About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in freshwater microbial ecology available at the Centre of Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene, Section of Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences. 

The fellowship period is 3 years.

Starting date no later than October 1st 2025.

A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25 % that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Project description

In this PhD project you will study lake-type specific microbial processes leading to different GHG emissions. A specific focus will be on lakes with anoxic deep-waters facilitating methane production, and in particular permanently stratified (meromictic) lakes that are expected to become more prevalent due to various anthropogenic drivers. Meromixis is suggested to increase the production of GHGs due to their constant anaerobic deep-waters.

Your main tasks will be 

You will quantify the production and emissions of GHGs based on field-work, experiments, incubations and a range of methods both to characterize the lake properties, to collect and analyze dissolved gases, use tools to assess production and GHG dynamics (like stable isotopes, spectroscopic methods), and not the least genomic tools to assess the distinctive microbial communities and gene-activities linked to GHG production and uptake. This offers a very interesting opportunity to link basic microbial genomic and metabolic insights to fundamental ecosystem properties and with high relevance for climate. Interestingly such systems can also shed light on ancient microbial functions in the pre-oxygenic period giving new insights into the Earth´s history. 

This project is also central to the ongoing activities linking groups with multiple PhD students within the Centre for Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene. It also builds on ongoing national (Norwegian University for Life Sciences) and international collaborations (University of Minnesota, USA and Swedish University for Agricultural Sciences).

Qualifications 

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Required skills

• Master’s degree or equivalent in biology
  • Foreign completed degrees (M.Sc.-level) must correspond to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Documented training in microbial ecology or biogeochemistry is a requirement
• Experiences with ‘omics’ methods and measurements of microbial processes, including spectroscopic methods are highly desirable
• Documented training in limnology is desirable.
• Candidates with training and experience in both field and experimental work are especially encouraged to apply

Language requirement

• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

• the average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• the average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• the Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system

Candidates without a master’s degree have until 30 June 2025 to complete the final exam.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information see here.

What are we looking for in you? 

• We are seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic and hard-working candidate with the ambition to gain new insights and publish papers in leading, international journals. 
• Applicants must show good interpersonal skills and be willing to work in close collaboration with the project PIs and other members of the project team, as well as have the ability to work independently. 
• Skills from relevant field- and labwork in aquatic systems is required, so is experience with molecular and spectroscopic methods. 

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.

We offer

• Vibrant international academic environment
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• Good welfare schemes.
• Career development programmes
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017, in salary range NOK from 536 200 - 575 400, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

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.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

Application

Your application should include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records
• Documentation of English proficiency if applicable
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.

General information

The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews. 

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we can't, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

Apply for the position

Questions about the position

• Alexander Eiler, +47 46501671, alexander.eiler@ibv.uio.no
• Dag O. Hessen, d.o.hessen@mn.uio.no
• Inger Skrede, inger.skrede@ibv.uio.no

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact:

• HR adviser Nina Holtan, nina.holtan@mn.uio.no