About the position
PhD position on processing of reclaimed timber products from construction, demolition and manufacturing process industries
At the Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering in Gjøvik, we currently have a full-time doctoral (PhD) candidate degree position linked to the newly established research project CIRCULess, https://circuless-project.eu/. The duration of the PhD project position is three years. The project is funded by the Horizon Europe program and coordinated by NTNU. The project is dedicated to the recycling, upcycling, circularity and waste management of End-of-Life (EoL) concrete and timber-based materials and components.
The successful candidate will join the Group for Sustainable Composites led by Prof. Sotirios Grammatikos and Group of Digitalization for a Sustainable Built Environment, led by Prof. Lizhen Huang. The research groups work closely with esteemed industrial and academic partners from Norway and Europe, across a variety of sectors.
The Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering is in possession of state-of-the-art research facilities for manufacturing, testing & characterization, non-destructive evaluation, and recycling, as well as advanced software and digital facilities for design, modelling and analysis. NTNU in Gjøvik is an important research hub in Norway, with a strong portfolio of running (national and EU) projects and significant ongoing collaborations with the industry. NTNU in Gjøvik is a campus of NTNU, located close to Raufoss Industrial Park, Mustad Industrial Park and Sintef Raufoss Manufacturing.
Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.
Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.
Duties of the position
The PhD positions project aims to develop innovative solutions for advanced processing of reclaimed timber products, for new high added-value products. The focus of the candidate will be to work on developing procedures, to process and upscale used timber elements, in order to be recycled and upcycled. The work will deal with used timber from construction, demolition and manufacturing process industries, that requires processing such as paint-removal, de-nailing, etc. The candidate will work on existing technologies for processing and will also develop new digital-based and robotized solutions (employing robotic facilities at NTNU), in collaboration with the industry, with a view to evaluating and optimizing the processing procedure.
- Participation in the research activities of the project in cooperation with partners of CIRCULess EU project
- Disseminate and publish research results
- Conduct high-quality research on the topic
- Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to develop circular wood value chain optimization
- Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.
Required selection criteria
- You must have an academically relevant background within timber engineering, materials engineering or a relevant engineering field.
- You must have a Master's degree in wood science, materials science/engineering, mechanical engineering or civil engineering or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
- background in robotics / robotic processes.
- background in sustainability with focus on recycling/upcycling solutions.
- documented laboratory hands-on experience on material engineering.
- strong knowledge on composite materials with focus on timber as engineering material.
- Candidates should have documented excellent written and oral English language skills and experience in scientific writing are required.
- You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme PhD in Engineering (Doctoral Programme) 3 years - Trondheim - NTNU
PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.
The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.
Preferred selection criteria
- Experience from industry or experience from working in projects with multiple partners will be considered a merit.
- Experience with National or European projects will be considered a plus.
- Experience with quality control methods and non-destructive evaluation.
- Knowledge with processing technologies.
- Knowledge with timber industry.
Personal characteristics
We are looking for a motivated individual with a strong interest and understanding of the field. The ideal candidate will possess a positive and balanced personality, capable of thinking creatively and critically. The candidate must demonstrate excellent analytical and collaboration skills, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
Strong cooperation and communication skills are essential for this position and will be highly valued in the selection process. Emphasis will be placed on education, previous experience, personal suitability, and motivation, in line with the qualification requirements specified in the advertisement.
The candidate should have a research-oriented mindset, be application-focused, and possess the ability to independently set up, organize, and execute research projects.
To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:
- Work independently
- Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
- Present and discuss your research with other professionals
- Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback
- Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity
- Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
- Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions
- Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed
Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.
We offer
You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts.
Diversity
Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.
We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.
If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.
At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.
Salary and conditions
In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 536 200,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.
The employment period is 3 years. If learning Norwegian (level A2 corresponding to at least 15 credits) is to be completed before the end of the employment period, the employment period can be extended by 10 weeks after completed and documented the Norwegian course.
For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.
The position is conditional on external funding.
As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.
For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.
The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control(legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.
About the application
The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in English.
Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates
The application must include:
1. Cover letter directed to Prof. Sotirios Grammatikos (max 1 page)
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Certified copies of transcripts and diplomas with grades from post graduate studies (in English)
4. Research statement dedicated to the needs of this position (max. 2 pages) that should include:
A short presentation of the motivation of the applicant
How the applicant sees his/her background suitable for this position
The applicant’s view of research challenges within the area of this position
5. Names and contact details of at least 2 reference persons who we can contact
6. A copy of the Master’s Thesis (for PhD candidates), in PDF. If you are close to submitting, or have recently submitted your thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master’s degree must be presented before taking up the position
If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.
Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.
When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.
NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).
General information
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.
If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.
Contact: Professor Sotirios Grammatikos, Research Group Leader for Sustainable Composites, Director of Laboratory of Advanced & Sustainable Engineering Materials (ASEMlab), [email protected], phone: + 4790577561, Adviser Peter Karlsaune, [email protected].
For informal information about the position, interested applicants are very much encouraged to contact Professor Sotirios Grammatikos. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Advisor Kristine Rognlid Hagaseth, [email protected].
Application deadline: 14.05.2025
For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.
Gjøvik, a charming town by the shores of Lake Mjøsa, is known for its beautiful nature and rich cultural offerings. The town boasts a vibrant community with excellent schools, modern healthcare services, and a variety of recreational activities. With its strategic location, just a short drive from Oslo, Gjøvik combines the best of urban life and natural experiences. Here, you'll find a dynamic business environment and exciting career opportunities in a setting that values work-life balance.
