Job description

Applications are invited for a 3-year fixed term position as Postdoctoral research fellow (SKO 1352) to be based at the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo. Depending on the Department’s needs and the qualifications of the candidate part-time (approx. 20%) teaching and administrative duties may be added to the position as postdoctoral fellow, in which case the duration of the position will be extended accordingly.

The position will be affiliated with the Multimodal Imaging group at the Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT, norment.no). NORMENT is a Norwegian Centre of Excellence aiming to disentangle the neurodevelopmental, genetic, psychological and environmental factors contributing to the development of mental illness.

The research group (https://www.med.uio.no/norment/english/research/groups/multimodal-imaging) is funded by an ERC Starting Grant in addition to several grants from the Research council of Norway, the Norwegian Regional Health Authorities and international funding agencies. The group is directly involved in various international collaborative efforts and consortia, to which the successful candidate is expected to contribute.

More about the position

Psychiatric illnesses are often conceptualized as highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders affecting a broad range of brain and cognitive functions. In addition to a substantial genetic component which influences the susceptibility, several environmental risk factors have been proposed to represent important risk factors for disease. Mental disorders often emerge during adolescence and early adulthood, and a better understanding of the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors and how it influences brain and cognitive functions during sensitive phases of life is needed.

Methods adapted from cognitive and computational neuroscience may prove instrumental to increase specificity of individual level brain and cognitive assessments in a clinical context, which is key for developing relevant intermediate phenotypes and for clinical prediction.

Together with the PI the successful candidate is expected to take on a lead role in establishing and supporting a program for computational cognitive neuroscience within the research group, and will be involved in several projects and tasks, including study and experimental design, analysis of existing data, supervision, preparing papers for publication, and dissemination.

Qualification requirements

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in cognitive and/or computational neuroscience, psychology, or other relevant fields. The thesis must have been submitted for evaluation prior to the closing date, and appointment is dependent on the doctoral thesis being approved.
• A creative and active research profile with documented potential for performing high quality research.
• Documented experience with some or all of the following: Computational cognitive neuroscience, experimental cognitive psychology, neuroimaging. Experience with human neuroscience and individual differences is an advantage.
• Documented expertise in statistical analysis and programming (R, Matlab, python or similar).
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English is required.
• Documented interest and experience in performing and/or promoting Open Science practices and research transparency will be regarded as a substantial strength.

Personal skills

• Dedicated, enthusiastic and creative with a documented ability to contribute positively and thrive in an inter-disciplinary, collaborative and active research environment.
• Excellent communication and collaborative skills (team player).

We offer

• Salary (NOK 523,200 - 583 900 per year), - depending on experience and qualifications.
• An active and exciting research environment with a strong multidisciplinary profile and excellent opportunities for academic development.
• Attractive welfare benefits (https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/welfare/), including excellent benefits for families (kindergarten, paid paternal/maternal leave etc) and a generous pension agreement. In addition, Oslo offers a highly family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities in its immediate surroundings.
• Starting date: Spring 2020 (can be negotiated).

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, a summary of scientific work and interests, and a brief career plan).
• CV (summarizing education, positions, career breaks [e.g. parental leave], pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity including grant applications etc).
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only).
• A complete list of publications and research outputs (including preprints with valid links). Publications should not be submitted along with the initial application.
• List of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented academic qualifications and skills in relation to the profile of the current members of the research group, as well as the candidate’s motivation and personal suitability. The assessment of the applicants will be done according to the DORA initiative, emphasizing quality and content rather than quantity, and considering a range of scientific outputs beyond traditional journal publications (e.g. open access sharing of data and code, dissemination, etc). Academic achievements will be assessed in relation to experience, seniority, and career breaks (e.g. parental leave). Interviews with the shortlisted candidates will be arranged.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

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 etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced sex composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds. We encourage women to apply for the position.

Contact information

• Associate professor Lars T. Westlye, phone number: +47 971 63 221, e-mail: l.t.westlye@psykologi.uio.no

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