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 research at the Department of Physics covers a broad range of subfields within physics and technology: From space research to medical physics. A good proportion of the research is interdisciplinary, and conducted in close cooperation with collaborators in Norway and abroad. Education and teaching are other essential activities. We offer a broad range of courses, and the Department is involved in several study programmes at bachelor’s and master’s level. Some of the best lecturers in Norway are amongst our employees, and we are proud of our prizewinning teaching and learning environment. The Department has 200 employees, of which 50 are permanent scientific positions. On a yearly basis 20 students complete their Ph.D. and 50 finish their M.Sc. degree.
About the position
Position as Senior Engineer available at the Department of Physics, University of Oslo.
The position is for a period of 2 years.
Starting date as soon as possible and no later than 15.10.2026.
Job / project description
The position is associated with the European Union funded COMBAT project. The details about the project can be found here: https://combatdengue.hemsida.eu/
The senior engineer will be associated with the work package 2 – DEVELOP high-throughput and super-resolution tools for virus research. The role of the engineer will be to develop, support and work on the photonic-chip based multimodal TIRF optical microscopy set-up. In addition, the engineer should support the design and build advanced optical diffraction tomography (ODT). The photonic-chip based TIRF microscopy and ODT will be used for imaging organoids and a correlative fluorescence microscopy. A close co-operation with COMBAT partners associated with WP 2, i.e. both the academic institutions, Karolinska Institute Sweden, Stichting Amsterdam UMC (UMC), The Netherlands, Justus Liebig University (JLU), Germany; and the industrial partners, React4life Spa (R4L), Italy is anticipated.
The successful candidate is anticipated to have experimental optical instrumentation background working with optical waveguide (photonic-chip) based microscopy platform. The candidate should have exposure to trouble shoot, adapt and build next generation waveguide chip based TIRF microscopy platform. In addition, the engineer is anticipated to support the automation (hardware control) of the different systems linked with the COMBAT and other similar projects. The chip based super-resolution microscopy will be used for imaging thin sections from organoids. The engineer is anticipated to strengthen and support the existing team members involved in this project. It is preferred that the candidate has working experience of approximately five years post master degree in the relevant field.
The engineer will get an opportunity to travel within the COMBAT consortium and to collaborate with both the biologists and the technology drivers and will contribute to multi disciplinary research at the cross-roads of biology and physics.
What skills are important in this role?
Required qualifications:
A degree equivalent to a Norwegian master’s degree in physics/engineering
Background in waveguide-chip based optical microscopy, waveguide chip design and characterization
Good exposure with optical instrumentation and automation of hardware
Exposure with the mechanical and optical design, and exposure with the opto electrical and opto-mechanical components. It is anticipated that the candidate will be able to maintain and upgrade existing optical microscopy units, such as waveguide chip based optical microscopy and optical diffraction tomography.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
Desired qualifications:
A good background in automation of the optical instrumentation via LabView, Micro manager, Python or similar software tools.
5 years or longer working exposure within the optical microscopy development and design
Exposure on fluorescence based photonic chip based super-resolution optical microscopy such as, TIRF, single-molecule localization microscopy, and intensity fluctuation microscopy
Experience working with biological samples and the candidate should be open to work with biological samples
Familiarity with image analysis tools such as MATLAB, Phython, ImageJ, and basic AI tools
Exposure on SolidWorks and or Zemax
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
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.
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
Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
Salary in position as Senior Engineer, position code 1181 in salary range NOK 725 000 – 780 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2% 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 with statement of motivation
CV (complete overview of education and work experience)
Copies of educational certificates, transcript of records and letters for recommendation
Names and contact details of 2-3 references (names, relation to candidate 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
Applicants may be called in for an interview.
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.
