Job description

A two-year Researcher position is available at the Department of Geosciences at the University of Oslo, Norway. The position is until May 2021, with a start date at the earliest in April 2019.

The candidate will work with algorithm development in the international CCI_permafrost project, funded by the European Space Agency, ESA. The project contribution of the University of Oslo is led by Sebastian Westermann.

Within the ESA CCI_permafrost project, the University of Oslo is responsible for algorithm development, combining remote sensing data with thermal models to develop spatially and temporally resolved products of active ayer thickness and ground temperature. The results of remotely sensed permafrost mapping will be communicated to users in, among others, the climate modeling community.

The candidate will manage and coordinate the tasks and deliverables in the ESA CCI Permafrost project (several reports per year), including communication with the project lead (Annett Bartsch, b.geos Austria) and the European Space Agency. Furthermore, the candidate will manage the production of new permafrost products on the Abel supercomputing cluster at the University of Oslo, characterize the algorithm performance by comparing the results to field measurements, and contribute to algorithm improvements. Furthermore, active communication with project users and scientific publications in international journals are expected.

About the research group

The position is affiliated with the Section for Physical Geography and Hydrology, which has long-term experience in investigating the terrestrial cryosphere (permafrost, snow, glaciers) and is involved in various high-level research projects and centers.(See for instance

http://www.mn.uio.no/geo/english/about/organisation/geohyd/ , http://www.mn.uio.no/geo/english/research/groups/remotesensing/http://www.mn.uio.no/geo/english/research/groups/cryosphere/)

We offer a lively, friendly and collaborative research environment in cold regions sciences, in particular in cryospheric sciences, remote sensing, geohazards, and geomatics. We participate in projects by the European Union and the European Space Agency such that the successful candidate will have excellent opportunity to participate in international research networks.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. Candidates will be selected in accordance with this, and are expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials. Applications are encouraged from dedicated candidates with excellent writing skills and the ability to work in a highly team-orientated environment.

The successful candidate should have a PhD degree or the equivalent awarded by a Geoscience, Physics, Geophysics, Mathematics, Geomatics or Computer Science faculty, with experience in remote sensing, numerical modeling, and/or spatial analysis.

Furthermore, the candidate must demonstrate working experience in projects funded by ESA, ideally in projects with focus on permafrost. In particular, experience with management of the project tasks is required, in particular preparation of project reports and deliverables.

The successful candidate should further demonstrate:

• Technical expertise in a GIS system (such as ArcGIS or QGIS) and one or more programming language(s), in particular MATLAB,
• Experience with numerical permafrost models,
• Experience with analyzing and reprojecting large data sets,
• Experience with remotely sensed land surface temperature data,
• Experience with archiving and storage of large data sets,
• Good communication skills and the willingness to manage tasks and project deliverables in an international research environment,
• Evidence of creativity and capability of independent research.

A good command of English is required.

We offer

• salary NOK 515 200 – 597 400 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Researcher (position code 1109)
• a professionally stimulating working environment
• attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

• Application letter including a statement of research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work, and other qualifying activity)
• Copies of educational certificates and transcript of records
• If available, a copy of the PhD thesis
• List of other academic works and publications and/or awards and stipends that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 referees (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

Formal regulations

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.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

• Associate Professor Sebastian Westermann, sebastian.westermann@geo.uio.no

For technical questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Torunn Standal Guttormsen, t.s.guttormsen@mn.uio.no, phone: +47 22854272

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