate in other relevant research activities though our international collaborators

Conduct independent research and publish the results in recognised scientific journals

Required selection criteria

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is that you have completed a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background in solid mechanics (architectured materials) or equivalent education with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you are unable to meet these criteria you may be considered only if you can document that you are particularly suitable for education leading to a PhD degree.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant.

Other required selection criteria

In-depth understanding of modelling theoretical mechanical models

Solid knowledge of ABAQUS and hands-on scientific programming experience in Matlab/Python/Fortran

Strong background of mechanical testing on 3D/4D printed samples and biological materials

Good written and oral English language skills. Applicants from non-European countries where English is not the official language must document English skills by an approved test. Approved tests are TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

Preferred selection criteria

Rich experience in modelling biological materials, constitutive modelling of 3D/4D printed materials, and simulations of bioinspired structures under static and dynamic loading

Personal characteristics

Strong interest and self-motivation to discover interesting natural structures

Ability to think and work independently

Team player with cooperative attitude

Good communication skills

Be comfortable with writing papers/reports and presenting research results publicly

We offer

exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment

an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues

favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

employee benefits

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 482 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Engineering, https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phiv within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include:

Motivation letter explaining why you think you are the perfect match for the position

CV, certificates and diplomas

Name and address of referees (up to three would be fine)

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

In accordance with The Public Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Chao Gao, email: chao.gao@ntnu.no.

Please submit your application electronically via www.jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number IV-102/21 when applying.

Application deadline: 30 April 2021

Apply

PhD Candidate in Data Science for Smart Sustainable Cities

 

At the Department of ICT and Natural Sciences, there is a vacancy in Data Science for Smart Sustainable Cities.

In particular, the PhD position is linked to the Sustainable Digital Transformation (SDT) Research Group. SDT has been established as the core arena at NTNU for developing cutting-edge cross-disciplinary research related to the design, implementation, and validation of digitalization disruptive innovations aiming to address United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and societal needs.

This position is also linked to the Sustainability Analytics (SA), a new interdisciplinary research arena that aims to offer data-driven support for sustainable development of enterprises and cities by integrating analytical tools from data science, sustainability science, and decision science.

The position is linked to the SmartPlan project. SmartPlan - Bærekraftig samfunnsutvikling gjennom samskaping og visuell simulering i planprosesser (NFR, 2020 - 2023) has as the main objective to develop a data-driven decision support tool where information is produced from integrated analysis models and made available in an intuitive and interactive way through a visual interface. The role of Sustainability Analytics in the SmartPlan project is to provide data and analytical models to a city digital twin for municipalities. Research activities involve development, testing, and validation of new approaches for data management and analysis. 

The scholarship position is an educational position that will provide opportunities for professional development in the form of a PhD position. The position will be linked to the PhD programme in Computer Science at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, NTNU. The Department of ICT and Natural Sciences in Ålesund are the employers. The position involves some traveling.

The office location will be on the Ålesund campus, at the Department of ICT and Science.

The position reports to the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

The PhD candidate, among other things, is expected to contribute to the design, development, and validation of data-driven decision support systems aiming at fostering the operation of city digital twins. The main purpose of the PhD project is to explore different approaches for optimal database data delivery, storage, and retrieval.

The PhD candidate is expected to contribute to the development of novel methods, algorithms, and solutions to support knowledge extraction and the decision-making process based on the analysis of large volumes of data. Proposed research venues here include the development of novel strategies for combining learning methods and descriptors aiming at creating effective and efficient classification and search services; development of novel mechanisms for automatically identifying information of interest within large volumes of complex data (e.g., textual documents, and time series); and development of novel approaches for complex data clustering. The PhD work is also concerned with the creation and management of knowledge bases to support decision-making.

More specifically, the candidate is expected to conduct research activities in the following major areas:

Data modelling, data storage, data pre-processing, and system integration (linking data from different data sources, formats, and types).

Development of effective and efficient information retrieval approaches for non-conventional data (e.g., time series, trajectories, geographic data and non-structured data).

Creation and management of knowledge bases to support decision-making.Support to geospatial data management for map representation and visualization, possibly using Geographic Information Systems (GISs).

The main supervisor for the PhD candidate will be Professor Ricardo da Silva Torres at Department of ICT and Natural Sciences. The supervisory team also includes Associate Professor Anniken Karlsen and Prof. Ibrahim Hameed.

