This is NTNU
NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.
At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.
You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KHQjc4ndas&t=41sAbout the position
The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MTP) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has two vacancies for PhD candidates within different disciplines of Systems Engineering/New Product Development, funded through the Centre for Research-based Innovation, SFI-CELECT (Research Centre for Effective Engineering and Learning in Complex Systems).
The positions are 3-year doctoral research fellowships starting in 2026/2027. Each PhD candidate will be embedded in the research activities of SFI-CELECT and will work closely with NTNU, University of Sout-Eastern Norway (USN), University of Agder (UiA), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and leading industrial partners in the product manufacturing, defence and aerospace, and maritime sectors.
You will be supervised by Professor Torgeir Welo.
About the project
SFI-CELECT (Research Centre for Effective Engineering and Learning in Complex Systems) started in 2026 and is funded by the Research Council of Norway and industrial partners. The centre is led by the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN) in close collaboration with NTNU and UiA, and involves a broad consortium of leading companies across multiple industrial sectors. Through research on new methodologies for effective engineering and learning in complex systems, we aim to accelerate innovation and value creation in industry by developing better methods and smarter tools to ‘do more with less— and faster’. SFI-CELECT runs from 2026 to 2033 and is Norway’s most ambitious research initiative within innovation in complex systems.
The primary objective of SFI-CELECT is to leap the innovation and product realization capabilities in some of Norway’s leading industries by enhancing how new products are developed and managed. Operating within an integrated academic-industry ecosystem, SFI-CELECT will generate research-based methodologies, methods and tools for effective and efficient product innovation and realization, embracing the complexity and dynamics in today’s business environments where digitalization and AI tools play an increasingly important role.
A key aim of CELECT is to establish an integrated academic-industry learning and educational ecosystem, where PhDs and researchers work together across disciplines to solve complex problems of high industrial importance using industry-as-a-laboratory as the research context.
Education and competence building are central pillars of CELECT. The centre will educate more than 30 PhD and postdoctoral researchers and over 120 MSc students, strengthening Norway’s international position in new-product innovation. Work location for the two positions posted here is NTNU - Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Trondheim, Norway.
PhD position 1: Strategies for leveraging cross-functional knowledge flows in digitally supported NPD processes
Since the outcome of NPD processes is not only the physical artifact but also the creation, acquisition and transfer of knowledge, cross-functional knowledge flows are central to NPD effectiveness in (quality of decisions and solutions) and efficiency (speed and ‘first-time-right’). This PhD will research how such cross-functional knowledge flows can be enabled, managed and leveraged in contemporary NPD settings where collaborations are increasingly mediated by shared digital tools rather than co-located interaction. Accordingly, s/he will investigate how organizations can make NPD work processes more productive by better understanding where digital tools has their limitations. Moreover, the candidate will determine which countermeasures that can be established to stimulate and improve interactions across functional boundaries to make work flows more tangible and transparent with regard to identifying potential waste sources and lack of value.
PhD position 2: Optimizing product design for efficient manufacturing using digital tools throughout the New Product Development (NPD) process
The aim of this PhD is to develop knowledge-based, Design for Manufacturing (DfM) strategies for improved decision support in integrated product and process development. The PhD will develop, test and verify new DfM platforms, bridging theory, practices, processes, people and digital tools, and equipping companies with the capability necessary to effectively integrate manufacturing considerations, including product-service lifecycle responsibility, early in the product development process.
This position will complement PhD position 1 above, which focuses more generally on cross functional knowledge flow in multidisciplinary NPD teams. Some key research questions are:
- How can manufacturing considerations and requirements be efficiently and effectively integrated into the early stages of NPD?
- How can we integrate AI into our digital thread to automatically retrieve DfM data, specifications, and essential knowledge for NPD?
- How can we design modern learning frameworks to build a digital Design for Manufacturing (DfM) knowledge base?
- What role does externally captured information play in design support related to DfM?
- How can organizations utilize formal decision-support frameworks to operationalize and leverage their strategic Design for Manufacturing (DfM) capabilities?
- How can organizations enable interoperability between people, processes and IT/AI tools within such frameworks?
Duties of the position
- Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate within a 3-year timeframe
- Carry out high-quality research within the framework described above
- Academic publications in high-quality journals and conferences
- Participate in activities in associated research groups
- Actively work companies in an industry-as-laboratory environment, combining qualitative and quantitative research
- Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
- Active involvement in SFI CELECT’s doctoral team across NTNU, USN and UIA, including research school INRESCOS and participate in common workshops, learning events and courses
Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.
Required selection criteria
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme, see Section 6-1 of the PhD regulations for more information*
- You must have a relevant Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Management or equivalent. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis
- Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position
- You must have a strong and relevant 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 academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works.
- Strong academic background relevant to the topic
- Good written and oral English skills
- You must meet the requirements to obtain NATO security clearance for access to the facilities of the partner companies
- The hiring of each PhD candidate must be approved by the board of SFI-CELECT
*Final year master students at the IV-faculty at NTNU can apply and start in a part-time position, no later than January 1st 2027. This will be considered as an integrated PhD at NTNU. Then Section 23-2 of the PhD regulations apply for admission requirements.
The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.
Preferred selection criteria
- Academic or industrial experience from knowledge-based development
- Knowledge in using G/AI/digital tools
- Competence in modelling and data programming
- Knowledge and skills in executing case studies and qualitative research studies
- General industrial work experience
- Experience from design/new product development/value chain/manufacturing as practitioner
- International work experience
- Scandinavian language skills
Personal characteristics
To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:
- Highly motivated
- Systematic and structured
- Able to work independently
- Curious and enthusiastic
- Strong ability to systematically carry out goal-oriented work
- Passion for interdisciplinary research
- Eager to learn and work in teams
- Good skills for sharing and communicating research results
- Strong interest in combining theory and practice using the industry-as-laboratory concept
Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.
We offer
As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to 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.
Salary and conditions
In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,- 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.
For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Engineering within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme through out the period of employment.
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 professional 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 Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or 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 and diplomas upon request.
The application must include:
- Which position you are applying for
- Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
- CV
- Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
- For master students from NTNU at the IV faculty, you must submit temporary transcript and a description of your master thesis project
- Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages)
- Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
- Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
- Possibly certificates
- Names and contact information of three relevant referees
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 work 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.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Torgeir Welo, e-mail: torgeir.welo@ntnu.no.
If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Senior Consultant Hedda Winnberg, e-mail: hedda.winnberg@ntnu.no
Application deadline: 07.11.2026
-----------------
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.