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 The voice carries subtle acoustic indicators of our health - in some conditions, changes appear years before clinical diagnosis. Can we learn to extract them reliably? We are looking for a PhD candidate to join the Acoustics group at the Department of Electronic Systems, NTNU, and contribute to the emerging field of vocal biomarkers: measurable features of the voice that can help detect, monitor and follow up health conditions in a non-invasive way. You will be part of a leading acoustics environment, and of Connection , an interdisciplinary research group under NTNU's strategic research area NTNU Community, joining an international network of researchers working at the intersection of acoustics, physical modeling, voice and health. During the PhD you will build a sought-after profile spanning acoustics, signal processing and clinical application, in strong demand in both research and industry. Your immediate leader will be the Head of the Acoustics group. The main supervisor for the position is Associate Professor Sara R. Martín. About the project The voice carries rich information about a person's physiological state, and subtle changes in voice production can be early signs of disease — Parkinson's disease being a well-known example. Turning such observations into reliable, non-invasive tools is the goal of the emerging field of vocal biomarkers. In this project you will work at the interface of acoustics and signal processing, with an emphasis on methods that are interpretable and transferable across speakers, recording conditions and clinical settings. The research will be carried out in the Acoustics group at NTNU. Duties of the position Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above: record, analyse and process voice and speech signals for health applications; develop physical and numerical models of voice production; link acoustic features to the underlying physiology and physics Publish results in international scientific journals and conferences, and contribute to popular science dissemination Participate actively in the Acoustics group, and collaborate with national and international partners in voice, speech and health Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions Up to one extra year (3+1) for career promoting work in the Acoustics group Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria You must have a relevant Master's degree in acoustics, signal processing, physics, mathematics, computer science, or another relevant technical/quantitative discipline. Master's students can apply, but the degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position. Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level. You must have a solid background in mathematics or physics, and good programming skills (e.g. Python or MATLAB). You must meet the requirements for admission to the Faculty's PhD programme in Electronics and Telecommunication. 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. Good oral and written English skills. 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 Experience with acoustics, speech or voice signal processing Experience with physical or numerical modelling and simulation (e.g. finite-element or acoustic modelling, vocal-tract or voice-production models) Good programming skills (e.g. MATLAB, Python) Interest or experience in biomedical/health applications and in working with clinical data Interest in interdisciplinary and international collaboration Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject Work independently and in a structured way, setting goals and making plans to achieve them Be a creative problem-solver, able to use existing knowledge in new ways Communicate well and contribute constructively in a collaborative environment 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