About the position

One PhD Research Fellowship in Observer Design and Optimal Estimation of Distributed Parameter Systems is available at Department of Technology Systems.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The fellowship period is for up to 4 years, with 3 years devoted to research education. The position entails a compulsory work load of 25% that consists of teaching and supervision duties and research assistance.

Starting date no later than 01.10.2019. No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Job description

Systems governed by evolution partial differential equations have many applications in control and automation engineering, related for example to heat transfer, flow and pressure regulation, fluid dynamics. Measurement sensors for such systems are typically located at the boundary of the space domain, thus making the estimation problem quite challenging, especially in the presence of noise and model uncertainties. The aim of this research project is to develop a novel framework for the optimal estimation of linear/quasi-linear parabolic and hyperbolic systems, both in a deterministic and a stochastic setting.

More specifically, the PhD candidate is expected to work on the following tasks:

• Design of observers and Kalman-like filters for parabolic and hyperbolic distributed parameter systems
• Development of numerical optimization schemes for observer synthesis
• Robustness enhancement considering adaptive and learning schemes
• Application to fault diagnosis in distributed parameter systems

Although the main objective of the project is to provide a systematic procedure for the synthesis of observers/estimators and the investigation of their stability properties, there are several potentially interesting benchmark applications that could be considered, such as control of hydraulic networks, regulation of gas flow in pipelines or monitoring of road traffic networks.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. 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 Master’s degree or equivalent in cybernetics, mathematics, physics or informatics. Priority will be given to candidates with certified previous knowledge on optimal control, partial differential equations or estimation theory
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) should correspond to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Candidates without a Master’s degree have until 30 June, 2019 to complete the final exam

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and a Scandinavian language (due to teaching responsibilities):

https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/application.html

We offer

• Salary NOK 449 400 – 505 800 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records and letters of recommendation
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Documentation of Scandinavian language proficiency equivalent to B2 level of the Bergenstest (this apply only if a Scandinavian language is not your native language)
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 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). Applicants may be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see: http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

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.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

• Associate Professor Andrea Cristofaro, phone: +47 22 84 22 11, e-mail: andrea.cristofaro@its.uio.no

For technical questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Officer Therese Ringvold, e-mail: therese.ringvold@mn.uio.no, phone: +47 22 85 16 06.

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