The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.
Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB) is a Norwegian Centre of Excellence that provides a stimulating and well-funded research environment. PHAB’s main goal, based on detailed studies of Earth and our solar system, is to develop predictive models to identify habitable planets around other stars. PHAB research activities comprise three interrelated research themes: (1) Planets and Early Earth, (2) Modern Earth and (3) Exo-Earths. The centre was established in 2023 and will consist of approximately 70 full time and part time professors and researchers, PhD Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Research Fellows.
About the position
We invite applications for one position as PhD Research Fellow in geodynamics available at at the Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB), Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo (UiO).
Starting date as soon as possible.
The fellowship period is three years.
A fourth year may be considered and it will involve 25 % of other career-promoting work. Other career-promoting work may consist of teaching, supervision, 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.
Place of work is Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB), Department of Geosciences, at Blindern, Oslo.
Job description
Applications are invited for one PhD research fellow position at the Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB). PHAB is a Norwegian Centre of Excellence funded by the Research Council of Norway and organized as a section at the Department of Geosciences. PHAB’s main goal, based on detailed studies of Earth and the solar system, is developing predictive models to identify habitable planets around other stars. Within three different research themes: (1) Planets and Early Earth, (2) Modern Earth and (3) Exo-Earths, we want to explore the interior and external driving forces that make a planet like the Earth habitable and inhabited. The successful candidate will work on True Polar Wander on a Snowball Earth.
The orientation of Earth’s rotation axis relative to the solid Earth is controlled by how mass is distributed within the planet and across its surface. Density variations in Earth’s interior, generated by processes such as subduction and mantle convection, as well as the redistribution of water, ice, and rock at the surface, can alter the planet’s moment of inertia. In response, the solid Earth slowly reorients to move excess mass closer to the equator - a process known as True Polar Wander (TPW). Evidence for TPW is preserved in paleomagnetic records and characteristic patterns of sea-level change, yet the frequency, magnitude, and consequences of past TPW events remain poorly understood.
This project will investigate how large-scale glaciation events during Earth’s history may have triggered TPW. During “Snowball Earth” periods, global glaciations redistributed enormous surface loads that would have caused isostatic adjustments in the solid Earth. These coupled surface and interior processes may have driven substantial reorientation of the planet, with the magnitude and rate of TPW being influenced by mantle structure and tectonic history. By combining geodynamic modelling with paleogeographic reconstructions and scenarios for ice sheet growth and decay, this project aims to explore and constrain the history of TPW and explore links between climate evolution, mantle dynamics, and long-term planetary habitability.
What skills are important in this role?
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 qualifications:
Master’s degree or equivalent in planetary science or geoscience discipline
Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
We seek candidates who have strength and experience in geophysics, paleogeographic reconstructions, and/or dynamical modelling of planetary interiors
Candidates without a master’s degree have until 15.08.2026 to complete the final exam.
Desired qualifications:
Cross-disciplinarity background
Experience in scientific writing
Experience in giving oral presentations
Experience with programming
Quantitative and analytical skills
Language requirement:
Good oral and written communication skills in English
All candidates and projects will have to undergo a check versus national export, sanctions and security regulations. Candidates may be excluded based on these checks. Primary checkpoints are the Export Control regulation, the Sanctions regulation, and the national security regulation.
What are we looking for in you?
Personal skills:
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Ability to work precise in a structured manner and swiftly adapts to new tasks
Good communication and collaboration skills
Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods
Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
Ability to work independently as well as in multidisciplinary teams
Ability to give and receive constructive scientific criticism
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.
Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes
Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
Salary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 - 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues, could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. We hope you will apply for the position with us.
How to apply
The application must include:
Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
Transcripts of records, copies of the original Bachelor’s and Master’s degree diploma (see below)
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 this job".Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.
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.
General information
The best qualified candidates will 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.
