Researcher in Sustainable and Cement-Free Marine Materials

The Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering has a vacancy for a

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At NTNU 9000 employees and 43000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

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Are you ready to take your research career to the next level while helping develop a new generation of low-carbon marine materials We offer a two-year researcher position in an international and interdisciplinary project at the frontier of circular materials marine infrastructure and ecosystem restoration.

The researcher will conduct independent high-quality research and take a leading role in integrating material development characterization performance assessment and partner activities within HAPMarine. You will work closely with the project manager the HAPMarine PhD candidate technical staff and national and international research partners.

The position is full-time for a period of 2 years and is conditional on external funding from the Research Council of Norway. The workplace is NTNU campus Gjøvik. Your immediate leader is the Head of the Department.

About the HAPMarine project:

HAPMarine addresses two interconnected challenges: degradation of coastal ecosystems and continued reliance on carbon-intensive concrete in marine infrastructure. The project develops circular-economy routes for upcycling Norways calcium-rich waste streams particularly aquaculture shells and demolition-concrete fines into cement-free bioreceptive low-carbon and mechanically robust materials.

The research links material chemistry and mineralization forming and curing multiscale characterization mechanical and durability performance environmental compatibility and laboratory and field validation. The project involves partners with complementary expertise including NIVA and the University of Tokyo and aims to deliver new material concepts for marine habitat restoration including cold-water coral reef applications.

The successful candidate will conduct and coordinate research primarily within the following areas:

• Lead the development and optimization of cement-free marine materials derived from calcium-rich waste streams including aquaculture shells and recycled concrete fines.
• Design and implement experimental programmes covering raw-material preparation activation and mineralization forming curing carbonation and hybrid material concepts.
• Establish process-structure-property-performance relationships through physical mechanical transport and durability testing.
• Conduct and coordinate advanced material characterization and quantitative interpretation using relevant techniques such as XRD SEM-EDS FTIR or Raman spectroscopy TGA porosimetry and micro-CT.
• Assess water stability CO2 uptake ion release and leaching and durability under relevant marine exposure conditions; collaborate with ecology partners on bioreceptivity and field validation.
• Develop mechanistic understanding and where relevant numerical or data-driven models for process optimization and performance prediction.
• Coordinate research tasks data management milestones deliverables and technical reporting in collaboration with project partners.
• Co-supervise the HAPMarine PhD candidate and masters students and contribute to laboratory planning training and safe working practices.
• Lead and contribute to peer-reviewed publications conference presentations stakeholder communication and other dissemination and exploitation activities.

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in materials science civil or materials engineering chemical engineering inorganic chemistry environmental engineering ocean engineering or a closely related field. If you can document that your PhD thesis has been submitted your application may be assessed before the defence; documentation of the completed degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• You must have documented research experience in the development of inorganic cementitious alkali-activated phosphate-based mineralized or closely related construction materials.
• You must have hands-on experience with experimental material synthesis or processing testing and advanced characterization together with the ability to interpret results critically and quantitatively.
• You must have a record of scientific publication in relevant peer-reviewed international journals.
• You must be able to plan execute and document research independently and deliver results within agreed milestones.
• You must have excellent written and oral English language skills.

• Experience with waste-derived construction materials shell-based materials recycled concrete fines geopolymers phosphate mineralization carbonation or related low-carbon binder systems.
• Experience with XRD and SEM-EDS and one or more complementary techniques such as FTIR or Raman spectroscopy TGA MIP micro-CT or solution-chemistry analysis.
• Experience with marine durability water stability leaching ecotoxicity bioreceptivity or laboratory and field exposure studies.
• Experience with design of experiments numerical simulation multivariate analysis or data-driven optimization of material systems.
• Experience with research coordination project reporting data management and collaboration in international or interdisciplinary projects.
• Experience with co-supervision of PhD or masters students and with day-to-day coordination of laboratory research.
• Knowledge of life-cycle assessment carbon accounting responsible research and innovation or routes for scaling research results toward application.

• You are scientifically curious analytical and solution-oriented.
• You work independently structure complex tasks and follow them through to completion.
• You take initiative and combine scientific rigor with a practical hands-on approach to experimental work.
• You communicate research clearly to specialists partners and non-specialist audiences.
• You collaborate constructively across disciplines institutions and cultures.
• You are flexible and able to adapt plans when experimental results or project needs change.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

• An exciting job with an important mission for climate circularity and marine ecosystem restoration.
• Independent and developing research tasks in a strong international and interdisciplinary professional environment.
• Access to relevant laboratories research infrastructure and national and international project partners.
• Opportunities to develop experience in research leadership supervision project coordination and stakeholder engagement.
• an open andinclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

As a researcher (code 1109) you are normally paid from gross NOK 650.000-665.000 NOKper annum before tax depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerningState Employees and Civil Servants and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

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.

Yourapplication and supporting documentation must be in English.

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 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 you are invited to an interview you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

If for any reason you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application the selection committee will take this into account recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Your application must include:

• A concise cover letter describing your motivation for the researcher position and why your experience is relevant to HAPMarine (maximum 1 page).
• CV certificates and diplomas.
• Documentation of the PhD degree or documentation that the thesis has been submitted if the degree has not yet been defended.
• A copy of the PhD thesis and scientific works published or unpublished that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 10 works).
• A short statement describing your most relevant scientific contributions and how you would contribute to HAPMarine during the two-year appointment (maximum 2 pages).
• A list of relevant research projects including your role responsibilities and any coordination or supervision experience.
• Names and contact details of three relevant referees.

It is important that you both document and reflect on your competence. You are encouraged to use theNTNUs competence matrixas a guide for documentation of your competence.

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project you must include evidence of your contributions.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified emphasis will be placed on education experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation ambitions and potential will also count in the assessment of the scientific practice will be recognized.

NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance withThe San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment DORAand The obligations in theCoalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of awider range of academic contributions to science and society. Thismeans that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.

Your application will be considered by a committee at the department. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview.

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 populations collective skills. Our vision isKnowledge for a better worldandour 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 ofmeasures to promote equality.

As an employee at NTNU you must continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.

A public list of applicants with name age job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance withcurrent legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

For the sake of transparency candidates will be given expert evaluations of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and are stipulated by rules of confidentiality.

Questions about the position:Associate Professor Guomin Ji .

Questions about the recruitment process:Kristine Rognlid Hagaseth .

Application deadline: 26.09.2026

The city of Gjøvik has a population of 30 000 and is a town known for its rich music and cultural life. The beautiful nature surrounding the city is ideal for an active outdoor life! The Norwegian welfare state including healthcare schools kindergartens and overall equality is probably the best of its kind in the world.

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The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering

Our profile of expertise can help to solve the worlds most important societal challenge: the development of sustainable solutions in industry and society. This profile includes research on modern industrial processes use of new and recycled materials new technological solutions and the application of new forms of organization and business models. The Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.