UNIS

UNIS is a stateowned limited company with five of Norway’s universities represented on the board. UNIS is located in a modern working environment in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and is well equipped with both technical and scientific equipment and laboratories. The institution has an infrastructure for both marine and terrestrial field, lab and experimental research. The studies at UNIS are marketed internationally and all classes are offered in English. Approximately half of the staff and students are from abroad.

The department of Technology at UNIS is seeking a candidate for a 4 year position as PhD fellow in avalanche mechanics and avalanche protection measures. The department has 4 professors, 2 PhD students and 6 adjunct professors. The teaching and research cover ice mechanics, offshore engineering, loads and structures, geotechnics, and environmental technology. For more information about the departement, please visit:

www.unis.no/research/arctic-technology/

About the position

Description of the vacant position

The PhD candidate will work on avalanche and avalanche mitigation measures. Of particular interest and relevance for the Nordic and arctic conditions are wet avalanches and the forces they inflict on barriers and protection structures as fences and nets. The work is motivated by and connected to the extensive mitigation construction works that are and will be performed around Longyearbyen. The research will include elements of avalanche dynamics and modeling, terrain modelling, structures and strength, interaction and forces between avalanche masses and structures, and possible laboratory testing and model development

Qualifications and personal qualities

• Applicants must hold a master's degree or the equivalent in civil engineering, mechanical engineering or related fields, or must have submitted his/her master's thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the master's degree has been awarded.
• Good knowledge of dynamics, material modelling and structural design is required.
• Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner, and demonstrate good collaborative skills.
• Experience with supervision of students or assistant work at university is an advantage
• Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English.

Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized.

Employment conditions

The duration of the PhD position is 4 years, of which 25 per cent of the time each year comprises required duties associated with teaching, research, master student supervision, fieldwork operations and dissemination of results.

All salaries are set in accordance with the Norwegian government's University salary scale. PhD fellow research fellows start at a gross salary of NOK 449 000.- annually. As a resident in Svalbard an annual allowance of NOK 34 560 (Svalbardtillegg) will be added to the salary. A Social Security contribution of 2 per cent, to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, will be deducted from the salary. Income tax on Svalbard is 8 per cent, plus 8,2 per cent toward National Insurance coverage. UNIS offers a membership in the Norwegian Public Pension Fund.

About the research training

As a PhD candidate, you must participate in an approved educational programme for a PhD degree within a period of 3 years. A final plan for the implementation of the research training must be approved by the faculty within three months after you have commenced in the position. It is a condition that you satisfy the enrolment requirements for the PhD programme at NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Selection and appointment

A committee at UNIS will evaluate the qualifications of the applicants, and invite the highest ranked person(s) for an interview. The appointment will be made by the Director of UNIS based on the recommendation from the committee.

Please apply online on www.jobbnorge.no.

Application

Please include the following documents to the online application form:

• a brief account of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• the names and contact information for two referees. One of these should be the main advisor for the master's thesis or equivalent thesis CV
• transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees, or official confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted
• relevant certificates/references
• a list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list)
• any peer review publications in your name

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge.

Deadline for applications is 28.02.2019

You can request to have your application kept from public access cf. the open files act § 25. The request must be explained. UNIS will determine if the application will be kept from public access or not, based on the explanation and the regulations from the open files act. If the application will not be accepted, the candidate will be contacted.

Inquiries

Inquiries about this position may be directed to:

• Prof. Arne Aalberg, phone: +47 79023352, email: arne.aalberg@unis.no

Apply for position