PhD Candidate in Stakeholder Engagement - the Social Dimension of Nuclear-Powered Merchant Shipping

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 We invite applications for a PhD position focusing on stakeholder engagement in the context of nuclear-powered merchant shipping. As the maritime sector seeks pathways towards deep decarbonisation, nuclear propulsion has re-emerged as a potential technology capable of delivering large-scale emission reductions while meeting the growing energy demands of international shipping. While research has focused on the technical, economic, regulatory, and safety aspects of nuclear propulsion, considerably less attention has been given to the social dimensions that may ultimately determine its successful implementation. As part of WP6 on Stakeholder Engagement, included in the Centre for Research-based Innovation on Nuclear-powered merchant shipping (SFI SAINT), this PhD project will address this knowledge gap by investigating how local communities and other key stakeholders perceive the health risks associated with nuclear propulsion, and how information sharing and stakeholder dialogue affect trust, stress levels, and public concern. Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. About the project SAINT (Sustainable, Applied and Industrialized Nuclear Technology) is a research project investigating the use of nuclear propulsion for commercial and specialist maritime vessels and aims at launching 2-3 demonstration ships in the early 2030s. SAINT addresses the technical, safety, and operational challenges that must be resolved before such systems can be responsibly deployed. PhD candidates will be among the people shaping this emergent field. In the intersection of nuclear and maritime engineering qualified engineers and researchers are scarce globally, but also competence in stakeholder engagement is important for the successful implementation of nuclear-powered shipping. Stakeholder engagement is essential to build the public trust, safety confidence, and regulatory approval required for adopting nuclear power in commercial vessels. Candidates who complete a PhD within the SAINT project will be well positioned for careers in nuclear safety, maritime regulation, advanced vessel design, and the emerging commercial nuclear sector. Duties of the position • Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate • Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above • Academic publications and popular science dissemination • Participate in the research group SFI SAINT • Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions Required selection criteria • You must have a relevant Master's degree covering topics such as stakeholder engagement, risk perception, psychosocial health, behavioural responses, risk management, risk- and crisis communication, or equivalent. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis. • 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.  • You must have a strong and relevant 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.  • You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme (link), see  Section 6-1 of the PhD regulations for more information. • Fluency in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is required, as well as good oral and written presentation skills in English • We do not accept applications of citizens from countries on the OFAC and EAR lists and countries under US arms embargoes as well as heavy restricted/ITAR proscribed countries.  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 statistical analyses is preferred.  • While not essential, familiarity with nuclear technology, radiation protection or maritime operations would be beneficial for understanding the context. Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:  • Work independently • Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them • Present and discuss your research with other professionals • 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 • 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, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. Salary and conditions In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-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  Medicine and Health Sciences within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment. The position is conditional on external funding. 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. 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 a