PhD Candidate in blast wave propagation in soil and rock, and structure interaction

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the position

In this position you will work in an interdisciplinary environment with strong computational mechanics, geotechnical and rock mechanics groups. It gives a possibility to conduct advanced research on the response of civil infrastructure subjected to blast and impact loading. The project combines computational mechanics, nonlinear finite element analysis and soil–structure interaction to address critical challenges in civil protection and societal resilience.

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

About the project

The project investigates whether existing civil infrastructure can provide adequate protection against blast and impact threats arising from modern warfare scenarios, including missile and drone attacks. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding structural response, failure mechanisms and collapse resistance of typical building structures, underground facilities and other critical infrastructure.

The research will combine advanced finite element simulations, blast loading models, propagation of pressure waves in the ground and soil–structure interaction analyses to establish methods for assessing the protective capacity of existing infrastructure and identifying effective strengthening measures. Selected existing structures will be used as case studies.

A central aspect of the project is to identify how wave propagation in soil and soil–structure interaction influences the vulnerability or robustness of infrastructure. The candidate will investigate how soil stiffness, layering, and water saturation conditions modify the distribution of blast loads and affect potential failure mechanisms. This includes studying scenarios where underground structures provide shielding effects, as well as cases where wave reflection or confinement may increase local damage. In addition to numerical research, the PhD candidate will contribute to experimental investigations of geomaterials subjected to high strain rates. Laboratory testing will be used to characterize the dynamic properties of soil and rock, providing essential input for model calibration and validation. 

The project addresses emerging challenges related to civil preparedness and protection of critical infrastructure in a rapidly changing security environment. The project is carried out with an accompanying PhD project in computational mechanics that will focus on numerical simulation of fluid-structural interaction under blast loading.

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Publish research findings in leading international journals and conferences 
• Participate in the research group Geotechnical engineering at department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a relevant Master's degree in Structural engineering, Geotechnical Engineering or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position and no later than 30.11.2026
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies in mathematics, dynamics, wave propagation, and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme
• Written and oral fluency in English. Applicants with MSc degrees from institutions outside Europe are expected to document language proficiency. In extraordinary circumstances, formal documentation of language skills can be relinquished. In such cases, the candidate’s language skills will be assessed in a personal interview.

PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

It is beneficial if the candidate has a strong background in 

• Numerical methods
• Elasto-plasticity 
• Wave propagation in solids and porous media
• Blast, impact or shock loading
• Programming and scientific computing (e.g., Python, Matlab, C++ or similar)

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: 

• Enjoy working both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary research team
• Work in a structured manner, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Work constructively under pressure 
• Show curiosity and strong motivation for research
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the research plans when needed
• Demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Access to advanced computational resources

As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2 % statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. 

The employment period is 3 years for the doctoral work.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in engineering within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

Candidates who do not meet the requirements for the necessary security clearance, access clearance and authorization as described in the National Security Act, and the Act on the Implementation of International Sanctions (Sanctions Act) cannot be considered (e.g., candidates from, among others, Russia, Iran, North Korea, China). Relevant countries are listed as examples and as such the list is not exhaustive (as a result of any changes in the world situation, other countries may be added at short notice).

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The application must include:

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV 
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages) 
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
• Possibly certificates
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.

Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Gudmund Eiksund, [email protected] or Professor Pål Drevland Jakobsen, [email protected]. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Martine Sulen, [email protected]. 
 

Application deadline: 15.08.2026
 

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.