Postdoctoral Research Scholarship in Marine Hydrodynamics for Offshore Floating Wind at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) has an opening for a postdoctoral research fellowship in Marine Technology. This position is part of the "HYDROdynamic Mooring analysis for Ocean Renewable Energy - HYDROMORE" project (No. 324388), funded by the Research Council of Norway, in collaboration with The University of Manchester, University of Oslo, and SINTEF Ocean.

The successful candidate will join the Wind, Water, and Waves research group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Maritime Studies at the Faculty of Technology, Environmental and Social Sciences.

This full-time position is available for up to three years, with the first two and a half years focused primarily on the HYDROMORE project and the remaining time dedicated to academic duties within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Maritime Studies. The expected start date is no later than January 1, 2025.

Salary: Starting from NOK 620,000 (details below)

The main workplace is at Campus Bergen, with potential temporary research stays at partnering institutions.

HYDROMORE (hydromore.no) aims to develop best-practice approaches for designing mooring systems for floating ocean renewable energy devices, leading to leaner and safer solutions and reducing the cost of energy from these technologies.

A major challenge in minimizing the cost of electricity from floating wind and wave energy is the cost of mooring systems. Traditional moorings are heavy and designed for large floating oil rigs, not for small, dynamic floating wind structures or wave energy converters. Mooring forces are influenced by low-frequency effects, such as slow drift and the interaction of variable wind and wave conditions, coupled with structure response and adaptive control systems. These interactions are not easily assessed using high-fidelity methods like computational fluid dynamics (CFD), creating a gap between fast, low-fidelity methods and slow, high-fidelity methods. This restricts the design of more advanced mooring solutions.

HYDROMORE addresses this gap through four work packages, aiming to accurately model nonlinear and irregular seas while allowing rapid evaluation of multiple design conditions. The project will assess the reliability and limitations of state-of-the-art methods for hydrodynamic modelling over long periods and highly nonlinear breaking waves. It will also study the combined effects of aerodynamic loading, such as a turbine moving in and out of its wake, with hydrodynamics. All modelling will be validated against controlled laboratory-scale tests to inform new industry standards.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

The postdoctoral position will focus on experimental validation of nonlinear hydrodynamic modelling and aerodynamic coupling. The primary test facility will be the HVL MarinLab towing tank (HVL MarinLab), with additional testing at the University of Oslo and/or The University of Manchester.

Potential research tasks include:

• Conducting wave tank testing on a 1:100 scale semi-submersible wind turbine with varying mooring characteristics, subject to irregular waves in deep and shallow water, including short-crested and breaking wave effects.
• Comparing experimental results with linear/nonlinear diffraction-radiation time-domain models.
• Studying the effects of aerodynamic damping due to platform motion.

Depending on departmental needs, the postdoctoral researcher may also be offered teaching and supervision duties related to other PhD and MSc students in the Department. These additional duties will extend the duration of employment. The successful applicant is encouraged to contribute to the development of joint project applications for external funding in collaboration with permanent research staff members.

If the appointee secures additional externally financed research, the position may be extended up to a maximum of four years. Individuals cannot be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

Qualifications:

We seek a highly motivated candidate with the following qualifications:

• A degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Naval Architecture/Ocean Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or equivalent, with a thesis focusing on Marine Hydrodynamics.
• Documented fluent oral and written communication skills in English, equivalent to C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and completed defence are eligible for appointment.

Additional credentials considered, in order of importance:

• Experimental hydrodynamics testing experience.
• Peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience with time-domain hydrodynamic computational codes (e.g., SIMA, openFAST, OrcaFlex, in-house codes).
• Practical workshop skills and computer-aided design software.
• Experience with nonlinear modelling (e.g., OpenFOAM, Basilisk, OceanWave3D).

Personal Attributes:

• Ability to work individually and in a team.
• Good communication skills.
• High work capacity.
• Solution-oriented problem-solving skills.

The candidate is expected to conduct high-quality research and publish results in national seminars, international workshops, conferences, and journals.

Application Procedure:

Applications will be evaluated by an expert panel of three members. Applicants should submit their application and CV online by clicking the "Apply Now" button below.

Required documentation includes:

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest).
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities).
• Copies of educational certificates and academic transcript of records.
• A complete list of publications and up to five academic works for consideration by the evaluation committee.
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references.

Applicants should indicate which publications or parts of publications should be given special consideration in the evaluation. Grade transcripts must specify the topics, coursework, and grades at the bachelor's and master's degree levels.

Applicants with education from countries other than Norway must also attach a certified translation of the diploma and transcript of grades to English or a Scandinavian language if the original is not in these languages. It is required that the applicant enclose a review from NOKUT regarding the equivalence of their education to a Norwegian master's degree. Please see NOKUT's website for more information. This process may take some time, so applicants are advised to apply as soon as possible. If no response is received by the application deadline, please enclose documentation from NOKUT that they have received your application.

All documentation must be submitted electronically via Jobbnorge before the closing date. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all required documents are submitted before the deadline. Applications cannot be sent by email or to individuals at the university.

Salary and Benefits:

• Good occupational pension, insurance, and loan schemes from The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• Exciting academic environment with opportunities for competence enhancement and development.
• Opportunities for training within working hours.

Initial salaries will be offered at code 1352 - postdoctor (starting at NOK 620,000) in the Civil Service pay grade table scale. There is a compulsory 2% deduction to the pension fund (see SPK website for more information). The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines applicable to the position.

General Information:

The appointment will be made according to the regulations for State employees Law in Norway ("Lov om statens ansatte"). Organizational changes and changes in duties and responsibilities should be expected.

State employment aims to reflect the diversity of the population. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has adopted a personnel policy to ensure a balanced age and gender composition and the recruitment of individuals from various ethnic backgrounds.

Information about applicants may be made public, even if the applicant has requested confidentiality. Short-listed applicants will be invited for an interview. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being granted a work and residence permit.

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences is subject to regulations for the export control system, which will be applied in processing applications.

Contacts:

1. Associate Professor David Lande-Sudall, email: david.lande-sudall@hvl.no, tel: +47 55 58 71 47

2. Assistant Head of Department Hassan Momeni, email: Hassan.momeni@hvl.no, tel: +47 55 58 76 56

Inclusion, Challenging Norms, Collaboration:

HVL Homepage

Questions about the Position:

David Roger Lande-Sudall
Associate Professor
+47 55 58 71 47
david.lande-sudall@hvl.no