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
Position as Researcher available in Paleomagnetism and Paleogeography is available at the Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB), Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo (UiO).
The position is a fulltime position for a period of 3 years.
Starting date 01.01.2026 or as soon as possible after this.
Project description
The position is associated with the Centre for Planetary Habitability and linked to a project entitled “The Great Oxidation Event and Planetary Habitability” (GOE-PHAB) funded by the Research Council of Norway. GOE-PHAB is part of an international initiative (17 partner countries) GOE-DEEP (Gabon and Oxygenation of Earth – Drilling Early Earth Project), which aims to obtain 11 drill cores from an exceptional archive of Paleoproterozoic time, the Franceville Basin in Gabon, Africa. Drill targets span the time interval of key events in the early Proterozoic (2.5-2.0 Ga), including the potential to deliver new insights about the initial rise of atmospheric oxygen. The cores will form new geobiological, geochronological, geochemical, paleomagnetic and sedimentological knowledge to reconstruct the environmental conditions and resolve fundamental questions that remain about the emergence of Earth´s aerobic biosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere system.
Tasks:
Sub-sample the GOE-DEEP drill-cores for paleomagnetic and rock magnetic experiments.
Paleomagnetic fieldwork in Gabon may be anticipated to supplement the results from the drill-cores.
Use the new paleomagnetic data to build a paleolatitudinal model for the Congo craton (Franceville Basin).
Use the new data from the Congo craton and existing paleomagnetic data to develop a full-plate global paleogeographic model at the dawn of the Proterozoic (2.5-2.0 Ga).
Laboratory experiments will mostly be done at our inhouse paleomagnetic laboratory in Oslo. Drill-core sub-sampling will be undertaken at the Geological Survey of Norway (Trondheim). Eight cores have already been drilled and will be available for sampling in early 2026 whereas three remaining cores will be drilled during the summer 2026. Main project partners are from NGU, Tuffs University (USA), Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Germany) and Carleton University (Canada), and exchange visits are anticipated.
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.
Qualification requirements:
Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in geosciences or physics. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and completed defence are eligible for appointment.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
Desired qualifications:
Experiences with paleomagnetic and rock magnetic experiments
Fieldwork and drill-core sub-sampling experience
Experiences with paleogeographic modelling and the GPlates reconstruction freeware
Scientific programming (e.g., Python)
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
Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
Strong quantitative and analytical skills
Good communication and interpersonal skills
Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.
We can offer you
Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
Committed colleagues in a good working environment.
Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours. A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
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 Researcher, position code 1109 in salary range NOK from 646 000 - to 745 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
Inclusive work life 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.
How to apply
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
Letters of recommendation
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)
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.
Formal regulations
The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews.
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.
