PhD Research Fellow in Mathematics and Fluid Mechanics Full-time

PhD Research Fellow in Mathematics and Fluid Mechanics

Position available at the Department of Mathematics.

Starting date no later than October 1st, 2026.

The fellowship period is three years. A fourth year may be considered and it will involve 25% of other career-promoting work. Other career-promoting work may consist of teaching, supervision, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Place of work is the Department of Mathematics at Blindern, Oslo.

Ocean waves follow complex patterns influenced by wind, currents, and the shape of the seafloor. Predicting extreme events like freak waves (unexpectedly large waves), frequency downshift (a permanent shift to lower wave frequencies) and transverse modulations remains a challenge. These phenomena are critical for offshore engineering, ship design, and coastal safety, but their occurrence is highly uncertain due to natural variability in wave conditions. Computational tools for simulating waves and quantifying such uncertainties will help scientists and engineers to accurately predict when, where, and how likely it is that extreme waves might occur.

The candidate will conduct research and develop computational tools for simulation and modeling of wave dynamics, and for uncertainty quantification of extreme events. The project will combine stochastic mathematical models of wave physics with advanced computational methods for uncertainty quantification, such as the multilevel Monte Carlo method. For access to experimental data to validate mathematical models for wave motion, it will be natural to interact with ongoing experimental activities carried out in the Hydrodynamical Laboratory at the Department of Mathematics.