About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Statistics is available at the Department of Mathematics, Section for Statistics and Data Science. 

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, 2024.

The fellowship period is three years. 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 PhD position will be at the Section of Statistics and Data Science at the Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo (UiO) with Associate Professor Thordis Thorarinsdottir as main supervisor. The section consists of 8 full time academic positions, 9 adjunct positions and approximately 15 PhD students and postdocs. The PhD position will be focused on methodological research in environmental statistics and/or machine learning. Possible topics include modelling of space-time environmental processes, non-stationary modelling of extremes in space and/or time, modelling of climate risk and methods for predictive model evaluation. Applicants are encouraged to contact Thordis Thorarinsdottir for a discussion of possible research topics. 

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.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Statistics (or related field with proven statistical competence)
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• A solid background in scientific computing, with programming skills in R or Python
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

Desired qualifications:

• Familiarity with branches of environmental statistics such as spatial statistics or extreme value statistics 
• An interest in environmental applications

Candidates without a Master’s degree have until June 30, 2024 to complete the final exam.

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

Personal skills

• Good communication and collaboration skills 
• The ability to work independently as well as in a group
• The ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
• An interest to work in an interdisciplinary research environment

We offer

• Salary NOK 532 200 – 575 400 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 - 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 if applicable
• 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.

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships 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.

UiO has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.

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 about the position please contact:

•  Associate Professor Thordis Thorarinsdottir, phone: +47 980 46 630, email: thordist@math.uio.no

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact HR Adviser Ole Rustad, phone: +47 22 85 13 87, e-mail: ole.rustad@mn.uio.no

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