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PhD fellowships in marine acoustics

CRIMAC has available two PhD fellowships in marine acoustics, located at Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen (UiB), Bergen, Norway. Both PhD fellows will collaborate closely with the Ecosystem Acoustics group at Institute of Marine Research (IMR). This is a great opportunity to work in a world-leading scientific group, with a collegial and professionally stimulating working environment.

Both positions have now been filled, with start-up in September 2023.

The PhD fellowships are paid positions with approximately 500 000 NOK gross annual salary, enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, and good welfare benefits. The start-up date is flexible, preferably in 2023 or early 2024. The time of formal advertisements and application processes will depend on received interest from potential applicants.

The PhD projects aim to support improvements in acoustic wideband methods for abundance estimation, species identification, and size distribution estimation of marine organisms:

Project 1: Wideband backscatter from marine organisms

The project will improve our understanding of wideband acoustic backscatter from single and multiple marine organisms. The approach will be mathematical and numerical modelling supported by laboratory and field measurements.

Mathematical-numerical models will be developed and used by the PhD fellow to simulate frequency-dependent backscattering by single and multiple targets (marine organisms and reference objects). The study will include fish species relevant to CRIMAC activities. The PhD fellow will also conduct laboratory and field measurements for comparison with the modelling outcomes.

Project 2: Modelling of acoustic echosounder measurements

The project will improve our understanding and use of modern wideband echosounder methods and acoustic backscatter from marine organisms, employing mathematical and numerical modelling supported by laboratory and field measurements.

The PhD fellow will develop an independent system model for the propagation and processing of acoustic signals scattered by single and multiple marine organisms. The model shall simulate the electro-acoustic power flow and signal processing in a wideband echosounder. Based on this, the project will evaluate how traditional narrowband operation and matchedfilter wideband echosounder operation produce consistent, quantitative, results for singletarget and volume backscattering by fish and calibration spheres. A sensitivity study will vary relevant system parameters systematically, to evaluate the systems’ influence on measurement results. New signal designs and signal processing techniques will be explored to increase the capabilities of wideband operated echosounders for characterization of marine acoustic scatterers.

The requirements and ranking criteria for applicants will be somewhat different between the two projects. If you are unsure whether your background is a good match for the positions, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of the contacts (below). We are looking for candidates that work in a structured manner, both independently and with good collaborative skills. Applicants should have a keen interest in marine acoustics and the project at hand, and must satisfy the following formal requirements:

  • A master’s degree or equivalent education in physics, mathematics, engineering, or similar discipline, preferably with specialization in ultrasound or marine acoustics.
    Master students can apply, depending on the time of their final assessment.
  • The enrolment requirements for the PhD programme at UiB.

Experience and skill in programming will be favoured in the ranking of candidates, as well as experience from mathematical and numerical modelling in physics or similar disciplines. It will also be an advantage to demonstrate experience in experimental work and physical measurements involving electronic data acquisition, digital signal processing, and command of the Norwegian language.

Age and gender balance is a goal for the state labour force. We encourage women to apply. It is also a goal to recruit employees with immigrant backgrounds. Export control regulations apply in the processing of applications.

If one of these PhD fellowships may be of interest to you, please contact us for an informal discussion: