About the Department and the position

A full-time position as Associate Professor in Hydrogeology is available at the Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Norway.

The Department of Geosciences at the University of Oslo (UiO) is part of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MATNAT) and is a leading research unit in Europe. The Department covers a wide breadth of topics, from mantle and lithosphere dynamics on Earth and other planets, via surface processes in the boundary layers between Earth’s surface and atmosphere, to the dynamics and interactions in the Earth's crust, soils, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. The Department of Geosciences has defined a strategy that focuses on four main topics that are transversal to the Department: (i) Dynamics of the solid Earth and planets, (ii) Climate change and the coupled Earth system, (iii) Environmental geosciences, and (iv) Geoscience in the Arctic. The Department aims to contribute to the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals and hosts important contributors to IPCC (UN’s Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change). In 2024, the academic staff consists of 38 professors and associate professors, in addition to postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, researchers, technical and administrative staff. In total, the Department today hosts around 200 employees, one Centre of Excellence and, at present, five grants from the European Research Council, along with numerous other grants from public and private institutions. The Department is organised in six sections: (i) Basin studies, (ii) Crustal processes (iii) Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB, Centre of Excellence), (iv) Environmental Geoscience, (v) Physical Geography and Hydrology (GeoHyd), and (vi) Meteorology and Oceanography (MetOs). A small group working towards geo-didactics is also organised in a section as the UiO part of the Centre for Excellence “iEarth”. 

The position is associated with the Environmental Geoscience section at the Department of Geosciences, which today consists of 6 permanent academic staff and 16 employees in total.

General information about the position

We are looking for a candidate whose expertise will strengthen our mission to deliver excellent research and education. Applicants must document academic qualifications in their field, equivalent to a Associate professor position. The successful applicant must be able to teach at all levels and to supervise Master and PhD students. The position shall perform research on topics such as groundwater resources/flow and quality, pollution risk and contaminant transport, water production, geothermal energy, landslide and slope stability associated with groundwater flow, or other emergent topics at the forefront of the discipline, including increasing pressure from climate change and human activities. The Department wants the successful candidate to bring competences in numerical modelling (computer science) and field methods in hydrogeology to perform high-level research and training, attract funding from both the public and private sectors, including EU funding. The candidate should maintain or establish strong national and international collaborations and will also develop links with other sections and centres at the Department, such as GeoHyd (Hydrology), Njord Centre (Physics of porous media), and Basin Studies (CO2 sequestration).

Research: Current research areas which are important for the Department where we expect that the successful candidate could contribute to are at present related to (1) Linking between field studies, laboratory analyses and numerical modelling, (2) Contaminant transport including fluid mixing and reactions, (3) The effect of groundwater flow on rock/sediment slope stability, (4) Surface- to groundwater interactions in cold environments, (5) Climate change and human activities impacts on groundwater resources and water quality or (6) Carbon emissions (from wetlands) and storage.

The Department has collaborations with several external institutions, including formalized collaboration agreements with, among others, the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) and the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU). It is expected that the successful candidate will contribute actively towards strengthening and further developing these.

Education: The successful applicant may furthermore be required to take on other teaching duties and administrative tasks, by request from the Department or the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The successful candidate is expected to take course responsibility for two courses, preferably one at bachelor's level and one at master's level. Today, there is a need for teaching and student supervision within different hydrogeology-related subjects, both computationally and related to field investigations, such as courses in “Hydrogeology” and “Field Methods in Hydrogeology (GEO4190 and GEO4360 for reference).

Qualification requirements

Assessment of candidates will be based on scientific and educational excellence, as for example reflected in the number and quality of peer-reviewed publications, scientific relevance, ability to attract external funding, and other evidence of impact. The main emphasis will be on the candidate’s performance during the last five years.

• A PhD within hydrogeology, geology/geophysics, physics, hydrology or other relevant fields and have a strong scientific track record within hydrogeology, contaminant transport or fluid flow in porous and fractured systems.
• The candidate must demonstrate strong background within quantitative methods in hydrogeology, linking data and observations to modelling and theory development, along with technical expertise in computer software and programming. 
• The candidate is expected to have a scientific record of accomplishment at a high international level beyond what is required for a doctoral degree and demonstrate the ability to attract external funding and lead research projects.
• The candidate must have experience in established national and international collaborative networks and demonstrated ability to publish impactful research.
• Documented potential for acquisition of external funding.
• Pedagogical qualifications and teaching and supervision experience at all levels will be an important factor in the evaluation process and must be well documented in a teaching portfolio. The applicant must describe her/his qualifications in view of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) framework which includes:
  • Focus on student learning
  • A clear development over time
  • A researching approach
  • A collegial attitude and practice

The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document sufficient teaching qualifications (minimum formal requirement is a 200 hrs pedagogical programme) will be required to obtain such qualifications within a two-year period.

