Dynamically Updated Digital Twins For a Sustainable and Carbon-neutral Mobility Future
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Norway
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Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU)
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Department of Electronic Systems
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On Campus
3 years-
Expired
On Campus 
Position Details (PhD Program)
A digital twin is defined as a virtual representation of a physical asset or process enabled through data and simulators for real-time prediction, optimization, monitoring, control, and improved decision making. For real-time operation, the twin requires continuous updating with new measurements from its observation platforms. However, all observations are not equally time-critical, and not equally important for the twin. This PhD will focus on the coupling between the twin and the different kinds of sensors, and will work with pre-processing, optimization and communication strategies to support accurate twin operation using limited communication resources. Machine learning and AI-based strategies that learn and adapt to the characteristics of the sensors, and the requirements of the twin will be of special interest.
The PhD position is part of a new large interdisciplinary initiative called Mobility Lab Elgeseter. The center is divided into the three focus areas 1) stakeholder needs for good mobility, 2) mobility as a system / transportation models, and 3) digital technologies for green mobility, that will work closely together to realize innovative and sustainable future mobility solutions in the urban environment. Within area 3) various enabling technologies will be used to automate the process of building and using digital mobility infrastructure twins (holistic/unified, life cycle, hierarchical, integrated, dynamic/updated, predictive and automated) for collaboration, simulation, value creation, decision support, road object condition monitoring, carbon/energy footprint and automated traffic management etc. (general knowledge will be developed that can be scaled up and used elsewhere).
To realize this several PhD candidates with partly overlapping competences will work closely together, each focusing on one of the following areas: 1) baseline Digital Mobility Twin (DMT) using site surveys and available geo-located data, 2) dynamically updated DMT using IoT, sensors, 5G and edge computing, 3) BigData and AI to create value from all the sensor data sent from the physical twin, e.g. in the form of decision support and automation, 4) autonomy and simulation (this PhD position) to train AI agents and simulate “what-if” scenarios, and 5) XR and Visualization to interact with the DMT throughout its life-cycle (construction and use) and increase citizens engagement and feedback before things have been built physically.
This PhD project is a part of the PERSEUS doctoral programme: A collaboration between NTNU- Norway’s largest university, 11 top-level academic partners in 8 European countries, and 8 industrial partners within sectors of high societal relevance.
Within PERSEUS we will recruit 40 PhD candidates who want to contribute to a smart, safe and sustainable future. We are looking for highly skilled PhD candidates motivated to approach societal challenges within one of the following thematic areas:
- Big data and AI
- Digital Twins
- Internet of Things
- Extended Reality
- Information and Cyber Security
All participants in the PERSEUS network bring unique and important qualities with them into the doctoral programme. The PERSEUS PhD candidates will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers in the partner institutions and in other project consortia, and benefit from these collaborative research and education activities.
As part of the PERSEUS team you will work alongside other highly motivated and talented PhD candidates and researchers. You will also have access to the knowledge base, state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and impact orientation of the partners in the team.
In addition to your education and development within the thematic research area, you will gain transferable skills within project development and management, science communication, research ethics, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, as well as basic university didactics.
As a PERSEUS PhD candidate, you will be employed by NTNU. During your stay, you will do a 2–3 month international stay and a 1-2 month national stay with one of the PERSEUS partners. This will allow you to extend your network within academia and industry, and to learn about your research area from an academic, innovation, and societal perspective.
The duration of the PhD employment is 36 months.
We are looking for PhD candidates from all nationalities, who want to contribute to our quest to create knowledge for a better world. PERSEUS recruits candidates according to the EU’s mobility rule, i.e. applicants cannot have spent more than 12 months in Norway during the last 3 years, be within the first four years of their research careers and not yet be awarded a doctoral degree.
We believe in fair and open processes. All applications will be considered through a transparent evaluation procedure, with independent observers involved.
We look forward to welcome you to the PERSEUS team!
Your immediate leader is the Head of the Department
Duties of the position
- undertaking the necessary courses (30 ECTS) as part of the PhD programme;
- submitting an application for admission and a research plan no later than 3 months after the employment;
- conducting high quality research and report progress on a regular basis and in agreement with the supervisors
- engage and communicate with both academic partners and public stakeholders within the Mobility Lab Elgeseter project
- actively participate in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the overall digital mobility twin ecosystem
- contribute to the dissemination of the research outcomes through public media, conferences, and publications.
Required selection criteria
- International mobility requirements: Applicants of any age and any nationality will be eligible as far as they fulfil the mobility requirement of the COFUND programme, namely, the applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (Norway) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline of PERSEUS.
Candidates must at the date of the call deadline be within the first four years of their research careers and not yet be awarded a doctoral degree. Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when the candidate obtained the degree entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (e.g. from the Master’s degree).
- Education requirements: 5 years of higher education (BSC and MSC) or education equal to (300 ECTS). The grade requirements are B or higher (based on NTNU’s grading scale). Master degree must be completed by the call deadline. Education will have to be documented by diploma supplement or equivalent documentation in English and include a description of the educational system. International Relations do require Chinese diplomas to be verified using CHSI. The NTNU Office of International Relations will evaluate degrees and diplomas.
- Language skill requirements: The applicants will be asked to provide evidence of good English language skills, written and spoken. The following certificates may be used as such evidence: TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).
- Export of Knowledge Control: The PhD candidates who, based on a comprehensive first-hand assessment, might come into conflict with legislation governing exports of knowledge, technology and services will not advance further from the first stage in the recruitment process. For further information, please refer to the Export Control Act.
In addition, the candidate must have:
- Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or other relevant disciplines.
- Strong mathematical background and research-oriented master thesis in a related field (e.g., signal processing, statistical machine learning, applied mathematics).
- Significant experience with programming (preferably Matlab and/or Python).
The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant
Preferred selection criteria
- Publication activity in the aforementioned disciplines
- Experience of machine learning
- Good written and oral English
Personal characteristics
- Be scientifically curious and open to new research challenges
- Demonstrate independence and persistence in addressing technical problems
- Be flexible and reliable, with the ability to work efficiently independently and as part of a team
Commitment and delivery with respect to deadlines.
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
As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 501 200 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 Electronics and Telecommunication 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 your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.
The application must include:
- CV and certificates.
- Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. If you have not completed the master’s degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master’s thesis has been submitted.
- Certified copies of academic diplomas and transcripts and 2 reference letters.
- A copy of the master’s thesis. If you recently have 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 proposal.
- Name and contact information of three referees.
- If you have publications or other relevant research work.
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. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well.
We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.
In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.