Required selection criteria

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is that you have completed a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background in Computer Science or equivalent education with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you are unable to meet these criteria you may be considered only if you can document that you are particularly suitable for education leading to a PhD degree.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant.

Other qualifications:

Good knowledge of relational and NoSQL data management systems, as well as information retrieval solutions.

Good programming skills.

Knowledge of machine learning and data mining algorithms and technologies.

Knowledge of geoinformatics and visualization of geographical data would be beneficial.

Good oral and written ability in English. Knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language would be beneficial.

Personal characteristics

The candidate must be independent, have great work capacity, and enthusiasm for research.

The candidate is expected to contribute to a good research and work environment.

Personal qualities such as creativity, analytical, and structured reasoning, as well as the ability to carry out projects will be considered in the selection process. The applicant must be motivated to collaborate both within the discipline and across other disciplines.

We offer

exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment.

an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues.

favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

employee benefits.

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 482 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires admission to the PhD programme in Computer Science at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period. Information about the PhD programs can be found here.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include:

Curriculum vitae (CV) with information about the candidate’s prior training, exams, and work experience.

Certified copies of transcripts and diplomas for the whole bachelor and master’s degree. An English translation of all education documents is required unless the documents are in Norwegian.

A short presentation of the motivation for applying to this position. How the candidate sees her/his background as suitable.

Names and contact information of at least 2 reference persons.

A copy of the master thesis (in PDF), or, for those who are near to completion of their MSc, an extended abstract combined with a statement of how and when the applicant plans to complete the thesis.

PDF copies of prior publications, with associated bibliographical data.

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

The city of Ålesund, with its population of 50 000, will provide you with plenty of opportunities to explore a region of Norway that is famous for its beautiful scenery with high mountains and blue fjords. Ålesund itself, with its Art Nouveau architecture, is by many considered to be the most beautiful city in Norway! The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Ricardo Torres, telephone + 47 92 21 93 07, email ricardo.torres@ntnu.no.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Maren Skuterud Rasmussen, e-mail: maren.skuterud@ntnu.no

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number 2021/15718 when applying.

Application deadline: 30.04.2021

Apply

PhD Candidate in Advanced Synthesis of Lubricant Additives

 

We have a vacancy for a PhD Candidate at Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MTP) in synthesis of lubricant additives based on ionic liquids. We are looking for candidates with a background in one or ideally more of these areas: organic chemistry, tribology, experimental physics, chemical engineering, materials science.

Lubrication is a complex problem with many different physical and chemical processes occurring on different length scales. Lubricants are used for achieving the required level of friction and wear rates in moving systems, keeping low wear, controlling friction, minimizing energy losses, etc. A lubricant consists of base fluid and additive package (AP), which is the component in the lowest proportion (1-30%) providing the functionalities to the base fluid. The AP is a complex mixture of chemical compounds having a direct impact on the environment due to leakages and poor recycling methods. Additives radically change the properties of lubricants. Additives are a mixture of many different chemicals covering several functional categories such as friction modifiers, anti-wear and/or extreme-pressure additives, antioxidants, dispersants, viscosity modifiers, anti-corrosion, anti-foaming, pourpoint depressants, etc. Every function of an additive is fulfilled by single chemicals carefully designed to avoid competition with each other.

This PhD position has the goal of developing new multifunctional additives to reduce the number of chemicals simplifying lubricant formulations and production methods making the recycling processes easier and affordable for producers, users and policy makers. Achieving this goal will bring forward the green and sustainable goals Europe has set for the future of our economy and our environment. We are looking for a PhD candidate able to synthetize and test the new substances we have in mind for this project.

About the Materials Group

The Materials Group deals with applications of materials science: engineering materials and surfaces with desirable properties for specific applications. The group consists of an interdisciplinary mixture of engineers, physicists, and chemists. We have many industrial and international academic collaborations and aim to provide a stimulating environment for young scientists.

 

You will report to Professor Nuria Espallargas

Duties of the position

Synthetise complex ionic liquid molecules.

Formulate lubricants assuring proper dispersibility of the ingredients.

Test the functionality of the ionic liquids in a tribology context.

Test the functionality of the ionic liquids in a nano-context (surface adsorption).

Conduct independent research and publish the results in recognised scientific journals.

Required selection criteria

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is that you have completed a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background in chemistry, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, experimental physics or equivalent education with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you are unable to meet these criteria you may be considered only if you can document that you are particularly suitable for education leading to a PhD degree.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant.

