PhD - Functional Nutrition and Health of Atlantic Salmon
Deadline: 08.10.2023
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Nord University
Through research, education and social engagement, Nord University contributes to the creation of a sustainable future.
In cooperation with society, business and industry in Northern and Central Norway, our 11,500 students and 1,350 staff promote innovative solutions and knowledge-based practice, both locally and internationally.
Nord University has four strategic focus areas: blue and green growth, sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship, societal security, and health, welfare and education.
Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (FBA) educates people with the aim of promoting sustainable and innovative development to meet global challenges in food production, climate and environment. The faculty is an international arena for education, research and knowledge dissemination, with employees and students from 31 different countries. The faculty offers a PhD in Aquatic Biosciences. FBA has 900 students and 165 employees in Bodø and Steinkjer. The professional community is organised into the following divisions: Aquaculture; Ecology; Genomics; Animal Science, Production and Welfare; and Algal and Microbial Biotechnology.
Read more: www.nord.no/en/fba
The Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture offers the following PhD position
About the position
A three-year PhD fellowship in Functional Nutrition and Health is available at the Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (FBA), Nord University Bodø, Norway. For the right candidate a four-year position with 25% teaching, supervision and/or other relevant duties, may be considered eventually.
Nutritional and health challenges in Atlantic salmon lead to impaired gastrointestinal functionality, resulting in performance, welfare and quality problems. This project will investigate a combinatorial approach based on prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics to optimise gastrointestinal functionality in Atlantic salmon. It will also develop in vitro and in vivo models to screen of pre- and postbiotics capable of maximizing post-smolt gastrointestinal functionality. Targeted prebiotic and postbiotic compounds will be evaluated in combination with a known probiotic. The screening will lead to a long-term feeding validation study that will test the combinatorial formulation for its effects at the cellular and/or molecular level on oxidative stress, inflammation/ immunity, gut integrity, nutrient absorption, and performance. This project will pave the way for future studies linking both nutrition and health to gastrointestinal functionality.
The position is available from 1st of January 2024 at the Bodø Campus.
Qualification requirements
The candidate should have a MSc degree (or equivalent) in Aquaculture, Applied Nutrition or relevant fields, with the grade average of B or better (or equivalent score) both for the programme in total and the master’s thesis. The selected candidate must possess a Master degree prior to being offered the position.
A good knowledge and practical experience in salmonid nutrition, feeding experiments, analytics, in vitro or in vivo models, molecular biology, cell culture, and statistical analyses (good command of R) is required.
We are looking for highly motivated, creative and ambitious candidates with an excellent academic record, and the ability to work with other members of a multidisciplinary team.
For non-native speakers, proficiency in written and spoken English, documented by either the Norwegian Higher Education Entrance Qualification or internationally recognized certificates, is essential.
The successful candidate will join the PhD program in Biosciences at Nord University and is expected to complete the study within the stipulated time frame.
The candidate should fulfil the admission requirements and participate in the training component as specified in the regulations of the PhD program. The application for admission to the program must be submitted within three months after taking up the position. Admission requirements and regulations can be found on our website.
Qualified applicants will be ranked according to the following criteria:
Themes and perspectives from the applicant's master's degree will be given weight in the assessment of candidates.
Candidates will be evaluated on the quality of the project description and the plan for implementation over the three-year period submitted along with the application.
Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
The applicant's description of the motivation for the doctoral work.
Relevant research experience work will be considered positively.
We offer
The annual salary for doctoral researchers (code 1017) is set at wage level 54, NOK 532 200,- in the Norwegian State Salary Scale.
The person who is appointed must abide by the applicable laws, agreements, and directives. The responsibilities and duties associated with the position may change with future reorganization at Nord University.
The public sector workforce is expected to reflect the diversity of the population in general. Nord University therefore encourages qualified candidates with disabilities, gaps in their CV, immigrant backgrounds or different life experience to apply.
If applicants indicate they have disabilities or gaps in their CV, their details may be used anonymously for the purposes of governmental annual review.
Contact information
Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting :
Applicants will be evaluated by an internal expert committee. Relevant applicants will be invited for an interview, trial lecture or other presentations.
The Faculty reserve the right not to hire applicants who may be scientifically qualified but who do not meet other criteria such as language, educational background or personal characteristics
Application
Applications must be submitted electronically by 08.10.2023.
The application should include:
Cover letter outlining the candidate’s motivation and suitability for the position.
A project description based on the scientific theme mentioned in the announcement, maximum 3 pages, including the theoretical basis and the proposed methodology. Applications without a project description will NOT be considered.
A complete curriculum vitae (education, work experience and publications if any).
Copies of academic degree transcripts for academic degrees (both bachelor’s and master’s degrees) and other relevant qualifications.
Other activity that is considered relevant, such as list of publications and academic work.
Names and contact details of up to 3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number) including the Master thesis supervisor.
Signed consent form PhD (if relevant).
All documents must be uploaded as attachments to the electronic application form.
It is the applicant's responsibility to submit the complete documentation within the deadline.
After the application period has expired a list of applicants will be published. Note that, in special cases, the identity of particular applicants to a position may be made public even when that applicant has requested that their application be processed confidentially. Applicants requesting an exemption from publication of their identity must explain their reasons for doing so in their application. In this case, advance notice will be given in the event of a decision to make any information about the applicant public.
