PhD Research Fellow Renewable Energy Flexibility

Department of Science and Industry Systems

Organisation/Company University of South-Eastern Norway Department Department of Science and Industry Systems Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Final date to receive applications 11 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Oslo) Country Norway Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37,5 Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Do you want to contribute to the development of knowledge, insight and solutions that are relevant to society and working life today and in the future?

We are looking for a PhD research fellow within Renewable Energy Flexibility.

About the position

Are you interested in Energy Technology Management, and want to engage in research with skilled colleagues who share your interests? Maybe you can become our new colleague at the Department of Science and Industry Systems (IRI) at the Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime Sciences (TNM). The position is available from September 2026 with the latest starting date on January 2027.

This is an educational position that is primarily intended to give promising researchers the opportunity to develop academically and professionally through organised research training.

It is a condition that the person who accepts the position applies for and is granted admission to the Faculty’s PhD-program in Technology within three months of starting in the position.

The doctoral programme includes relevant courses corresponding to approximately six months of study, a thesis based on independent research, active participation in national and international research environments, relevant research dissemination, a trial lecture and public defence of the thesis. Read more about organised research training at USN on our website.

The PhD research fellowship is for a fixed term of three years with pure organised research training.

Your personnel manager will be Head of Department, Dr. Aida Omerovic and your supervisor will be Prof. Amir Safari. It is a prerequisite that you live close by so that you can be present at, and available to, the academic environment at your workplace during ordinary working hours. The place of work will be at campus Kongsberg.

About the doctoral project

The PhD project confronts the global imperative for adaptable, low‑carbon energy infrastructure by investigating a hybrid system that synergistically integrates different renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic generation, hydrogen production, and storage alternatives with microgrid-driven power distribution. Through advanced modelling and optimization techniques, this research aims to identify optimum design and operational strategies that enhance system flexibility, improve resilience to variable supply and demand, and minimize environmental impact.

By drawing on interdisciplinary expertise (spanning renewable energy engineering, power systems and energy market integration, stochastic multi-objective optimization, and data‑driven control methodologies) the project will establish a robust framework for coordinating electricity, heat, cooling, and hydrogen flows in distributed energy networks.

While the primary focus is on developing a scalable and economically viable energy management solution, potential case studies may include to illustrate real‑world applicability in a close collaboration with our international partner(s). In alignment with Energi
21 as national strategic objectives for sustainable energy as well as international commitments to the UN Sustainable…