UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus comprehensive university at the international forefront. Our vision is to be a driving force for developing the High North. The Northern Sami notion eallju, which means eagerness to work, sets the tone for this motive power at UiT. Along with students, staff and the wider community, we aim to utilise our location in Northern Norway and Sápmi, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio and interdisciplinary advantage to shape the future.

Our social mission is to provide research-based education of high quality, perform artistic development and carry out research of the highest international quality standards in the entire range from basic to applied. We will convey knowledge about disciplines and contribute to innovation. Our social mission unites UiT across various studies, research fields and large geographical distances. This demands good cooperation with trade and industry and civil society as well as with international partners. We will strengthen knowledge-based and sustainable development at a regional, national and international level.

Academic freedom and scientific and ethical principles form the basis for all UiT’s activities. Participation, co-determination, transparency and good processes will provide the decision-making basis we need to make wise and far-sighted priorities. Our students and staff will have the opportunity to develop their abilities and potential. Founded on academic integrity, we will be courageous, committed and generous in close contact with disciplines, people and contemporary developments.

We will demonstrate adaptability and seek good and purposeful utilisation of resources, so we are ready to meet the expectations and opportunities of the future. We will strengthen the quality and impact of our disciplines and core tasks through the following three strategic priority areas.

The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts

MEMELAND

The position is in the MEMELAND Project (ERC Synergy grants) which is aligned with the ArcEcoGen Research Centre at Arctic University Museum of Norway, the Arctic University of Norway.

This PhD project is attached to the ERC funded ‘Molecular Archaeology of Medieval European Landscapes (MEMELAND)’ project. The successful candidate will join a team coring lakes and mires throughout northern Europe and undertake sedaDNA metabarcoding and lithological analyses of lake-sediment cores. This to obtain distribution and presence information on past vascular plant species including crops, and animals at the given locations. These data, together with similar data from the rest of the team will be used to model the temporal and spatial biodiversity and landscape changes on northern Europe over the last two thousand years. The full project team includes UiT (host and sedaDNA), Paris-Loudon University Salzburg (chronology), University of Oxford (archaeobotany and palynology), eawag, Zurich (biomarkers) and Charles University Prague (spatial modelling). The successful PhD candidate will have considerable flexibility in which areas, either thematically and/or geographically they will focus on allowing a tailored PhD. The research outcomes will include a new ecological history of the last two millennia in Europe. Travel and work at the contributing institutions will be encouraged.

The position

A PhD position is available at The Arctic University Museum of Norway, The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts.

The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year and will consist of different museal tasks, such as assist in cataloging new acquisitions, updating existing records, develop best practice in documentation and use of management systems. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The position’s affiliation and field of research

This position is attached to the Research Groups of Natural Sciences and Archaeology and the ArcEcoGEN Aurora Research Centre. Natural Sciences is responsible for developing and maintaining scientific natural history collections as well as public outreach, including the Tromsø Arctic Alpine Botanical Garden. Archaeology is responsible for the archaeological collections at the Tromsø University Museum as well as cultural heritage management and excavations in Northern Norway. All excavated archaeological finds are incorporated into the existing museum collections. Combined the research areas of Botany and Archaeology have a permanent staff of approximately 21, of which 16 are in academic positions. At the moment, 9 PhD students and 4 postdoctoral researchers are connected to the research area and ArcEcoGEN Centre. The departments have laboratories for environmental archaeology, modern and ancient DNA analyses. These labs will be upgraded significantly in 2025 with full sample integration and robotisation of many sedaDNA processes, making them world class in this area of research. Natural Sciences currently involved in three large projects: “MEMELAND”, “IceAgent” and “Norwegian Barcode of Life”. The latter includes full genome sequencing of the entire Norwegian flora. The primary focus of ongoing research is on prehistoric and historic archaeology within the region and comparative regions.

The successful applicant is expected to spend most of the time in Tromsø, but there will also be extensive fieldwork in Norway and the Northern Isles (UK). The candidate may also undertake a research stay abroad for up to 3 months with one or more of the project collaborators. 

The project is a collaboration among staff at the Tromsø University Museum, The University Museum of Bergen, Geography at the University of Durham UK, Archaeology Department at the Highlands and Islands University, Orkney UK.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact:

Professor Antony Brown: 

• email: antony.g.brown@uit.no

or Researcher Stephen Wickler:

• email: stephen.wickler@uit.no

Qualifications

This position requires:

• A master's degree in subject relevant to the research description (see also specifications below in “Admission to PhD programme”)
• Documented fluency in English. Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.

It is considered an advantage if you have:

• Working experience in the field in question
• Experience from bioarchaeology, palaeoecology or bioinformatic/working on genetic data 
• Knowledge of high north ecosystems
• Experience from working in a team
• A national and/or international research network that you can refer to
• Scientific publications and/or public outreach
• Working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language

Applicants must document proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at a minimum of level A2. If the candidate does not document proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2, then the doctoral fellow must complete a language course equal to 15 ECTS before the end of the fixed-term period. UiT will facilitate this.

In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. The project description will also be considered. In addition, other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme may be given consideration, e.g. working experience.

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. 

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have good collaboration skills
• Have good communication and interaction with colleagues and students
• Wants to contribute to a good working environment

As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

Admission to the PhD programme 

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:

• A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. 
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS. 
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. 

Grade requirements applies both to the master thesis as well as courses part of the master’s degree. The minimum requirements are grade B or better on the master’s degree, and an average grade of B or better on courses that are part of the master’s degree, or the last two years in an integrated master's degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position. 

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of 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 are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

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 at 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.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project 
• A good and interdisciplinary academic environment with dedicated colleagues 
• Good career opportunities, and high employability after successful graduation
• A stunning Arctic landscape and diversity of outdoor activities
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund 
• PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 536 200 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase

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.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here.

Application 

Your application must include: 

• Cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
• CV
• Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree
• Transcript of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Documentation of proficiency in Norwegian or a Scandinavian language (if applicable)
• Documentation of proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish at a minimum of level A2 (if available)
• 2-3 references with contact information
• Master’s thesis, and any other academic works
• Project description (max. 4 pages)

The applicants must present a description outlining the academic basis of the PhD project. The project description shall not exceed 4 pages, literature references included. It must include a description of the theme, research question(s), and a reasoning of the choices. It should also indicate the methodologies to be used, and what actors outside the academia to involve. The final project description will be developed in cooperation with the supervision team after employment.

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. We only accept applications and documentation sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline. 

Assessment 

The applicants will be assessed by an 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 draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants. 

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position. 

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. 

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years. 

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure. 

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