LEDIG STILLING VED UIT NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET
PhD Fellow in Arctic Marine Ecotoxicology associated with the Arctic Ocean 2050 Project
Deadline: 18.05.2026
Publisert
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UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus research university and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.Credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment shall be hallmarks of the relationship between our employees, between our employees and our students and between UiT and our partners. The Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE) consists of Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NFH) and School of Business and Economics.
The main task of BFE is to conduct teaching and research dissemination at a high national and international level within all relevant fields. Prioritized research areas are aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, climate, life in the arctic, marine bioprospecting, fish health, seafood products, business and macroeconomics, resources and environment, markets and management of marine resources. The interdisciplinary profile of the faculty provides good opportunity to develop research projects involving several research groups at the faculty according to its strategy.
The position
A PhD position is available at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB), Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE), UiT – The Arctic University of Norway. The position is affiliated with the Arctic Marine System Ecology research group and is part of the Polhavet 2050 programme, Research Theme “Human Impact and Sustainable Use”.AMB includes 6 research groups. Research and teaching at AMB has a broad span, from molecular mechanisms at cellular/subcellular levels via studies of adaptations at the organismal level, to ecological interactions in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The staff counts 52 permanent scientists, 28 technicians, 9 administrative positions and 65 temporary employees (researchers, postdocs, PhD research fellows, technicians).The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year and will consist of teaching and other duties. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position.
The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. The candidate is expected to spend periods at collaborating institutions, including the University of Bergen (UiB). The position is sought to begin in early autumn of 2026.
The position’s field of research
The position is part of Arctic Ocean 2050, a large-scale, long-term research programme on the future of the Arctic Ocean. The PhD is anchored in Research Theme 3 (Human Impact and Sustainable Use) and specifically contributes to Tasks T3.2.2 (effect thresholds of cumulative anthropogenic perturbations) and T3.2.3 (development of in vitro and ex vivo approaches to assess impacts on Arctic vertebrates). The programme builds on a strong network of collaborating institutions, includingthe University of Bergen (UiB), theNorwegian Polar Institute, Akvaplan-niva, and CNRS-IPHC (France).
The position is situated at the interface of Arctic marine ecotoxicology, computational toxicology, and molecular biology. The main supervisor for the candidate will be from the Arctic Marine System Ecology research group at UiT, with co-supervisors from UiT and UiB. The research group has access to well-equipped laboratory facilities for molecular biology and ecotoxicology at UiT, as well as high-performance computing resources. Through the Polhavet 2050 network, the candidate will have access to field sampling infrastructure including research vessels.
The project
The overarching scientific challenge is to understand how Chemicals of Emerging Arctic Concern (CEACs) affect Arctic marine wildlife at the mechanistic level. CEACs are only recently recognised as potential threats, and Arctic-relevant ecotoxicological data remain extremely scarce. Current regulatory risk assessments rely on temperate model species and single-compound studies, which do not reflect the physiology or exposure conditions of cold-adapted Arctic organisms.The PhD project aims to develop and validate a combined in silico–ex vivo workflow for screening and prioritising CEACs. The primary model species is polar cod (Boreogadus saida), with expansion to seabirds and marine mammals where samples and genomic resources are available through collaborators.The work of the candidate shall contribute to developing tools and knowledge on the interactions between CEACs and critical biological targets (e.g., nuclear receptors in cold-adapted Arctic species, combining computational predictions with experimental validation. At the computational stage, the candidate will establish molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation workflows to predict receptor–ligand interactions under Arctic-relevant temperature conditions. Compounds prioritised in silico will then be validated experimentally using ex vivo model and reporter gene assays. This integrated approach offers substantial efficiency, aligns with the 3R principles of animal welfare, and provides a scalable framework applicable to complex environmental mixtures.The candidate will work interdisciplinarily with computational chemists, molecular biologists, ecotoxicologists, and specialists in genomics and Arctic biology across the collaborating institutions. The position focuses on the toxicological challenges faced by Arctic vertebrates under conditions of both chemical and climate stress.
Qualifications
Required qualifications:• Master's degree in Arctic marine ecotoxicology or a closely related field.• Experience with in silico molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations applied to toxicological or biochemical questions.• Experience with qPCR-based gene expression analysis and standard molecular biology techniques (RNA/DNA extraction, primer design).• Experience with bioinformatics tools and/or Linux-based computational environments.• Documented fluency in English. Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.• Documented fluency in Norwegian or a Scandinavian language.Desired qualifications:• Familiarity with nuclear receptor biology and toxicological modes of action relevant to aquatic organisms.• Practical experience with ex vivo tissue preparations or in vitro cell-based models.
In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. In addition, professional experience and other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme will be taken into consideration.
We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who:
• Have excellent analytical and collaboration skills and the ability to work both independently and in teams.• Have a positive, balanced personality who can think creatively and critically.
As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.
Admission to the PhD programme
For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.
Admission normally requires:
A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS.
A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
Grade requirements applies both to the master thesis as well as courses part of the master’s degree. The minimum requirements are grade B or better on the master’s degree, and an average grade of B or better on courses that are part of the master’s degree. For integrated master's degrees, applicants are required to have achieved a grade of B or higher on their master's thesis and an overall average grade of C or higher across all courses comprising the integrated degree programme. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.
If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.
Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
Inclusion and diversity
UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.
If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.
A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
Pension scheme through the state pension fund
PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 550 800 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase
Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.
Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position.
Your application must include:
Cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
CV
Official diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degree in the original language
Official transcripts of grades/academic record for Bachelor's and Master's degree in the original language
Official translation of diplomas and transcripts of records (ToR) to English or a Scandinavian language, if applicable
Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.
All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position.
Assessment
The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants.
The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position.
General information
The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.
Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.
A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.
We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.
In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence.
