At the Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Department of Sustainability and Planning (PLAN), a PhD stipend is available within the general study programme Planning and Development. The stipend is open for appointment from 1 October 2026 or soon hereafter. PLAN conducts research and teaching on development and planning in a broad sense, including social science aspects as well as more technical aspects of development, and with a focus on environmental, international as well as administrative dimensions. The workplace will be either in Aalborg or Copenhagen.
Your work tasks
The PhD project is a part of the research project “SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS FOR MASSIVE EARTH OBSERVATION (MASSIV-EO)” funded by the Technical Faculty of IT and Design of Aalborg University. The purpose of MASSIV-EO is to research on architectures and methods for the real-time delivery of EO data from dense nanosatellite/CubeSat constellations and to develop innovative GNSS-based sensing methods and AI models to detect a variety of Earth surface processes. This aim is pursued through a collaboration between the Department of Sustainability and Planning and Department of Electronic Systems.
The topic of this PhD position is to explore GNSS Reflectometry (GNSS R) as a novel, low cost, low power bistatic remote sensing technique optimized for nanosatellite platforms. GNSS R leverages signals of opportunity from existing global navigation satellite systems to retrieve key geophysical parameters, offering a viable pathway toward high density, high resolution Earth observation.
The core research problem of this position is to determine whether GNSS R, when deployed on CubeSat platforms, can produce reliable, scientifically meaningful, and operationally useful geophysical measurements at temporal and spatial resolutions that surpass those of existing EO systems, while operating within the strict mass, power, and processing constraints of nanosatellites. Addressing this problem requires new methodologies for instrument design, signal processing, calibration, error characterization, and constellation level data integration.
Profile:
The ideal candidate has
• MSc degree in Geodesy, Remote Sensing, Civil Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science/Engineering, or a comparable discipline. The MSc degree must be equivalent with the Danish MSc degree to qualify (which is 2 years);
• Profound skills in numerical modelling and programming are essential;
• Experience with at least two of the following disciplines is desirable:
o GNSS signal processing
o AI and data science
o Satellite geodetic and/or Earth Observation (EO) data processing;
• Strong interest in collaborative work;
• Passionate to present the results in highly ranked peer reviewed scientific journals and at international conferences;
• Good English skills (oral and written) are required.
We offer:
• International, interdisciplinary working environment;
• In-house modelling, data processing and data assimilation expertise, software, and High Performance Computation (HPC) infrastructure;
• Excellent scientific infrastructure;
• Participation in project meetings and international conferences;
• Flexible working hours and various opportunities to reconcile work and family life.
Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.
How to apply
Please send the following documents (in English unless indicated, pdf format):
• Motivation letter (max 1 page) outlining your qualifications and motivation to conduct the PhD project;
• Project plan (max 2 pages) addressing your understanding of the project’s problem and expected challenges, as well as your ideas to overcome them;
• CV including a list of scientific outputs (thesis, study projects, papers, etc.) and contact info for two academic references (they will be contacted after shortlisting);
• Copy of MSc diploma*;
• Copy of Master thesis (in any language);
• List of exams with ECTS and grades.documents
*If you haven’t completed your Master studies at time of submission, please substitute the MSc diploma with a written statement by your supervisor specifying the expected completion date and confirming that you are expected to finish on time and send the most recent draft of your thesis.
The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.
Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.
Do you have any questions?
You may obtain further information from the Head of research group (Geodesy) Professor Ehsan Forootan efo@plan.aau.dk concerning the scientific aspects of the stipend.
Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here.
The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.
The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.
For further information about stipends and salary as well as practical issues concerning the application procedure contact Lisbeth Diinhoff, The Doctoral School at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, email: ld@adm.aau.dk
For more information of The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design: www.phd.tech.aau.dk
The application is only to be submitted online by using the "Apply online" button below.
Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design
Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish).
Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish)
There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.
Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.
INFORMATIONER OM STILLINGEN:
- Arbejdspladsen ligger i:
Aalborg Kommune
-Virksomheden tilbyder:
-Arbejdsgiver:
Aalborg Universitet, Rendsburggade, 9000 Aalborg
-Ansøgning:
Ansøgningsfrist: 15-05-2026;
Se mere her: https://job.jobnet.dk/find-job/46ba4e80-a579-4575-a8e5-6e611a8bf1d5