Other required selection criteria

Knowledge of synthesis of ionic liquids

Knowledge of organic chemistry with focus on lubricant formulation

Knowledge of analytical techniques for organic and inorganic compounds in complex mixtures

Documented experience in experimental chemistry

Preferred selection criteria

Familiarity with tribology (lubrication, wear and friction)

Familiarity or experience with DFT (Density-functional theory)

Experimental nanotribology (e.g. AFM, nanotribometer)

Knowledge or familiarity of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)

Good written and oral English language skills

Experience in industry will be seen as a plus

Personal characteristics

Highly motivated, with strong experimental skills.

Interest in strong interaction with theoretical researchers.

Be able to work both in a research team.

Creative – Creating new ideas and new technologies/methods

Critical – Asking the right questions

Respectful – Care about your colleagues

We offer

exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment

an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues

favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

employee benefits

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 482 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Engineering, https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phiv,  within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The position is subject to external funding. 

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include:

Motivation letter explaining why you think you are the perfect match for the position

CV, certificates and diplomas

Name and address of three referees

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

In accordance with The Public Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Nuria Espallargas, email: nuria.espallargas@ntnu.no.

Please submit your application electronically via www.jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number IV-120/21 when applying.

Application deadline: 30 April 2021

Apply

PhD Candidate within Marine Structures

We have a vacancy for a PhD Candidate at the Department of Marine Technology, NTNU, within the area of hull vibrations.

The main topics of the PhD work are global and local vibrations in ship hulls. The sources of such vibrations are hydrodynamic loading and excitation from machinery and propulsion systems. Focus will be on interaction between such global and local vibrations and how these will influence vibration response levels and design layout of secondary equipment which is attached to the hull.

It is anticipated that there will be some interaction with one or more industry suppliers in order to identify relevant scenarios for local response analysis.

The PhD candidate will address fundamental research topics and provide progress reports on a regular basis in agreement with the supervisors

You will report to Professor Bernt J. Leira and Professor Sverre Steen.

Duties of the position

Carry out research on global and local vibration of ship hulls caused by excitation from external and internal sources 

Complete coursework during the initial part of he employment period

Required selection criteria

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is that you have completed a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background in [subject area] or equivalent education with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you are unable to meet these criteria you may be considered only if you can document that you are particularly suitable for education leading to a PhD degree.

------------------

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant.

Excellent English skills, spoken and written. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries outside Europe must document English skills by an approved test

Preferred selection criteria

Strong background in marine structural analysis

Background in marine hydrodynamics

Approved tests are TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

Familiarity with non-linear Finite Element software such as Ansys or Abaqus

Personal characteristics

The successful candidate should be:

Enthusiastic

Highly motivated

Willing to work both independently and with other researchers

We offer

Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment

An open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues

Favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

Employee benefits

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 482 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years and is without any teaching duties.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Engineering within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

------------------------

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English or Norwegian.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include:

CV, certificates and diplomas

Up to five publications

Name and contact information (e-mail, phone) of three referees 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

--------------------

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

----------------------

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

In accordance with The Public Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Bernt Johan Leira, telephone +4773595989, e-mail: bernt.leira@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Michi Skorstad Murakami, e-mail: michi.s.murakami@ntnu.no.

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number IV-122/21 when applying.

Application deadline: 28.04.2021

Apply

 

PhD in natural language processing: modelling implicit bias and stereotypes

 

The Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC) has a PhD position in natural language processing: modelling implicit bias and stereotypes.

The PhD position is part of Robert van Rooij’s research project From Learning to Meaning: A new approach to generic sentences and implicit biases, which is funded by NWO, and also involves a postdoctoral position. This PhD position will be jointly supervised by Robert van Rooij and Ekaterina Shutova.

The project overall: generic sentences ('Birds fly’, ‘Sharks are dangerous’) are omnipresent in language and express characterising properties of groups and individual objects. As they communicate (stereo)typical (‘Lawyers are greedy’) and normative (‘Winners never quit’) information, these sentences give voice to and transmit socially prejudiced generalisations and thus can have a high societal impact. Despite their importance, no uniform and empirically adequate account of their meaning yet exists. The goal of the whole project is to develop such an account, by linking their meaning to how we learn to associate characteristic properties of groups or individuals. This is an interdisciplinary project, which is a collaboration between researchers in semantics, natural language processing (NLP) and experimental psychology.

