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PhD Research Fellow in Marine Geophysics

Deadline: 31.05.2023

Universitetet i Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.


The geosciences are the studies of the planet Earth and its comparative planetology; the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and cryosphere, the Earth's surface and its interior. The Department of Geosciences conducts research and teaching in most of the domains of geoscience; geology, geophysics, physical geography, geomatics, hydrology, meteorology and oceanography. The Department is the broadest geoscience research and education environment in Norway. The Department encompasses five sections; Meteorology and Oceanography, Geography and Hydrology, Study of sedimentary basins, Environmental geosciences and Crustal Processes. We also hosts one Centre of Excellence CEED - Centre of Earth Evolution and Dynamics.


The Department aims to contribute to the new and important UN Sustainability Development Goals, and are important contributors to IPCC (UN’s Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change). The staff consists of 40 professors and associate professors, in addition to postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, researchers, technical- and administrative staff. The Department has more than 200 employees.

Job description

A PhD Research Fellow position in geology is available at the Department of Geosciences.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Starting date no later than October 1, 2023.

The fellowship period is 3 years.

Continental breakup of the NE Atlantic in the Paleogene was associated with voluminous magmatism and and global warming during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. On the mid-Norwegian continental margin, the Vøring Transform Margin was developed during initial seafloor spreading during the early Eocene times. Characteristic transform margin highs and propagating rift systems were formed during this time period. The PhD project aims at characterizing and modeling the formation of this transform margin system based on interpretation of high-resolution and conventional 3D seismic reflection data, integrated with IODP borehole data on the Mimir High and potential field data. The project will also address the oceanographic and environmental implications of the transform margin development during the birth of the NE Atlantic Ocean.

The PhD project is part of a new project called PALMAR ("Paleogene Basin Development on the Vøring and Møre Margins"), a collaborative project between the universities of Oslo, Bergen, and Tromsø and two industry partners. The project is based on recent scientific core data acquired by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in 2021, in combination with high-resolution 2D and 3D P-Cable seismic data acquired in 2020 and 2022. The PhD candidate will work in a cross-disciplinary research environment together with other PhD student, postdocs, and researchers. The PhD candidate will work in Oslo but will also spend extended time at the University of Bergen.

Qualification requirements

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.

Required qualifications:

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in marine geology or geophysics.
  • Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system.
  • Candidates without a Master’s degree have until 30 June, 2023 to complete the final exam.

Desired qualifications include mastering seismic interpretation, numerical modelling, marine geology, and excellent written/oral skills.

Personal skills:

  • Excellent collaboration skills and the ability to work in teams.

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

  • the average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system.
  • the average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system.
  • the Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system.
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
  • English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see:

We offer

  • Salary NOK 501 200 – 544 400 per annum depending on qualifications as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
  • Vibrant international academic environment
  • Career development programmes
  • Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

  • Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
  • CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
  • Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma and transcripts of records
  • Documentation of English proficiency
  • Letters of recommentation
  • List of publications and academic work 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)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. Applicants may be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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.

A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25 % that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

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.

Contact information

For further information please contact: Prof. Sverre Planke, phone: +47 957 56 097, e-mail: planke@vber.no

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact HR Adviser Ole Rustad, e-mail: ole.rustad@mn.uio.no

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