Job description

TWO POSITIONS AS SCIENTIFIC DATA COORDINATORS/CURATORS are available at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Molecular Medicine, for a period of 1 year, with possibility for extension. The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences consists of academic departments and units that pursue research and education within basic medical science. The institute has approximately 320 employees and is located in the Domus Medica. More information about the institute can be found here.

The scientific data coordinators/curators will work in a multidisciplinary environment at the Neural Systems laboratory (NeSys). The laboratory has a leading role in the EBRAINS Data Services, which is one of the main service categories of EBRAINS – the European distributed research infrastructure for brain and brain-inspired research.

Current developments are supported by the EU Human Brain Project, a European Flagship project with more than 100 universities and research institutes in 19 countries. The goal of HBP is to increase our understanding of the human brain by accelerating large-scale collaborative neuroscience across a wide range of disciplines. EBRAINS contributes to this goal by providing a novel neuroscientific research infrastructure in which heterogeneous and multiscale neuroscience data from HBP and the broader research community across Europe and world-wide can be analysed using EBRAINS’s services and integrated and made publicly available. EBRAINS was included in the European roadmap of research infrastructures (ESFRI) in 2021.

In the EBRAINS research infrastructure, the Neural Systems Laboratory (www.med.uio.no/nesys) is responsible for data curation, data management planning, rodent brain atlas resources, software tools for brain atlasing, and special support for users sharing data or using software and workflows. The following videos provide information about Nesys contributions to the HBP infrastructure developments, including services for data sharing and rodent brain atlasing:

https://training.incf.org/course/open-data-neuroscience-data-sharing-ebrains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlDKm5yBVvM&t=17s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lih-V_jxBNg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCdA2H45iU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-FwWfdDR_8

The data coordinators/curators to be recruited will be part of the EBRAINS Data Services and data curation team. The positions should be filled as soon as possible.

More about the position

The scientific data coordinators/curators employed will have specific responsibilities for:

• Curation of neuroscience data (imaging, morphology, MRI, electrophysiology) and associated metadata produced by HBP partners and non-HBP contributors
• Contribute to improving curation workflows with automation, including scripting and programming
• Support the development and expansion of researcher driven ontologies
• Contribute to communication tasks, branding, and dissemination of new insights and services offered from the project

Qualification requirements

We are looking for highly motivated and competent researchers with relevant experiences, holding a PhD/Master’s degree (MSc) in a relevant field of life science, who enjoys working in an international and interactive environment. The successful candidates should be good team players with excellent organization and communication skills, and good abilities for multitasking, and with a positive and pro-active attitude. Experience in working in an academic and / or multicultural / multidisciplinary environment is an advantage. Emphasis will be attributed to team-working, communication and individual suitability for the project.

Short-listed applicants may be invited for an interview at the University of Oslo or by videoconference.

Requirements:

• Applicants must either have a PhD or five year Master degree
• Fluency in spoken and written English
• Demonstrable experience in a programming language (Python preferred)
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• The candidate must be capable of taking initiatives and working independently

We offer

• An interesting and challenging assignment in a research group which has a central position in a high-profile research and infrastructure project. A productive research environment with a strong team of developers, scientific data curators and neuroscience researchers.
• Salary NOK 507 600 - 583 500(position code 1108) or (position code 1109) NOK 507 600 - 637 900 depending on qualifications
• 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:

• The application letter (including a summary of applicant’s scientific or development work and interest and describing how she/he fits the description of the person we seek)
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
• Copies of educational certificates with grades, letters of recommendation
• Names and contact details of 2-3 referees (names, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)
• A complete list of publications and all academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee

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).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, the project description (whenever this is required in the call for applicants), and the quality of the project as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact information

• Professor Jan Bjaalie, phone number: +47 917 87 901, e-mail: j.g.bjaalie@medisin.uio.no with cc to: m.e.brigg@medisin.uio.no

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