PhD project: the PhD student will work in the area of natural language processing, with the specific focus on computational semantics. The goal of this position is to develop and test models of implicit bias and stereotyping by automatically analysing language use in large textual corpora and social media. The PhD student will develop new computational methods that can uncover generalisations and stereotypes implied in texts and investigate how they are learned by state-of-the-art NLP models. We will experiment with state-of-the-art models for learning meaning representations, based on deep learning, and develop new models incorporating insights from linguistics and psychology.

The methods will be evaluated and fine-tuned by comparing the predicted generalisations with the word-associations found in the Implicit Association Tests (IAT) from social psychology. A more detailed description of the research project can be obtained from the project leader, Robert van Rooij.

What are you going to do?

You will be expected to contribute to the project, described above, and to:

• complete and defend a PhD thesis within the official appointment duration of four years; 
• present research results regularly at international workshops and conferences, and to publish them in conference proceedings and journals;
• participate in and to contribute to the organisation of research activities and events at the Institute, such as workshops and colloquia.

All PhD candidates at the ILLC are furthermore expected to make a small contribution to the institute’s educational mission, e.g., by working as teaching assistants for courses in their area of expertise and by assisting with the supervision of student research projects.

What do we require?

You have:

• a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as Computational Linguistics, Artificial Intelligence or Theoretical Computer Science;
• technical skills and the scientific interest to conduct cutting-edge research in natural language processing, and computational semantics in particular
• an excellent academic track record;
• experience in natural language processing;
• a serious interest in pursuing fundamental research;
• good writing and presentation skills;
• good social and organisational skills;
• full professional proficiency in spoken and written English.

Please note that knowledge of the Dutch language is not required for these positions, nor is it required for being able to live in Amsterdam. However, PhD candidates at the ILLC have the opportunity to attend Dutch language classes if they wish.

Our offer

We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and Master students.

The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be €2,395 to €3,061 (scale P) gross per month, based on a full-time contract. This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The  Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities applies. 

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits such as our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look at our website.

Questions

Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation? Please contact one of the supervisors:

• Robert van Rooij, project leader
  or
• Ekaterina Shutova

About the Faculty of Science and the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC) is an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in which researchers from the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Humanities collaborate. Its central research area is the study of fundamental principles of encoding, transmission and comprehension of information. Research at ILLC is interdisciplinary, and aims at bringing together insights from various disciplines concerned with information and information processing, such as logic, mathematics, computer science, linguistics, natural language processing, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, music cognition, and philosophy.

Job application

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 20 April 2021. You can apply online by using the link below.

Applications (in one single .pdf file, using your surname as the file name) should include:

• a cover letter, including a description of your research interests and accomplishments, as well as an explanation for why you are applying for this position (at most two pages);
• a detailed curriculum vitae (CV);
• a list of all Master-level modules you have taken, with an official transcript of grades;
• a link to a writing sample available online, such as a Master’s thesis, a term paper, or a publication (in case of joint authorship, please clearly indicate your own contribution);
• the names, affiliations, and email addresses of two or (at most) three people we can contact for letters of reference for you.

Please mention the months (not just years) in your CV when referring to your education and work experience.

Only applications that conform to these instructions are ensured full consideration by the search committee. In particular, please do not submit more than one file.

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PhD position in Atomic Quantum Physics

 

Are you a highly motivated student who likes performing state-of-the-art atomic physics experiments as well as numerical simulations? Then we are looking for you.

The hybrid atom-ion Quantum Systems lab, headed by Dr Rene Gerritsma, is part of the Quantum Gases and Quantum Information (QGQI) cluster at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). The main focus of the group is to study the quantum dynamics in trapped ions while at the same time developing technology for emerging quantum applications, such as quantum computing and simulation. Dr Arghavan Safavi-Naini has recently joined the Institute of Physics (IoP) at the University of Amsterdam and is part of the QuSoft initiative.

What are you going to do?

You will work in a team that develops a new quantum simulation and computation platform: trapped ions that are pinned by optical microtraps. We aim to use this system as a programmable quantum simulator for quantum many-body dynamics and quantum computation applications. Your project will center on investigation of the role of interaction range, connectivity, and dimensionality in transport and entanglement dynamics in quantum many-body systems both theoretically and experimentally. The project will consist of several interrelated sub-projects that aim to answer the following questions:

1. What is the functional form of equilibration in systems with long-range vs short-range interactions?
2. What is the appropriate controlled approximation that captures the transport dynamics in higher dimensional systems?
3. What is the most experimentally accessible way to create flexible connectivity and create patterns of interest?

