PhD Candidate within AI and Big Data

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.

About the job

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.

The research of this position will be performed in cooperation with industry partners in the NorwAI research center, within one of the following topics:

Topic A, dynamic graph analytics: For many important applications, data is represented as graphs, with dynamic relationships between nodes. Examples include the power grid, financial transaction relationships, social networks, and transportation networks. Interesting research challenges the PhD student might work on in this context include anomaly detection, scalable processing, and real-time processing of dynamic graphs.

Topic B, streaming data: Data streams arrives with high velocity, possibly from multiple and heterogeneous streaming data sources. Examples of data streams we are working with are sensor data and customer interaction data. Often, there are strict requirements for processing time and resource usage, and interesting challenges here include developing efficient methods for analysing data streams under such constraints. Stream data can often have varying accuracy and quality, or have varying degree of completeness, how to handle this in the data processing and analysis part are also very relevant research topics.

Topic C, efficient storage and processing of graph-based data: Data naturally modelled as graphs poses new challenges for efficient storage and querying. Relevant challenges for this topic include algorithms, indexes and systems for handling dynamic, streaming, or property graph data. Another relevant direction is to use AI to improve efficiency of graph database algorithms or database systems, for example using learned indexes.

Your immediate leader is the Head of the DART group

Duties of the position

The main duties and responsibilities for the position are:

• Conducting research within one of the topics described above, in collaboration with the supervisors and other members of the research group.
• Test and evaluate the solution in simulated and real environments.
• Disseminate results through publications and presentations.

The main supervisor will be Prof. Kjetil Nørvåg, and the candidate is also expected to work together with other researchers in his group and industrial partners of NorwAI.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant background in algorithms, machine learning, database systems, or data mining, with a research-oriented master’s thesis.
• Good programming skills.
• Good written and oral English language skills.
• Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• Master's students in their final year can apply, but the master's degree must be completed by July 2024.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the PhD programme in Computer Science.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and 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

Experience with algorithms or AI projects.

Personal characteristics

• Acquires new knowledge quickly, and is able to use existing knowledge in new ways.
• Enjoy working in a team-based environment, but also be able to conduct independent activities and thinking.
• Be highly motivated to publish in academic conferences and journals within the area of the position.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

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 532 200 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 (or 4 years with teaching duties).

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Computer Science 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 including information relevant for the qualifications.
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must indicate when the master's thesis is expected to be submitted.
• A copy of the master's thesis (PDF). If you have not 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.
• A research interest description (maximum 2 pages). The applicant should indicate which of the topics of the position that is of main interest, and the research interest description should be in the context of this chosen topic. It should include a short presentation of the motivation for a PhD study, suitability for the position and the applicant’s view towards research challenges as well as the theoretical and methodological approach to the challenges.
• Name and contact information of two referees.
• Scientific publications (if any).

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.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.

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

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself 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 reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Kjetil Nørvåg, email noervaag@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR at IDI, e-mail: hr@idi.ntnu.no.

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.

Application deadline: 26.05.24