Om stillingen
A permanent full-time position as a professor within the field of Field Robotics is available in the Robotics and Automation group at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.
Field Robotics deals with intelligent robotic systems in unstructured and dynamic environments. Your primary focus will be autonomous mobile navigation and manipulation in unstructured environments to create intelligent systems capable of executing complex tasks with minimal human intervention. Potential applications include operations on offshore platforms and wind turbines.
The motivation for establishing this professorship lies in facilitating a significant evolution in the operational abilities of (mobile) robots. The aim is to empower these robots to function efficiently in harsh, complex, and dynamic environments and to execute sequences of intricate tasks to meet specified objectives, which requires special attention towards improving their navigation and manipulation capabilities:
- navigation capabilities need to be enhanced to increase mobility on land and in hard-to-reach or unpredictable areas in dynamic and complex environments
- manipulation capabilities must be upgraded to manage large and heavy objects and delicate and potentially hazardous objects. These abilities necessitate advances in precision, force, speed, re-planning, physical perception, and techniques for grasping and manipulating objects
Expanding the current capabilities of the Robotics and Automation research group, possible research topics are the development of robust perception, advanced safe and reliable navigation functionalities, AI and robot learning, novel hardware designs, mobile manipulation, and manipulating objects that are challenging to handle, such as dirty, slippery, or deformable items.
Equinor sponsors the position for a period of five years through the Academic Agreement and will be fully covered by NTNU after that.
You will work within the Robotics and Automation group with an office at Campus Gløshaugen and report to the Head of Department.
Duties of the position
As a new member of the Robotics and Automation group, you will:
- initiate the use and further development of methods and technologies for field robotics, emphasizing expanding the navigation and manipulation capabilities of autonomous mobile robots in land-based and top-side operations
- contribute to future knowledge and educational tools
- take part in interdisciplinary research and education collaborations across departments and faculties at NTNU
- engage in applications for external funding from the Research Council of Norway, the European Union research and innovation agencies, and other available resources
- participate in the further development of the Robotics and Automation group and the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- teach in the Mechanical Engineering study program and supervise master’s students and PhD fellows
Required qualifications
You must have the qualifications required for the position of Professor in the field of Field Robotics, as outlined in § 1-2 of the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts
- Your scientific experience must be primarily in the field of Field Robotics (or a comparable relevant field)
- Relevant fields include mobile robots, manipulation and grasping, navigation and control, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), robotic perception, and robot learning. You should document competence in one or more these fields.
- In addition to the requirements for basic educational competence, you must also document:
- The development of the quality of your own teaching and supervision of students over time
- Broad experience as a supervisor, preferably at a master’s/PhD level
- Participation in improving the quality of education in a professional environment
- Excellent communication skills in English.
You must document relevant basic competence in teaching and supervision at a university/higher education-level, as referenced in the Norwegian national Regulations. If this cannot be documented, you will be required to complete an approved course in university pedagogy within two years of commencement. NTNU offers qualifying courses.
New employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language by appointment is required, within three years, to demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three of the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU.
Preferred qualifications
- demonstrated ability to attract external funding related to the research area
- demonstrated ability to conduct research in an international environment
- te ability for interdisciplinary activities and collaborations
- experience from lab and full-scale implementations
- teaching experience from higher education
Personal qualities
- motivation for excellence in teaching and research
- ability to initiate new projects
- ability to cooperate internally and externally
Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities
We offer
Application Process
You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.
Salary and conditions
As a Professor (1013) you are normally paid from gross NOK 800.000 – 1.000.000 NOK per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
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.
Please note that the candidate holding the announced position is expected to work with critical infrastructure and areas affected by control of the export of strategic goods, services and technology. Candidates with the potential of not fulfilling requirement for security clearance, access clearance and authorization as described in the Act Relating to National Security, The Export Control Act and Act on the Implementation of International Sanctions (Sanctions Act) cannot be considered for the position (e.g., candidates from Russia, Iran, North Korea, China, among other countries).
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 on a daily basis.
About the application
Your application and supporting documentation 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.
If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.
Your application must include:
- CV, diplomas, and certificates
- A teaching portfolio, in which your teaching competence is compiled and presented systematically, (See guidelines for applicants: Documentation of teaching qualifications in applications and appointments to academic positions at NTNU)
- Academic works – published or unpublished – that you wish to be considered during assessment of your application (up to 15 items)
- A description of the scientific/artistic works you consider most relevant, which you particularly wish to be factored into the assessment
- A list of your previous works, with details on where they have been published
- A research plan
- Details of projects for which you have served as project manager, including information on financing, duration, and scope
- Names and contact information for three relevant referees
You are encouraged to use the Universities Norway’s NOR-CAM toolbox as a guide for documentation of your competence.
Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.
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. Our assessment of the pedagogical skills will be based on documented pedagogical material, forms of presentation in your academic works, teaching experience, PhD, and Masters supervision, and any other relevant pedagogical background. Both quality and scope will be taken into consideration, and an open scientific practice will be recognized.
NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and The obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions to science and society. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.
Your application will be considered by an expert committee. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview, and to deliver a trial teaching session.
General information
NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.
NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality.
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 continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.
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.
For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given the expert evaluation of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and is stipulated to rules of confidentiality.
If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Lars Tingelstad, tel. +47 97736854, e-mail: lars.tingelstad@ntnu.no.
If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR consultant Linn-Cecilie Felle Brattheim, e-mail: linn.c.felle@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: 31.12.2023
NTNU – knowledge for a better world
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
We educate graduates who can create new products, operate and maintain products, and manage projects. The Department has a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes. We conduct wide-ranging research in fields such as technology, energy, product quality and development, and productivity. The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.
Deadline 31st December 2023
Employer NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Permanent
Place of service Richard Birkelandsvei 2b, 7491 Trondheim