The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) invites applications for a PhD position focused on antagonistic threats-aware digital twins in product lifecycle. This three-year, full-time position is part of the D-CRISP project, which aims to develop integrated digital twin solutions to detect and mitigate potential threats across various domains, including production, power grids, public infrastructure, and logistics chains.

The successful candidate will research, develop, and demonstrate methodologies for building and integrating digital twins throughout product lifecycles, with a particular emphasis on detecting intrusions and preventing disruptions. The project covers themes such as digital twins and IoT, human digital twins, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, system engineering, socio-technical systems, AI-supported adaptive learning, industrial cybersecurity, supply chain security, semantic modelling, knowledge representation, and automated reasoning.

As a PhD candidate, you will join an international research community, collaborating with project partners in Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Lithuania. Opportunities for research visits and potentially a dual degree with partner institutions are available. You will participate in the Knowledge-based Engineering and Knowledge-driven Systems research group and engage in international conferences and research stays.

Applicants must hold a master's degree (or equivalent) in production engineering, industrial ICT, or industrial engineering. Master students graduating in spring 2026 are eligible to apply. Required skills include mathematics, programming, and production engineering or product development. The degree must correspond to a five-year Norwegian master's education (120 credits at master's level), with a strong academic background (average grade B or better on NTNU's scale). Very good English skills, both written and oral, are essential. Preferred qualifications include programming experience (Python, OOA/OOD/OOP), semantic modeling, knowledge representation, automated reasoning, knowledge-based engineering, system engineering, AI frameworks, industrial protocols, and cyber-physical systems.

The position offers a gross annual salary of NOK 550,800, with a 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund. The employment period is three years, conditional on external funding from the D-CRISP project. NTNU provides a supportive and inclusive working environment, career guidance, working capital for project implementation, and free basic Norwegian language training. Diversity and equality are core values at NTNU, and applications are encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds.

Applications must be submitted electronically via Jobbnorge.no, including transcripts, diplomas, CV, master's thesis, project outline, motivation letter, and contact information for three referees. All documents should be in Norwegian, a Scandinavian language, or English. Only applications received by the deadline will be considered. For questions about the position, contact Associate Professor Andrei Lobov at [email protected].

NTNU is located in Trondheim, a vibrant European city known for its rich cultural scene, excellent welfare system, and high quality of life. The university is committed to creating knowledge for a better world and offers a dynamic environment for research and professional development.