Job description

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Population and Conservation genomics available at Department of Biosciences.

The fellowship will be for a period of 3 years, or for a period of 4 years, with 25 % compulsory work (e.g. teaching responsibilities at the department) contingent on the qualifications of the candidate and the teaching needs of the department.

Starting date no later than November 1, 2021.

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

The position will be affiliated with the Section of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (Evogene), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo.

The PhD Research fellow will be part of the project “Forestry effects on biodiversity, carbon stocks and ecological processes in mature boreal forests (EcoForest)” funded by the Research Council of Norway. This is an extensively collaborative project with several universities and research institutes (UiO, NMBU, NIBIO, NINA), as well as stakeholders from the forestry industry and NGOs. The primary objective is to assess the long-term effects of forest management (clear-cutting) on forest biodiversity, carbon stocks, as well as ecological functions, in order to guide future forest management planning.

The extensive team of PhD students, post docs, and permanent staff involved in the project will provide an excellent scientific framework for the candidate, with specialists in mycology, entomology, evolutionary biology, population genomics, forest ecology and carbon dynamics. Assoc. prof. Inger Skrede will act as main supervisor, in addition to 2-3 co-supervisors.

This PhD project will focus on the effects of forestry and habitat transformation on the genetic diversity in populations of fungi and insects. The candidate will compare the genetic variation in selected species of fungi and insects across forest management types. The candidate will be involved in a large-scale sampling effort of fungi and insects during the summer and fall 2021. The work tasks of the PhD project include isolating fungal cultures and collecting insects, and extracting DNA. The candidate will apply full genome sequencing (for fungi) and reduced representation sequencing (for insects) approaches, and various population genomic and statistical analyses to assess the genetic variation in populations of fungi and insects. By investigating the genetic diversity of species in forest types with different management histories, we aim to understand how these species are affected by forestry and suggest future management and conservation strategies.

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.

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent in evolutionary biology, population genomics, mycology or entomology or a related field.
• The candidate must have fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• The candidate must have a strong interest in evolutionary biology and population genomics
• The candidate must have experiences from laboratory analyses using mycological and/or molecular techniques, and/or bioinformatic and statistical analyses of high-throughput sequencing data
• Experiences from field work will be considered an advantage

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:

http://www.uio.no/english/research/phd/ and http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

Personal skills

We seek a highly motivated, enthusiastic and hard-working candidate. Applicant must show good interpersonal skills and be willing to work in close collaboration with the supervisors, the project PI and other members of the project team, as well as have the ability to work independently. Good writing skills will also be advantageous.

We offer

• Salary NOK 482 200 – 526 000 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority 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 with a brief account of the applicant’s interest and motivation for applying for the position
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of educational certificates and transcript of records
• Documentation of English proficiency
• 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.

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.

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. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this.

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

For further information please contact:

• Inger Skrede, phone: +47 228 54588, e-mail: inger.skrede@ibv.uio.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system please contact: HR adviser Nina Holtan, e-mail: nina.holtan@mn.uio.no.

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