Join Norway’s flagship centre for systems-level molecular medicine

Lead your own research group at NCMBM.

We are recruiting 1–2 early career Group Leaders on nine-year EMBL-style appointments. Successful candidates will receive a competitive start-up package and join a vibrant, international research community embedded in both academic and clinical environments.

NCMBM is a research centre at the University of Oslo (UiO), funded by UiO and The South-Eastern Norway Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst). NCMBM is the Norwegian node of the Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, alongside MIMS in Sweden, FIMM in Finland and DANDRITE in Denmark, bridging fundamental research and clinical innovation. 

NCMBM advances understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying biological systems, disease, and therapy. As Norway’s EMBL-inspired centre, we unite molecular biologists, clinicians, and computational biologists to investigate life across scales – from single molecules to model organisms and patients – to deliver scientific excellence and insights with translational potential. This unique environment makes NCMBM an internationally recognised launchpad for the next generation of research leaders.

Our interdisciplinary groups currently:

• Chart the logic of gene regulation and chromatin dynamics to uncover fundamental principles of cell identity and disease switches.
• Decipher neural circuits through innovative research at the junction of developmental neurobiology, systems neuroscience and sleep research.
• Engineer CRISPR-based strategies that correct inborn errors of immunity in patient-derived cells.
• Discover molecular mechanisms behind rare and common immune diseases, especially primary immune deficiencies and multiple sclerosis, and utilizing the new knowledge to benefit patients.
• Uncover multi-omic signatures of complex diseases to stratify patients and guide precision therapeutics.

Located in Oslo Science Park and set to move into the new Life Science Building in 2026, NCMBM links its discovery research to cutting-edge core facilities and strong clinical partnerships at Oslo University Hospital.

Our scientific focus

We seek candidates whose independent research programme will complement and extend two synergistic pillars:

1. Molecular and cellular basis of disease and therapy – human genetics and precision medicine, with emphasis on cancer, immunity and neurology.

2. Computational biology, functional genomics and systems biology – bridging genotype to phenotype.

Projects exploiting spatial omics, CRISPR technologies, integrative AI pipelines or innovative model systems are especially welcome.

Why choose NCMBM

• Competitive start-up funding – typically salaries for you, one PhD student, one postdoc and one technician, plus consumables.
• Adjunct (20 %) affiliation – Option to hold a joint position at Oslo University Hospital, Akershus University Hospital or a UiO department aligned to your research, facilitating translation and teaching. Holding a joint affiliation with a hospital trust (HSØ), opens opportunities to apply for HSØ funding for clinically relevant research projects.
• EMBL-style career model – nine-year appointment (5 + 4 yrs) with a rigorous mid-term international review and scientific independence.
• Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine – access to complementary infrastructure at MIMS (SE), FIMM (FI) and DANDRITE (DK), and EMBL (DE), plus joint training and meetings.
• Strategic collaboration – unique and broad-based arena for translational research through collaboration with the hospital-based healthcare sector in the south-eastern part of Norway.
• Life Science Building in 2026 – co-location with UiO Faculties of Medicine and Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Oslo University Hospital.
• On-site infrastructure – Zebrafish Core Facility, Chemical Biology Platform, single-cell and long-read sequencing technologies, an HPC/data-science hub, and access to UiO infrastructures. Full details of the core facilities available at UiO are available here, and details of the Department of Comparative Medicine is available here. 
• Location in Oslo Science city – access to a range of institutions and companies raising further opportunities for innovation and industrial collaboration.

What we offer

• Position and salary – Full-time Researcher position with Group-Leader responsibility; annual salary NOK 755 962 – 822 090 (higher salary negotiable for exceptional candidates).
• Social benefits – Norway’s comprehensive welfare system, national pension scheme and relocation support.
• Training and mentoring – Dedicated and tailored support for scientific development, leadership and supervision, including structured mentoring and training opportunities.
• Inclusive and international environment – NCMBM values diversity and fosters a collaborative, supportive culture. Our community is 60% women, representing 15 nationalities, and 70% of our staff originate from outside Norway.

Who should apply

• Visionary early‑career scientists - typically ≤ 7 years post‑PhD and ready to establish an independent research programme at a level competitive for an ERC Starting Grant.
• Proven record of scientific excellence, originality and research independence.
• Commitment to team science, open, responsible research (FAIR data), and a collaborative mindset.
• Willingness to contribute to the Centre’s research environment by engaging in activities such as mentoring, serving on committees, organising seminars, and supporting collaborative initiatives—in line with NCMBM’s and UiO’s expectations for responsible research conduct and academic leadership.

NCMBM follows DORA: assessment focuses on the quality and impact of your scientific contributions, not the journal venue. 

How to apply (single PDF, 10 MB max.)

• Cover letter (1 – 2 pages): career summary, major achievements, vision and fit with NCMBM.
• CV and full publication list, highlighting up to five key contributions with brief scientific impact statements.
• Research plan (≤ 5 pages): proposed aims, methods, collaborations, and potential medical or societal impact.
• PhD certificate.
• Contact details of three referees.

Submit via UiO’s electronic recruitment portal no later than 23:59 CEST, 8 September 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Selection process

Applications are reviewed by an international committee including EMBL and Nordic EMBL Partnership representatives. Short-listed candidates will be invited to Oslo for a two-day symposium and interviews. 

Evaluation criteria: scientific excellence, innovation and translation potential, and synergy with NCMBM’s and UiO’s research environment, and the candidate’s potential to contribute to and strengthen both NCMBM and the broader research community.

General information

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Rules for the use of research posts SKO 1108, 1109, 1110 and 1183 at UiO.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

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