About this role
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. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0 About the position 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 in a world-leading institute and group, 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 Nanoelectronics and Photonics Group. The supervisor for this position is Associate Professor Angelos Xomalis. About the project We are searching for a creative, skilled and ambitious candidate for our activities on the optics of wearable metasurfaces with applications in health monitoring. The aim of the candidate is to fabricate and characterize wearable optical metasurfaces and photonic crystals. Main focus will be the understanding of the complex interactions of light with photonic devices as well as the in vivo characterization using advanced spectroscopic modules. We will investigate the potential of these structures in detection of vital signals pushing the limits of non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring using nanophotonics. The research will be performed at the Department of Electronic Systems, NTNU in close collaboration with scientific partners in St’ Olavs, Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging and Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. Relevant publication: Circuit-free cardiovascular monitoring via skin-interfaced nanophotonics. Torjus L Steffensen, Arthur GS Torvund, Vegar Stubberud, Julia Lövgren, Nils K Skjærvold, Martin R Steinert, Angelos Xomalis arXiv preprint:2512.24820 Duties of the position Nanofabrication and optical characterization of metasurfaces and photonic crystals. Perform in vivo health monitoring measurements. 25% career promoting work in NTNU NanoLab Cleanroom. Collaborate with an international network of scientific partners. Report research findings in international conferences and scientific articles. Take part in the Electronic and Telecommunications PhD program and fulfill the requirements for a PhD degree. Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria You must have an academically relevant background within experimental photonics, materials science, physics, electrical engineering, health monitoring, sensing, physical chemistry or nanotechnology (and other revelant disciplines) background. You must have a Master's degree in areas specified above 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's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position. You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies 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 PhD programme in Electronics and Telecommunication Preferred selection criteria Competence in spectroscopies and optical characterisation of nanomaterials. Experience with standard nanofabrication processes and cleanroom activities. Experience with wearable sensors. Good oral and written presentation skills in English. Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: Willingness to learn new fields and adapt to a multidisciplinary research environment Problem solver, with ability to use existing knowledge in new ways Work independently Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them Present and discuss your research with other professionals Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed 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 Working capital that can be used to implement the project Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK) 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, function