PhD Candidate in machine learning and large language models (LLMs) for materials science

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Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0About the position

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.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (IMA) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has a vacant position as PhD candidate in the field of machine learning for materials science. 

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

About the project

The PhD candidate will investigate the use of large language models (LLMs) to assist research work in materials science. The project will notably seek to tailor existing LLMs to better process materials science data, answer complex queries related to materials science, and formulate research hypotheses that can be benchmarked through physical experiments or computational simulations.  The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway and is a collaboration between NTNU and Norsk Regnesentral (The Norwegian Computing Centre). The PhD candidate will be a part of the research group FACET (Functional Materials and Materials Chemistry). The candidate will be employed and supervised by NTNU, with co-supervisors from Norsk Regnesentral, where the candidate will spend extended research stays.

Duties of the position

• Perform high-quality research within the scope of the project.
• Complete the PhD education and training programme.
• Publish results in internationally recognised journals and conferences.
• Actively participate in and develop the collaboration between NTNU and Norsk Regnesentral.
• Contribute to a constructive and inclusive research environment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a relevant Master's degree in materials science, solid-state chemistry, condensed matter physics, or a closely related discipline. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position and no later than September 1 2026.
• 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 NV faculty's Doctoral Programme https://www.ntnu.edu/nv/phd
• Competence in programming (e.g. Python or similar).
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English. 

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 NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions 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 or strong interest in one or more of the following areas is considered an advantage:

• Machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing or data science.
• Computational materials science, electronic structure calculations (e.g. DFT), or thermodynamic modelling (e.g. statistical mechanics or MD).
• Scientific data analysis.
• Interdisciplinary research at the interface between physical sciences and AI.

Personal characteristics

We are looking for a candidate who: 

• Is highly motivated for research and can work independently.
• Is curious and capable of learning new methods. 
• Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them.
• Can work as part of a team as well as independently.
• Communicates clearly both orally and in writing.

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

Evaluate and remove/add what is relevant for the position.

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

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 550 800,-per annum. 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 Materials Science and Engineering (https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phmt) 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 preferably, or in a Scandinavian language.

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:

• A cover letter describing the applicant’s motivation and suitability for the position.
• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV 
• A brief description of previous research or project work.
• 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 Prof. Sverre M. Selbach, e-mail: selbach@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR consultant Marie Kristiansen, e-mail: marie.kristiansen@ntnu.no

Application deadline: 15.02.2025

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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.