Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology
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PhD in Hybrid Learning-Control Methods for Autonomous Underwater Manipulation Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Norway
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
PhD candidate position for 3 years, with the possibility of up to 12 months extension for teaching or other career-enhancing duties. Gross salary normally starts at NOK 580,000 per year depending on qualifications and seniority. The position is employment-based rather than a scholarship, and the post notes access to employee benefits and favorable pension terms.
Deadline
Oct 16, 2026
Country
Norway
University
Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology
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About this position
NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) is advertising a PhD Candidate in Hybrid Learning-Control Methods for Autonomous Underwater Manipulation in the Department of Engineering Cybernetics, Trondheim, Norway.
The project sits within the Norwegian Centre for Embodied AI and focuses on combining robotics, control systems, machine learning, and marine vehicles to build safer and more reliable autonomous underwater robots. Research topics mentioned include safe reinforcement learning, learning-based adaptation and control, physics-informed machine learning, learning-enhanced model predictive control, control-theoretic safety and stability guarantees, and foundation models for robotic decision-making.
The successful candidate will work on advanced underwater robotic platforms for manipulation tasks such as object retrieval, inspection, intervention, and maintenance. The position is supervised by Professor Kristin Y. Pettersen with Professor Jan Tommy Gravdahl as co-supervisor.
This is a 3-year PhD position with the possibility of up to 12 months extension for teaching or other career-enhancing duties. The salary is normally from NOK 580,000 per year depending on qualifications and seniority.
Eligibility highlights: applicants should hold a Master's degree in cybernetics, control systems, or equivalent, with strong training in control of marine vehicles and/or robots. Strong academic performance is required, along with admission eligibility for the PhD programme in Engineering Cybernetics. English proficiency must be documented if needed, and export-control/ITAR eligibility applies to some applicants.
Deadline: 16 October 2026. Applications must be submitted through Jobbnorge.no with transcripts, diplomas, thesis, CV, motivation letter, referees, and any required eligibility documentation.
Funding details
PhD candidate position for 3 years, with the possibility of up to 12 months extension for teaching or other career-enhancing duties. Gross salary normally starts at NOK 580,000 per year depending on qualifications and seniority. The position is employment-based rather than a scholarship, and the post notes access to employee benefits and favorable pension terms.
What's required
Applicants must have a Master's degree in cybernetics, control systems, or an equivalent field, with strong training in control of marine vehicles and/or robots. Additional training in machine learning is an advantage. The degree must correspond to a five-year Norwegian program with 120 master's credits. Final-year master's students may apply, but employment starts after the degree is completed. Applicants must have a strong academic background, an average grade of B or better on NTNU's scale or equivalent, and meet the PhD admission requirements for the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. Non-native English speakers who do not master a Scandinavian language must document English proficiency via TOEFL, IELTS, CAE, or CPE with the stated minimum scores. Because the project uses export-controlled equipment, eligibility is restricted to citizens of Norway, EU, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, or NATO countries unless other applicants can document work eligibility for such equipment.
How to apply
Apply electronically via Jobbnorge.no and include transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees, a copy or draft of the master's thesis, CV, a short motivation letter, and contact information for at least two referees. If applicable, include documentation of eligibility to work with ITAR/export-controlled equipment and any foreign education documentation requested in the ad.
More information can be found here
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