LEDIG STILLING VED UIT NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET
Two Research Positions within Molecular Ecology of Medieval European Landscapes (MEMELAND)
Deadline: 19.03.2025
Publisert
UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus research university and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.
UiT has approx. 18 000 students, more than 4000 employees, and is established at 4 main campuses and 7 study sites in the whole of Northern Norway and Svalbard. Our main campuses is in Tromsø, Alta, Narvik and Harstad.
At The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts (UMAK) we want to share knowledge and challenge conventional ideas about life and the basis of life in the North through teaching, research and communication of natural sciences, cultural studies and art. UMAK consists of the University Museum (UM), the Conservatory of Music (MK) and the Academy of Fine Arts (KA), as well as an administration that is common to the entire unit.
UM hosts the ERC Synergy funded interdisciplinary project MEMELAND.
The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy for Fine Arts
The positions
At the Arctic University Museum of Norway, there are two positions as Researchers available within the ERC Synergy funded project “MEMELAND – Molecular Ecology of Medieval European Landscapes”. The positions are affiliated with the Research Group of Natural Sciences and Archaeology and the ArcEcoGEN Auroral Research Centre. The position’s field of research and work is cross-disciplinary, with fields of Environmental Archaeology/History/Palaeoecology and sedaDNA. The positions have fundings for 4 years and 6 years.
The Arctic University Museum of Norway conducts research, develops scientific collections, manages, and disseminates knowledge in both fields of natural and cultural history. The museum's staff also participate in the supervision of students. The University Museum’s collections are located in three places on Tromsøya: the main building of the Arctic University Museum of Norway with a botanical station in Folkeparken, the Polar Museum and MS Polstjerna in the city center, and the Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden in Breivika.
The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position as soon as possible within the expected date of commencement for the prosject in July 1st 2025.
The Position´s Affilitation
The successful candidates will be part of MEMELAND and will core lakes in northwest Europe from Poland to Ireland and perform metabarcoding and lithological analyses of lake-sediment cores. This is to obtain spatial and temporal information on vascular plant species, including crops, herbivores, and other animals. These data, together with similar data from southern Europe, will be used alongside dating models and archaeobotanical data to reveal the nature of medieval agriculture across Europe. The full project team includes the Paris-Lodron University in Salzburg (chronology and erosion), the University of Oxford (archaeobotany and palynology), EAWAG Zurich (biomarkers), and Charles University Prague (modelling). Apart from being an integral part of the field sampling team, the researchers will have significant flexibility in their particular research areas within the project. The successful applicant is expected to spend most of the time in Tromsø, but there will also be extensive fieldwork in Northern Europe. The candidate may also undertake a research stay abroad for up to 3 months with one or more of the project collaborators.
The working hours will be utilized for research, research-related activities, and research administration. As a norm, the time resources spent on administrative duties constitutes 5 % for academic staff.
Qualification requirements
Required qualifications:
A Norwegian doctoral degree in subject area concerned/cognate area, or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognised as equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree. Or competence at a corresponding level documented by academic work of the same scope and quality.
Some experience in environmental archaeology, archaeobotany, or Quaternary Science.
A current manual driving license.
English language skills, both written and spoken.
Personal qualifications and suitability will be emphasized. The candidate’s personal qualifications should include excellent interpersonal skills. Important aspects of this include the ability to, and the interest in, working as a member of a cross-disciplinary research team. The successful candidate’s must be willing to engage in the ongoing development of their discipline and the project.
Additional desirable qualifications:
Experience in vascular plant ecology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics/biostatistics.
Experience in aDNA or sedaDNA; however, this is not required as full training can be given. Most important is the willingness and interest in moving into this research field.
Field logistic skills.
Statistical and data analysis skills.
German, French, Italian, and Scandinavian language skills are advantages.
Personal fit to the team and teamwork skills are important.
Average physical condition is sufficient for the fieldwork.
At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).
Application
The applicants for both positions will be assessed by the same expert committee. The committee’s mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants’ qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants and the detailed description drawn up for the positions. Please indicate in your application whether you are interested in a 4-year or 6-year position, or both.
The application must include:
Cover letter explaining your research interests and your motivation for this position.
CV containing a complete overview of education, supervised professional training and professional work.
Certified copies of Diploma, diploma supplements and transcripts (all degrees).
Contact information of two-three references.
Documentation of language proficiency (not needed for native English speakers). Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.
Complete list of works containing the following information:
author(s), the work’s title
for articles: the journal’s name and volume, the first and last page of the article, year of publication
for publications: publisher, printer, year of publication, number of pages
PhD thesis.
Up to 10 works (published or unpublished) which the applicant wishes to be taken into consideration during the assessment. The doctoral thesis is regarded in this context as one work.
Documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language. The application and submitted documents must be sent electronically via www.jobbnorge.no. The applicants who are assessed as the best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview will, among other things, provide the opportunity to discuss the applicant’s personal suitability for the position.
We offer
good welfare arrangements for employees
good arrangements for pension, insurance and loans in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
The remuneration for the research position is in accordance with the State salary code 1109. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. UiT pays directly to the pension fund on top of the salary - in 2023 this rate is 9 %. As a state employee, you have one of the best pension schemes available. For more information see: spk.no. Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.
General information
The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.
UiT The Arctic University in Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.
More information about moving to Norway and working at UiT.
If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.
According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.
