About the opportunity
Do you want to work with high-tech surveillance technologies for protecting the Kingdom of Denmark? Specifically, optoDAS and hydrophone data fusion analyzed with Artificial Intelligence (AI) for surveillance of the Arctic, maritime, and critical infrastructures. The Center for Security at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) offers a 3-year PhD scholarship funded by the Danish Defense. The successful candidate will join a young and dynamic center, working in collaboration with DTU Aqua, Space, Electro, and Compute departments. Main tasks include designing, developing, and validating methods for Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and hydrophone systems, utilizing AI for sensor fusion, and collaborating with international partners, industry, and government agencies.
Salary and benefits
- Employment as a PhD student for a period of 3 years.
- Salary and appointment terms based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, with allowances agreed upon with the relevant union.
- Opportunity to work in an international research environment at a leading technical university.
Who can apply?
- Applicants must hold a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.
- Candidates may apply prior to obtaining their master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.
- All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.
Required documents
- A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma in English, including official description of grading scale
- All materials must be submitted in English as one single PDF file.
When to apply
- Application deadline is 1 September 2026 (23:59 Danish time).
- Starting date is September 2026 or later, according to mutual agreement.
How to apply
- Open the 'Apply now' link on the official job page.
- Fill out the online application form.
- Attach all required application materials in English combined into one PDF file.
Additional information
- As DTU works with research in critical technology subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates.
- Further information can be obtained from Henning Heiselberg (HH@space.dtu.dk) or Patrizio Mariani (pat@aqua.dtu.dk).
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Master's degree holders in relevant technical fields
- Candidates interested in AI-driven sensor fusion and surveillance technologies
- Individuals motivated by research with direct applications to national security and Arctic monitoring
What should you think carefully about?
- The position requires an on-site presence in Kgs. Lyngby
- Applicants must be aware of potential security and export control background checks
- The role is a fixed 3-year scholarship
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This PhD scholarship offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of high-tech surveillance and national defense. It is ideal for a candidate aiming to develop specialized skills in AI and acoustic sensing while contributing to critical infrastructure protection in a dynamic, interdisciplinary research environment.
Our take
Highly motivated students with a background in engineering or physics who want to apply AI to real-world security challenges should consider this; those preferring purely theoretical research may find the defense-focused nature of the project less aligned with their interests.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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