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UiB shall be among Europe's leading universities, internationally recognized for high quality in research and education. As a societal institution, we shall contribute to sustainable and democratic development and be an attractive and inclusive place to study and work.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow position within acoustics and distributed fibre optic sensing

At the Department of Physics and Technology, there is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow position within acoustics and distributed fibre optic sensing (DAS). The workplace will be Bergen, Norway, as member of the Acoustics Group.

The position is for a fixed term of 3 years and is associated with the project, «Leveraging Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Enhanced Well Operation (LeDAS)». LeDAS is a Knowledge-building project for Industry (KSP) funded by the Research Council of Norway and industry partners Equinor and Aker BP.

About the project/work tasks:

The project is led by the research institute NORCE and carried out in collaboration with UiB, SINTEF, NTNU, and the Polytechnic University of Milan (Polimi). The position includes the possibility for a research stay at Polimi, where the postdoctoral fellow will work closely with international collaborators on the physical modelling of acoustic signal generation and transmission in multiphase flow systems. This is contingent on additional mobility funding, which the candidate is expected to apply for.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has emerged as a powerful technology for down-hole monitoring of flow processes in petroleum wells, using fibre optic cables as acoustic sensors. Despite its potential, current applications rely largely on empirical interpretation of the acoustic data, limiting the precision and transferability of DAS-based analysis between different installations. A significant barrier is a lack of understanding of how acoustic waves are generated and transmitted in wells. The LeDAS project aims to overcome these challenges by combining physical modelling, advanced signal processing, and machine learning in a hybrid interpretation framework. The goal is to establish robust, quantitative methods for well inflow monitoring and virtual flow metering (VFM) using DAS. The project will rely both on existing and new datasets collected from the laboratory and in the field.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will contribute to the project’s work package Physical Modelling of Sound Generation and Propagation and collaborate closely with other work packages related to signal processing and machine learning. Together, these activities form the scientific foundation for understanding how turbulence-generated acoustic noise is produced and transmitted from the fluid to the DAS fibre. The results will form the basis for next-generation DAS interpretation tools for the energy sector.

The postdoctoral fellow will:

• • Develop and implement physical and numerical models describing acoustic noise generation and propagation in multiphase wellbore flow.
• • Investigate how flow composition, turbulence, and wellbore geometry influence the acoustic signatures detected by fibre-optic DAS systems.
• • Contribute to the development of a DAS signal simulator capable of interpreting acoustic DAS signatures under varying flow conditions.
• • Collaborate with partners in signal processing and machine learning to link physics-based models with data-driven algorithms.
• • Participate in joint research activities, publications, and dissemination through conferences and workshops.
• • Spend up to one year at the Polytechnic University of Milan as part of an international research exchange, subject to additional mobility funding

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) within acoustics, fluid mechanics, or other related field. PhD students may apply if the defense is to be completed by 31.03.2026. It is a condition of employment that the PhD degree has been awarded.
• • Documented experience with numerical modelling or simulation is a requirement.
• • Demonstrated good programming and data analysis skills are required.
• • The candidate must demonstrate ability to conduct independent research and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
• • Applicants must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills and enthusiasm for research, innovation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• • Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and have good ability to cooperate with others.
• • Applicants must have good written and oral English skills.
• • Experience from one or several of the following areas is an advantage:
  • - Fibre optic sensing, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), or related experimental techniques
  • - Signal processing, machine learning, hybrid modelling approaches, or acoustic guided waves
  • - Collaborative and multidisciplinary projects
  • - Experimental field work.
  • - Working in, or cooperating with, industry
• • Good Norwegian language skills is an advantage due to teaching needs in ocean technology.

Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Research experience, ambitions and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates.

The main workplace will be in Bergen, and the candidate must be prepared to spend up to one year in Milan.

Special requirements for the position
The University of Bergen is subjected to the regulation for export control, and the legislation applies to the processing of applications for this position. If necessary, UiB will apply for an export license before offering the position to an applicant. If the export license is not granted within a waiting time of 16 weeks, another applicant may receive the offer instead.

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:

The postdoctoral position is a fixed term position with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. If the appointee lacks teaching experience, or other relevant qualifications, the employment period may be increased to 3 years and 3 months. Teaching and other duties will in such cases be added to the position. The position may be extended by up to one year (maximum 4 years in total) if the appointee is granted externally financed research stays abroad. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution. In accordance with the Research Council’s rules, neither can anyone be hired more than once as an NFR-financed postdoctoral research fellow.

Completion of the project proposal for the qualifying work, as well as a progress plan, will be developed in cooperation with the supervisors and head of department. It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

We can offer:

• • A good and professionally stimulating working environment
• • Position as postdoctoral fellow (code 1352 in the basic collective agreement) and a gross annual salary of NOK 657 000 upon appointment. Further increases in salary are made according to length of service in the position. A higher salary may be considered for a particularly well-qualified applicant.
• • Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• • Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• • A brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position. The application text must address all the qualification requirements (both requirements and advantages) given in the call explicitly and show clearly how the applicant fulfils them.
• • The names and contact information for two referees. One of these should be the main advisor from the PhD programme.
• • CV
• • Transcripts and diplomas. If you have not yet completed your PhD degree, please submit a statement from your institution confirming the expected date of award of your degree. Your PhD degree must be documented with transcripts and/or diploma, alternatively a confirmation from your institution on completed degree, by 31.03.2026.
• • Relevant certificates/references.
• • List of any works of a scientific nature (publication list) with links.

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge.

General information:

For further details about the position, please contact:
Associate Professor Audun Oppedal Pedersen, Department of Physics and Technology, audun.pedersen@uib.no, tel. +47 5558 2785, or Head of Department Kjetil Ullaland, Department of Physics and Tehnology, kjetil.ullaland@uib.no.

For HR related questions contact:
Vivian Stegen Jacobsen, UiB, vivian.jacobsen@uib.no.

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. Further information about our employment process can be found here.