The successful candidate must demonstrate mastery of both English and one of the Scandinavian languages as working languages, in order to be able to teach and otherwise be able to participate in all functions the position may involve. If the successful candidate does not have sufficient mastery of a Scandinavian language, the candidate will be required to learn sufficient Norwegian within a two-year period.

Desirable qualifications:

The following additional qualifications are desirable and may be evaluated as an advantage: 

• Experience in data acquisition/sampling in field.
• Documented understanding of geochemical processes in groundwater.
• Experience in handling large data sets.
• Knowledge of 'open-access' resources (data and method).
• Candidates should be able to establish, lead and conduct research projects, also as a collaborator. A track record in scientific and administrative management is an advantage.
• International network, outreach activities, collegiality, and the ability to create a good working environment will be part of the evaluation.
• The person appointed will be requested to take on some administrative duties. Hence such experience will be an advantage. 

Personal qualities

• Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment.
• Networking skills, ability to collaborate and conduct scientific leadership.
• Ability to cooperate and communicate well with other members of staff.

The successful candidate should have an international profile with respect to the above criteria. The work tasks are related to research, teaching, supervision at all levels (BSc, MSc and PhD levels), innovation, and outreach within hydrogeology. Academic excellence, academic relevance, and the ability to attract external funds in line with the institute's guidelines and strategy are central. The candidate for this position will be selected based on excellence and fit with the section’s research profile.

We offer:

• Salary NOK 745 000 to 919 200 per year depending on qualifications in a position as Associate Professor (position code 1011).
• A professionally stimulating work 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.
• The opportunity to apply for promotion to full professorship at a later stage.

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter.
• A research position paper (1–4 pages) describing the applicant’s vision and scientific ambitions for the near future.
• A detailed CV, including a complete list of education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative management, project acquisition and coordination experience, and other qualifying activities.
• Copies of educational certificates, PhD diploma, transcript of records and letters of recommendation.
• A complete list of publications and academic merits and awards (if not included in the CV).
• Full text of up to 10 selected scientific publications the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation.
• A document discussing the importance, interrelation, and relevance of the selected papers for this position.
• Educational portfolio of 3–6 pages documenting educational competence and experience, including a reflection note in which your own teaching practice and view of learning is anchored in the SoTL framework (focus on student learning, development over time, a researching approach and a collegial attitude and practice).
• List of reference persons: 2–3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number).

The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system; please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language. A selection committee will invite a limited number of candidates (“short list”) to submit a portfolio of academic work that are particularly relevant for the position. Academic texts should therefore not be enclosed with the application.

Formal regulations

As a general rule an interview will be used in the appointment process, usually supplemented with a trial teaching session. The basis for assessment will be the scientific production of the applicant, the teaching portfolio, pedagogical and educational qualifications, the applicant’s qualifications within leadership and administration, other qualifications as well as general personal suitability for the position. In ranking the competent applicants, the full range of qualifications will be considered and explicitly assessed.

Rules for appointments to associate professorships. 

Rules for the assessment and weighting of pedagogical competence for appointments to permanent academic posts which include teaching duties

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 aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds. Women are encouraged to apply.

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

In addition, the University of Oslo aims for its employees to reflect the diversity of the population to the greatest degree possible. We therefore encourage qualified applicants with disabilities or gaps in their CV to apply for the position. The University of Oslo will adapt the workplace to suit employees with disabilities. Applicants who indicate that they have disabilities or gaps in their CV are made aware that this information may be used for statistical purposes. 

Contact information

For further information please contact:

• Helge Hellevang, Section leader Environmental Geosciences, Department of Geosciences, e-mail: helghe@geo.uio.no
• Bernd Etzelmüller, Head of Department, e-mail: bernde@geo.uio.no

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact HR Adviser Ole Rustad, email: ole.rustad@mn.uio.no

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