Postdoctoral Research Fellow in actively driven surfaces: sensing, soft robotics and flow control
Deadline: 03.08.2026
Publisert
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.
The Department of Mathematics is part of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo. The Department is engaged in teaching and research covering a wide spectrum of subjects within mathematics, mechanics and statistics. The research is on theory, methods and applications. The areas represented include: fluid mechanics, biomechanics, statistics and data science, computational mathematics, combinatorics, partial differential equations, stochastics and risk, algebra, geometry, topology, operator algebras, complex analysis and logic.
We have almost 50 persons in permanent academic positions and a large number of post docs and Ph.D. students. We also have an administrative and technical staff. The department represents a leading research environment in mathematical areas in Norway, and has a highly international profile.
About the position
A three-year postdoctoral research fellowship is available in the research group of Prof. Andreas Carlson at the Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo.
Starting date no later than December 1, 2026.
No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.
The position is part of two projects funded by the Research Council of Norway, focusing on the development of soft hairy surfaces for flow control and vibration-based soft robots. The overarching goal is to develop a new understanding of fluid flows coupled to complex and actively driven surfaces. Specifically, the projects aim to uncover the fundamental physical principles that govern the coupling between active surfaces and their surrounding fluid environment, and to use this knowledge to inspire new technological applications. The physical designs will be partly bio-inspired and will emphasize sustainability.
This position is well suited to candidates who are highly motivated by fundamental science and excited about questions related to actively controlled or driven surfaces in the context of soft robotics, sensing, and flow control. You should be strongly self-driven, genuinely interested in an academic career, and eager to develop independence in your research. The postdoctoral fellow will join an international and interdisciplinary research group.
The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.
It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment. There are some administrative duties associated with the position connected to the project and research group activities.
Qualification requirements
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:
Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in mechanics, physics, applied mathematics or similar. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defense are eligible for appointment.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
Excellent track record in fundamental research in fluid mechanics, active materials, soft robotics, or within elastic materials.
A strong experimental background in developing and performing experiments in one of the following; soft materials, robotics, complex materials, fluids, interfaces, active surfaces.
Desired qualifications:
Experience within some of the areas of active materials, robotics, sensors, elastohydrodynamics, interfacial flows and/or complex materials will also be considered beneficial.
A theoretical background and/or scientific computing will be also considered beneficial.
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:
Self-driven and highly motivated about fundamental science.
Deep interest in wanting to combine fundamental science with technological development.
Very good communication and collaboration skills.
Want to contribute to good social environment at the workplace.
Pro-active, result oriented and high performance capabilities.
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.
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 Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK595 000 - 690 000, 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:
CV (summarizing education, positions, research background and other qualifying activity)
Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
A separate complete list of publications
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".
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.
Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.
If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)
No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).
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.
