Postdoctoral Fellow in Hydropower Technologies

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About the position

The candidate will work on a research project (Store2hydro) financed by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe framework. Research activities in NTNU (Waterpower laboratory) focuses on reversible pump-turbine and improving flexibility. The research aims to develop technological solution for the pump-turbine to minimize the cavitation. The research on pump-turbine strongly collaborate with Uppsala University, Sweden. The project work collaborates with other partners in Europe, and gives opportunity to the phd student to exchange ideas and make network. The selected postdoctoral fellow will also have opportunity to attend the conference and project meeting.

Are you ready to take your research career to the next level? We offer an exciting 3-year postdoctoral position that gives you the opportunity to develop a strong profile as researcher. You will also gain valuable experience that might be relevant for your further career. The purpose of a postdoctoral position is for the employee to build up a researcher profile and competence that qualifies the person to apply for a position as associate professor. The position may also provide other competence with relevance for the postdoctoral fellow's further career. Become part of our research environment and take the next step in your career with us.

The position reports to Chirag Trivedi at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering.

About the project 

The overarching aim of STORE2HYDRO is to introduce a new mindset for storage of electricity in connection with existing hydropower. Relatively small adjustments to existing hydropower facilities by retrofitting reversible pump turbine technology would allow the European electricity storage capacity to increase by 22TWh/y or more. The aim will be achieved by:
i) Validated innovative mechanical solutions to TRL4-5 for larger-scale pumped, longer-duration storage of electricity in existing high head Reservoir-to-Reservoir (RtR) and low head Run-of-River (RoR) hydropower facilities.

ii) Mapping untapped hydropower sources for long term electricity storage in Europe increasing the availability, robustness and safety of energy storage solutions. The novel technologies will enable the operators to run hydropower stations in a more efficient, cost effective and flexible manner than today also adapting to the energy system. This is without changing the regulating heights or volume of the reservoir/river reaches following the European Green Deal priorities. Also, turbine manufacturers can introduce new components for cost-effective retrofitting of pumped storage. The technology will be validated with detailed LCA and by consideration of CAPEX and OPEX of potential future plant. 

Duties of the position

• Perform research under the research project (store2hydro) and report the progress on a regular basis (follow the project milestones and deliverable) in agreement with the supervisor(s)
• Conduct experimental and numerical research according to the research plan in the research project. The candidate must expect to conduct experiments (including preparing the test rig) and numerical simulations independently
• Communication and dissemination of research results are core requirement therefore the candidate is expected to write and publish high-quality journal articles, and present her/his work at international conferences

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant background applied in physics, mechanical engineering, fluid mechanics or equivalent education 
• You must have completed a doctoral degree, or be in the final phase of your doctorate. If you are in the final phase of your doctorate and can document that the thesis has been submitted or that the defense date has been confirmed, your application can be considered even if you have not defended. NOTE: Documentation of the obtained doctorate must be presented before you can take up the position
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English

PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”

If you cannot document skills in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2 upon employment, you must complete Norwegian courses corresponding to at least 15 credits before the end of the employment period. NTNU will facilitate this.

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 philosophiaedoctor (ph.d.) and philosophiaedoctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Knowledge of hydro turbine and the experiments
• It's advantageous if you have knowledge of turbine optimization technique 
• Knowledge of programming/software such as MATLAB, ANSYS, LabView, etc.
• Research quality and publications – journal and conference papers
• Genuine interest in research, willingness to learn and carry out high quality research independently

Personal characteristics

Working as a Postdoctoral fellow requires that you

• Work independently 
• Work structured, set goals and make plans to achieve them 
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals 
• Engage 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 
• Are flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed
• Personal skills like a positive and friendly attitude, and contributing to a sustainable social environment will also be valued

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer 

• An exciting job with an important social mission
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment 
• Career guidance throughout the postdoctoral program and together with you we will prepare a career plan, which contains the skills and knowledge you will acquire
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues 
• Training during working hours and company sports teams 
• Favorable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Employee benefits

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. 

The Department of Energy and Process Engineering (EPT) has established EPT Women in Science. The group is focused on supporting female Research Assistants, PhD Candidates, Postdoctoral Fellows and permanent academic employees within the Department. This support aims to help develop the academic careers of female employees, and is also made visible to our student body, to encourage them to consider an academic path. As part of the EPT Women in Science initiative we continue to build on our international network, inviting prominent female academics within and beyond the field of Engineering to speak at our events.

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 615 700 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 3-4 years, depending on whether there is a need to include Norwegian courses and/or courses within educational competence.

The position is conditional on external funding.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important to keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and to adapt to them. 

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application 

The application must include:

• Research plan: candidates are required to submit a one-page (300 - 500 words) description on how they plan to use their scientific background and research ambitions to address the research challenges of this position under store2hydro project. Check website (https://www.store2hydro.com/) for the project store2hydro [work package 2 (Task 2.1) and 5 (Task 5.1)]
• CV
• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's-, Master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or confirmation that your PhD thesis has been submitted. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, you can attach a draft of the thesis
• Academic works - published or unpublished
• Possible recommendation letters
• Name and contact information of three referee

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 Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above.

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. Description of the documentation required can 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 works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

If you have had leave or another break in your career, it is important that this is stated in your application so that the selection committee can take this into account and that the amount of your research may be reduced as a result.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal qualities. Motivation, ambitions and potential for research will also be emphasized in the assessment of the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and is committed to follow evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment DORA and the obligations in 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 list of applicants, 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 have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Chirag Trivedi, e-mail: chirag.trivedi@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR consultant Julie Lund, e-mail: julie.lund@ntnu.no.

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. 

If you find this position interesting, and in accordance with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with all necessary attachments included as listed above. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.

Application deadline: 28.03.2025

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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. 

Further information

This position is a research project (Store2hydro) financed by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe framework.