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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 a vacancy for a PhD candidate within fatigue and structural integrity, funded through the Centre for Research-based Innovation SFI FAST Future Aluminium Structures.
The position is 3-year doctoral research fellowships starting in 2026. The PhD candidate will be embedded in the fatigue and structural integrity research activities of SFI FAST and will work closely with NTNU, SINTEF, and leading international industrial partners in the aluminium value chain.
Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. You will be supervised by Associate Professor Nima Razavi.
About the project
SFI FAST (Future Aluminium Structures) is a national Centre for Research-based Innovation (SFI) funded by the Research Council of Norway and the aluminum industry. The Centre is led by NTNU in close collaboration with SINTEF and a broad consortium of 15 leading industrial partners across the aluminium value chain. FAST runs from 2026 to 2034 and represents one of Norway’s most ambitious long-term research initiatives within aluminium materials, manufacturing technologies, and circular economy.
The primary objective of FAST is to establish the scientific and technological knowledge base required to enable the large-scale use of post-consumer scrap (PCS) aluminium in high-value, structural, and safety-critical products. FAST adopts a through-scale and through-process research methodology, integrating materials science, manufacturing processes, product and structural design, and lifecycle performance.
A key outcome of FAST is the development of the FAST Virtual Lab, a digital framework combining experimental data, physics-based models, and data-driven methods to support design, manufacturing, and decision-making across aluminium value chains.
Education and competence building are central pillars of FAST. The Centre will educate more than 18 PhD and postdoctoral researchers and over 100 MSc students, strengthening Norway’s international position in aluminium research and innovation.
Please see the centre’s website: Future Aluminium Structures (FAST) - NTNU
PhD project
This PhD position focuses on the fatigue performance of welded aluminium structures, with particular emphasis on understanding and improving fatigue-critical regions in the weldment. Welding introduces local variations in microstructure, mechanical properties, residual stresses and defects across the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone, which can strongly influence fatigue crack initiation and propagation. The research will investigate how these local characteristics, together with weld geometry and the processing route of the substrates, govern fatigue performance and the transferability of fatigue assessment methods across different structural configurations.
The candidate will investigate strategies for fatigue-life enhancement through selected local post-weld heat treatments, mechanical treatments and in-situ thermo-mechanical modification techniques. Experimental work will include fatigue testing supported by relevant local characterization, XCT-based defect characterization and in-situ mechanical testing to study damage and crack evolution. The experimental findings will be combined with local, defect-based and fracture-mechanics-based fatigue prediction approaches to assess fatigue performance and treatment effectiveness. The research will also explore the implications of thickness-dependent behaviour and local weld properties for existing fatigue design approaches and potential future design recommendations.
The candidate will work in close collaboration with industrial partners and other researchers within FAST and will be responsible for reporting progress and delivering research outputs to the centre.
Duties of the position
- Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
- Take part in the mandatory PhD research education programme
- Investigate the fatigue behaviour and damage mechanisms of aluminium weldments, considering local variations in mechanical properties, microstructure, residual stresses, and weld-induced defects
- Develop and evaluate local post-weld heat treatment and mechanical modification strategies to improve the properties and fatigue performance of critical weld regions
- Investigate the applicability of in-situ thermal and mechanical modification techniques during welding for controlling local material properties and improving fatigue resistance
- Perform fatigue testing combined with XCT-based defect characterization and in-situ mechanical testing to investigate fatigue crack initiation and evolution and their relationship with local material and geometrical features
- Develop and validate local, defect-based and fracture-mechanics-based fatigue prediction approaches using the experimental findings, and assess their applicability to welded aluminium structures
- Evaluate the implications of the obtained results for existing fatigue design approaches, particularly regarding material thickness, local weld properties, presence of post-consumer scrap, and potential recommendations for fatigue design standards
- Conduct and publish high-level research in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences
- Work closely with industrial and academic partners and participate in relevant SFI FAST activities, including mentoring and supervising MSc students
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, Material Engineering, Solid Mechanics 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.
- Documented strong background in experimental mechanics, solid mechanics, and mechanics of materials
- Excellent written presentation skills and oral English language skills
The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.
Preferred selection criteria
- Scandinavian language skills
- Knowledge of fatigue and fracture mechanics
- Knowledge and testing skills in material characterization and microstructural analysis
- Knowledge and experience in mechanical testing of materials or components
- Experience in using Finite Element Codes such as ABAQUS, ANSYS, etc. for numerical analysis
Personal characteristics
To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:
- Highly motivated
- 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 strong motivation for the subject
- Analyse data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions
- Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed
- Keen interest in learning and working in teams
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.
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 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 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:
- 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.
- 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). The motivation letter must be aligned with the subject of this call and why the candidate finds themselves suitable for this position.
- Possibly publications or other relevant research work (the candidate’s contribution to each work must be clarified (performed tasks and percentage of contribution))
- Possibly certificates
- Names and contact information of three relevant referees, their relation to the applicant, and their recommendation letters for your application for this position (Note: the referees will also be directly contacted for shortlisted candidates for the position)
- documentation of the required criteria
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 Associate Professor Nima Razavi, e-mail: nima.razavi@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: 26.10.2026
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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.