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Postdoctoral Research Fellows in Space Sensors and Systems
Deadline: 21.01.2024
Publisert
Universitetet i Oslo
The University of Oslo (UiO) is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.
UiO is expanding the activity at Campus Kjeller to strengthen our education, research, and innovation in technology for a sustainable future. UiO is a well-ranked research university where the Department of Technology Systems at Kjeller (ITS) is focused on applied research in sustainable energy, autonomous systems, space, and security.
At Kjeller, ITS is co-located with the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (FFI) and the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), which both offer rich opportunities for collaboration.
ITS also has a range of interdisciplinary research collaborations that include the UiO Blindern Campus and Oslo Science City, as well as many other national and international institutions and industries.
ITS offers several master level programmes, alone and jointly with other departments: Renewable energy systems, Cybernetics and autonomous systems, Robotics and intelligent systems, and Information security.
ITS also hosts the Centre for Space Sensors and Systems (CENSSS), which incorporates operation of an instrument on the NASA Perseverance rover on Mars. A new master program in Space systems started in 2023.
The department currently has 9 permanent scientific staff, approximately 35 adjunct staff from the research institutes at Kjeller and from industry, as well as about 20 PhD candidates. This position is part of an ongoing expansion of the UiO activity at Campus Kjeller.
Campus Kjeller is located 20 km northeast of Oslo, between the city center and Oslo Airport. It is a 20 minutes commute with public transportation from Oslo city center to the campus.
CENSSS is a Centre for Research-based Innovation (SFI), funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN) and UiO for up to eight years, starting in November 2020. CENSSS has three research partners and nine user partners. CENSSS is located at Kjeller, Norway, where there is a long history of space science and technology dating back to the 1960s.
CENSSS addresses challenges and opportunities in science, technology and business related to “New-Space” satellites and systems for Earth Observation, as well as Space Exploration, by focusing on novel sensors, systems and services. CENSSS is operating the RIMFAX ground penetrating radar on the NASA Perseverance Mars rover.
CENSSS aims to strengthen competence and capabilities of all its participants in development of space systems. Centre plans to develop and launch a research satellite.
Starting date is as soon as possible.
The appointments are fulltime positions and are for a period of three years.
A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25 % that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.
No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.
Job description / Project description / Development plan:
One of the positions may take on the role of Mission Manager for the satellite project, and will be involved in a collaboration to choose scientific objectives/payloads, mission parameters (launch, choice of orbit, etc.), and development of a mission control workflow.
Other roles that are sought to be filled are the following:
Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT); development of a flatsat and flight software/simulation
Development & integration of instrumentation and sensors
Development of scientific objectives and payloads, including, but not limited to:
Neutron and gamma ray detection
In-situ plasma physics/space weather
Radiometry
Attitude control & reorientation experiments
Polar & climate science
Meteorology
Development of a Digital twin for space systems
Supervising Master’s students & PhDs
We especially welcome applications from individuals who have scientific research goals and/or instrumentation that they would like to implement on a satellite; these research objectives need not be the ones listed above.
The core activity of the Centre shall support Researchers, PhD candidates and Postdocs. They shall work in close contact with the research- and user partners of CENSSS. In 2023, the department started a Master’s degree program in Space systems, in collaboration with other departments at UiO and other organizations.
The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.
It is expected that the successful candidates will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.
Qualification requirements:
The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.
Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in physics, electronics, cybernetics/control, aeronautical/astronautical or mechanical engineering, or related fields. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defence are eligible for appointment.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
The topic of the doctoral degree must be of relevance to the position
Applicants must have experience in one or more of the topics:
Design of satellite systems,
Sensors for space systems, and/or signal processing thereof
Integration and testing of spacecraft or subsystems
Space systems engineering
Development of space data exploitation models
The research area for the position can include technologies or information referred to in the Ministry's export control regulations or the Norwegian National Security Act (Lov om Nasjonal Sikkerhet, a.k.a. “Sikkerhetsloven”), and the candidates must be eligible for a Norwegian security clearance
Personal skills:
Ability to take initiative and come up with new ideas to solve theoretical and practical problems
Ability to work independently as well as in a team
Good personal communication skills
In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented academic qualifications, personal skills, and research interests, and as well as on the candidate's motivation and personal suitability as assessed via interviews.
We offer:
Salary NOK 575 400 – 657 300 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352)
Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
The application must include:
Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
A complete list of publications and up to 5 academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee. A copy of the PhD thesis may be included.
Names and contact details of 3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)
The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).
In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.
Formal regulations:
Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.
If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)
No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).
According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.
Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.
If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.
Contact persons:
For further information about the position please contact:
Associate professor Mathias Hudoba de Badyn, email: mathias.hudoba@its.uio.no
Dr. Stian Løvold. e-mail: stian.lovold@its.uio.no
For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact:
HR Adviser Olga Holmlund, e-mail: olga.holmlund@mn.uio.no
