PhD Candidate in Optimization and Decision Support for Resilient Transport Systems Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Norway

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) invites applications for a four-year PhD Candidate position in Optimization and Decision Support for Resilient Transport Systems. The position is based at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management in Trondheim, Norway, within the Managerial Economics, Finance and Operations Research group.

The project will develop optimization models and decision-support methods for resilient multimodal transport systems affected by floods, landslides, accidents, technical failures, and other disruptions. Research will address strategic decisions such as infrastructure investment, resource placement, and reinforcement, as well as operational decisions involving traffic rerouting, capacity allocation, and recovery planning.

The successful candidate will integrate dynamic transport models and machine-learning methods developed in a parallel PhD project into optimization approaches capable of efficiently evaluating many scenarios and resilience measures. The work is part of STRIDE: Synergizing Transport Resilience, Infrastructure, and Defense in Extremes, an interdisciplinary project involving researchers in operations research, optimization, machine learning, transport modelling, infrastructure, and social sciences. Collaboration is expected with Bane NOR, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, and researchers in computer science and civil and environmental engineering.

Applicants should hold, or be close to completing, a relevant master's degree with strong academic results, normally B or better. Relevant backgrounds include operations research, mathematical optimization, applied mathematics, industrial engineering, transport, logistics, or quantitatively oriented engineering. Applicants need competence in mathematical optimization, operations research, or related quantitative methods, together with excellent written and spoken English. Experience with mixed-integer, stochastic, or robust optimization, optimization under uncertainty, algorithm development, programming in Python, Julia, C++ or similar, and machine learning is advantageous.

The position is full-time and salaried at NOK 580,000 per year before tax. The four-year appointment includes three years of doctoral research and one year of career-enhancing duties such as teaching and supervision. Admission to NTNU's PhD programme in Industrial Economics and Technology Management is required within three months of employment. Applications must include a motivation letter, a one-page research plan, CV, diplomas and certificates, scientific works including the master's thesis, and contact information for three references. The application deadline is 20 November 2026.