Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University) is home to over 14,000 students and 1,000 employees, and has campuses in Lillehammer, Hamar, Elverum, Rena, Evenstad and Blæstad.

INN University aspires to build strong and enduring academic and research environments that will spearhead regionally, nationally and internationally.

We are developing a new and better institution with high academic and pedagogical quality, aiming at achieving university accreditation by 2020.

Our vision is "Stronger Together".

The Evenstad campus is located at the heart of Østerdalen in Stor-Elvdal municipality, approximately 20 km south of Koppang. The campus has a pleasant and inclusive study and academic environment, as well as its scenic surroundings.

The Evenstad campus is one of three campuses affiliated with the Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology.

At Evenstad, we offer degree programs in applied ecology, forestry and wildlife management.

The Predator-Scavenger Guild of the Boreal Forest: Interactions between Recolonizing Wolverines and Wolves (3 years)

About the position

A 100% position as a PhD candidate in applied ecology is available at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences at Campus Evenstad from 01.08.2020 until 31.07.2023.

The PhD position will be part of two ongoing joint Scandinavian research projects, one on basic ecology and behavior of wolverines recolonizing southwards in the boreal forests of Norway and Sweden (the Scandinavian Forest Wolverine Project), and the other is an EU-funded broad, multi-species research project on wildlife ecology and management in a trans-border perspective, GRENSEVILT (https://grensevilt.weebly.com/).

The main objective of both projects is to generate knowledge that will improve wildlife conservation, management and coexistence with humans across the national border between Norway and Sweden. The main objectives of this PhD-project is to study intra-guild interactions between recolonizing wolverines and wolves. This will be achieved by comparing wolverine activity and habitat use in areas with and without wolves, and by studying interactions at wolf kill sites with camera traps and sympatric GPS-collared wolverines and wolves.

advisory group and the PhD-candidate will together develop the final research topics, depending on the candidate’s experiences and interests as well as the research needs of the Scandinavian Forest Wolverine Project.

The PhD-student is expected to assist in advising MSc, BSc and practice students, and to be an active member of the research group.

Associate professor Petter Wabakken at Campus Evenstad (Norway) will supervise the candidate. Co-advisors will be Professor Barbara Zimmermann (Campus Evenstad, Norway), Dr. Malin Aronsson and associate professor Jens Persson (Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept. of Ecology, SLU, Sweden).

When the work on scientific papers involve the use of data from radio-collared wolves, the advisory group will include other members of cooperating research groups, e.g. Swedish members of the Scandinavian Wolf Research Project, SKANDULV (https://www.slu.se/institutioner/ekologi/forskning/teman1/rovdjur-och-vilt/skandulv/), the research group LARGE at Evenstad, and other members of GRENSEVILT’s research group (https://grensevilt.weebly.com/prosjektgruppen.html).

Qualifications

A master degree in ecology or equivalent education, with a final grade of “B” or better is required to be qualified for admission to the PhD program. The candidate will work with large datasets requiring skills in data handling and statistical analyses. Candidates with previous field experience from large carnivore research and skills in wildlife ecology, GIS and R statistical software will be prioritized.

Previous experience from other relevant fieldwork (e.g. camera-trapping) and writing peer-reviewed publications is considered as important merits. We expect the candidate to be passionate about doing research, and to be willing to develop the skills to communicate this passion with other scientists and the general public. The candidate should welcome the opportunity to conduct research abroad and work within a multidisciplinary team. We are searching for reliable candidates who can work independently, but who will also function well in our large team. We emphasize personal qualifications when appointing personnel to the faculty.

How to apply

The application and all attachments are to be submitted electronically and should include the following:

• Application letter
• CV (education, positions and academic work)
• Copies of educational certificates and list of references
• A complete list of publications

Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

According to the Norwegian Law "Offentlighetsloven §25.2 ledd", information about the applicant can be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the public list of applicants.

We offer

• A place in a young, ambitious and highly international environment
• Challenging and exciting project with opportunities of personal and scientific development
• Independent and flexible work setting that the successful candidate may to a large extent influence her/himself
• Daily contact with inspiring skilled colleagues in a cross-disciplinary environment
• Great nature just outside campus
• A pay grade of 54 (NOK 479 400,- p.a).

Life insurance and occupational injuries insurance are included. Pension contributions to Statens pensjonskasse will be deducted.

Apply for position