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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Fluid mechanics and physics of porous media

Deadline: 15.01.2025

Universitetet i Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society. 

Njord is a cross-disciplinary Geology-Physics center hosted by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo. We focus on the fundamental physics of geological processes related to: transport and reactions in deformable porous media, fracturing and fragmentation processes, interface dynamics during geophysical flows, and intermittency and pattern formation in geological systems far from equilibrium.

We conduct research on earth systems that range in scale from atoms to continents and apply methods where fieldwork, numerical modelling, experiments and theory act in concert.

The center includes the Oslo-branch of PoreLab, which is a Center of Excellence (CoE), the former CoE, Physics of Geological Processes (PGP) and several externally financed projects. There are 10 professors and associate professors at the center, in addition to doctoral research fellows, postdoctoral fellows, researchers and technical and administrative staff - in total about 55 persons.

About the position

Position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow available at the Njord Centre.

Starting date no later than 04/2025.

The appointment is a fulltime position and is for a period of 3 years.

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

Job description / Project description / Development plan:

We seek a physicist or geophysicist for a 3-year PD position in the project MinMix (Mineralization as a fluid mixing process) funded by the Research Council of Norway. In this project, we will use advanced time-lapse imaging, numerical simulations, and reactive mixing theories to better understand and predict the role of fluid mixing as a driver for mineralization in porous media, a key knowledge gap for a wide range of environmental, engineering, and geological processes. Applications may include the remediation of contaminants, the restoration of cultural heritage, the sustainable exploitation of geothermal wells and the mineral trapping of CO2 in the subsurface in a context of global climate change.

The project is carried out at the Njord Centre, the cross-disciplinary Centre for Studies of the Physics of the Earth at the University of Oslo, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to perform research stays at the Geosciences Department at the University of Rennes (France) and at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark).

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.

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.

  • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in physics, fluid mechanics, or applied mathematics
  • 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
  • Background in fluid mechanics
  • A proven background in at least two of the following fields: experimental physics (soft matter, granular matter, porous media), computational physics, porous media physics, statistical physics.
  • Experience with programming language (e.g., Matlab, Python)
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English (see below) 

Desired qualifications:

  • Experience with advanced imaging techniques
  • Experience with large international facilities and tomography imaging (neutron, X-ray sources)
  • Experience with the theoretical description of transport processes
  • Skills in advanced computational methods (e.g., C++)

Personal skills:

• Teamwork skills, as well as the ability to work independently

• Enthusiasm, personal drive, and ability to take initiative

• Attention to detail

• Flexibility and ability to handle pressure and meet deadlines

We offer:

  • Salary NOK 575 400 – 657 300 per year depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352)
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
  • Professionally stimulating working environment
  • Vibrant international academic environment
  • Postdoctoral development programmes
  • Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

The application must include:

  • Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
  • CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
  • Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
  • A complete list of publications and up to 5 academic works 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)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, the project description (whenever this is required in the call for applicants), and the quality of the project as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability.

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations:

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).

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.

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.

Contact persons:

For further information about the position please contact:

For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Elin Thoresen, e-mail: elin.thoresen@mn.uio.no 

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