In order to explore these topics you will develop state of the art numerical methods based on Matrix Product States (MPS) and Tensor networks. This will allow you to address questions 1 and 2. You will then use both the exact numerics, as well as the approximate techniques, to address question 1 for a variety of connectivity patterns and dimensionality, including 2D triangular lattices, the Bethe lattice, and models such as the SYK model. The methods you develop here will have very broad applications and have the potential to allow for numerical simulation of systems where even the current best exact methods cannot address.

Once we have characterized the behavior of our models theoretically, you will shift your attention to implementing them on the quantum simulation platform. The successful realization of the aforementioned models will be a significant progress in the level of programmability of the trapped ion quantum simulation platforms and on of the first experimental realizations of paradigmatic models such as the SYK model. You will work in a team of two PhD students and a post doc with the aim of implementing quantum simulation models in a trapped ion quantum simulator that is operated in our lab. The work will involve setting up optics, lasers and electronics as well as programming. We will focus in particular on implementing optical forces on the ion crystal that cause local stress or strain on the crystal and use these to further tune the interactions between the ions.

Relevant references:

• R. Nath et al., New J. Phys. 17, 065018 (2015)
• Zhang et al., Nature 551, 601 (2017)

What do we require?

We require a MSc. in (theoretical or experimental) Physics or Physical Chemistry and you are requested to motivate why you apply for the position and to supply a CV.

Other skills/experiences/documents that would benefit your application are:

• previous laboratory experience in an atomic physics lab;
• solid programming skills (in Python, MATLAB, or equivalent) and previous experience in a numerical project;
• excellent communication skills (English);
• scientific publications.

To foster diversity in our research group, we will especially appreciate applications from female candidates.

Our offer

We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and Master students. 

The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be €2,395 to €3,061 (scale P) gross per month, based on a full-time contract of 38 hours a week. This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

Questions?

Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation? Please contact:

•  

  Dr Rene Gerritsma

About the Faculty of Science and the Institute of Physics

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute of Physics (IoP) of the University of Amsterdam is located in the center of the Amsterdam Science Park. The IoP – as part of the Faculty of Science – is housed in a modern building with excellent labs and technical facilities. Surrounded by several national research institutes and with our partners at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the institute is part of a strong physics center of international standing.

The Van der Waals - Zeeman Institute for Experimental Physics (IoP-WZI) is part of the IoP and home to three research clusters: Quantum Gases & Quantum Information (QG&QI), Quantum Materials (QMat), and Soft Matter (SM).

Job application

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 1 May 2021. You may apply online by using the link below. 

Applications in .pdf should include:

• a curriculum vitae including the contact information of two references;
• a motivation letter that explains why you have chosen to apply for this specific position with a statement of your research experience and interests and how these relate to this project;
• transcript of grades;
• title and summary of your Master thesis and a pdf copy or a link to it in case it is already completed.

Applications will be processed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until a suitable candidate has been identified.

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PhD in Statistics and Machine Learning

 

The Operations Management department at the Amsterdam Business School (University of Amsterdam) invites applications for a PhD position in Statistics with a computer science orientation. We are looking for candidates with the ambition to work and succeed at the highest international academic level.

What are you going to do?

The research area is Predictive Process Modeling (PPM), which focuses on forecasting potential problems during process execution before they occur. Applications have been developed in a wide range of domains, such as manufacturing, healthcare, networking, and business processes. Increasingly comprehensive data collection provides more process visibility. Advances in machine learning make use of this increase in detail and frequency of data. Data-driven techniques in this area can be used to improve process quality control by forecasting and monitoring potential process problems. Prediction methods include regression techniques, support vector machines, decision trees, random forest, elastic nets, neural networks, and gradient boosting.

Predictive monitoring starts with defining an (unwanted) process outcome. Subsequently, a model is specified for the process. The parameters of the model are then estimated using the available data. When monitoring commences, the estimated parameters are used to generate process predictions. The probability of the defined process outcome is then calculated. If the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold, the procedure signals. The parameters can then be re-estimated and the monitoring continues. Note that machine learning techniques require less formal modeling, but more data and computing power to perform predictions. Furthermore, as with Statistical Process Monitoring, the threshold to signal will determine the expected false alarm rate. The performance of a PPM procedure can be evaluated using the precision and recall metrics.

The PhD student will work in close collaboration with the supervisory team and other faculty on tasks that include:

• understanding statistical modeling and applying machine learning techniques;
• identifying novel research questions based on real-world phenomena or extant theory;
• presenting research findings at international conferences;
• writing up findings for publication in international journals;
• basic programming skills;
• attending classes and seminars (including those offered at other universities) to further develop thinking and research skills;
• participating in and contributing to departmental research functions (PhD Day, research seminars, research meetings);
• teaching-related activities (to a limited degree), including undergraduate tutorials and the supervision of MSc and/or BSc thesis projects.

What do we require?

Formal requirements:

• Masters’ degree (preferably a Research Master´s or MPhil degree) in Econometrics, Mathematics or a related field;
• GMAT or GRE score of no more than five years old (for students with a Master degree obtained from a non-Dutch university). An indication of the minimum score required is 85%;
• proof of English proficiency through a TOEFL test (score of at least 100 on the internet based test and 600 on the paper based test) or IELTS test (minimum score of 7.5), where the scores were obtained no more than two years before the application.

Task-related requirements:

• excellent speaking and writing ability in fluent English, ideally with experience writing for a scientific audience;
• willingness and motivation to independently formulate research projects and carry them through to completion;
• excellent organizational skills;
• experience conducting empirical research;
• statistical skills and command of standard software packages for analysing data (e.g., R, Python), and a strong willingness to develop these skills further.

Additional requirements:

• strong motivation to pursue an international career as a leading scholar;
• strong commitment to methodological rigor and scientific integrity;
• energy and passion for statistics and machine learning;
• intellectual curiosity, eagerness to learn, and openness to criticism;
• proof of 'good citizenship' beyond academic achievements (i.e., volunteering experience).

Our offer

The employment contract will be for an initial period of 12 months, with an intermediate evaluation after 18 months with a possibility to extend it for 36 months (in total 4 years). End-result should be a PhD thesis. An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance of courses and (international) conferences. Preferred starting date is 1 July 2021.

The gross monthly salary will range from €2,395 in the first year to €3,061 in the last year. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities is applicable.

Would you like to know more about working at the University of Amsterdam? Take a look here.

What else do we offer

The department of Operations Management of the Amsterdam Business School focuses on research in a wide range of topical areas and methods in analytics for a better world.

The members of the department have published their research in the top-tier academic Marketing journals, such as the Journal of Quality Technology, Technometrics, Operations Research, Management Science, Journal of Machine Learning Research.

Members of the department are also involved in teaching in undergraduate, master, and research master level programs, as well as in executive education, and uphold strong relationships to industry, business, and healthcare.

About Economics and Business and the Amsterdam Business School

Education and Research at UvA Economics and Business (EB) provides academic courses for more than 7,000 students in Economics, Business, Actuarial Science, Econometrics, and a variety of courses in the Executive Master’s programs. The Faculty also conducts research programs in many specialist areas and employs about 400 people. The EB has an internationally acclaimed profile and is located in the heart of Amsterdam. EB consists of the Amsterdam Business School (ABS) and the Amsterdam School of Economics (ASE)

The Amsterdam Business School provides an inspiring and truly international research environment. This manifests itself in the ties its members have with major schools around the globe, and its international seminar program.

Business school researchers have access to excellent facilities, including an experimental behavioral lab, and a behavioral lab (including sound-insulated cubicles, group labs, video labs, virtual reality, and facilities for eye tracking, EEG/ERP). High-performance computing is available to researchers via SURFSara (a Dutch consortium for scientific computing). The Amsterdam Business School focuses on high quality research while it fosters diversity in terms of research topics and methods.

A Financial Times ranking places Amsterdam Business School (ABS) at number 7 among European business schools in terms of research output focusing on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Amsterdam Business School is also the only Dutch institution to be listed in the top-10.

Further information

Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation? Please contact:

• Rob Goedhart

Job application

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

Candidates interested in a PhD position in the ABS Operations Management group are invited to send their applications to the link below mentioning the vacancy number 21-105 in the subject line. The application should include:

• a letter of motivation;
• a description of the candidate’s primary research interests and ambitions;
• a CV;
• a grade list for the most recently completed degree;
• a sample of completed research work (i.e., thesis proposal);
• 2 letters of reference (preferable by thesis advisor);
• and recent test scores (GMAT/GRE, TOEFL/IELTS) if applicable.

The closing date is 1 May 2021.

Apply