Job description

Applicants are invited for position as Postdoctoral Fellow in Porous Media Physics to be based at PoreLab at the Njord Centre.

The appointment is a fulltime position and is made for a period of two years with starting date in the spring 2022.

The position is funded by the Norwegian Research Council project FlowConn: Connectivity enhancement due to thin liquid films in porous media flows.No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

More about the position

PoreLab is a Norwegian Center of Excellence created in 2017, and split between NTNU and UiO. The Centre works to advance the understanding of flow in porous media. Starting from a sound basis in physics we aim for a better description of flows that range from geological to biological and technological.

Njord is a cross-disciplinary geoscience-physics centre at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UiO. The UiO-node of PoreLab is part of the Njord Centre. We aim to become one of the main UiO cross-disciplinary drivers for the future development of Physical Sciences in general, with a focus on a fundamental understanding of the dynamics of fluid-solid systems with Earth-like complexity.

The appointment is a 2 years fulltime position focused on the development and application of computational methods for the simulation of immiscible two-phase flows in porous media, in particular for the description of film flows. The applicant will be responsible for developing a pore network simulator to capture the dynamics of porous media flows occurring within thin liquid films inside a porous network. In these thin films, viscous effects are expected to play a very significant role.

The main focus of the position is numerical, but the applicant will work in close connection with experimentalists working on the same physical problem and the applicant is also expected to participate in the execution of the experiments. The applicant is also expected to actively engage in outreach activity connected to the research activity at PoreLab and Njord.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. 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 degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in a field connected to porous media science (physics, engineering or mathematics). Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defence are eligible for appointment.

The following qualifications will count in the assessment of the applicants:

• Good and documented knowledge of programming languages such as Matlab, Python, C/C++, etc. is required.
• Experience in developing codes for the simulation of porous media flow problems is required
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English is required.
• Experience on porous media flow simulations using pore network models is highly desired.
• Experience on image analysis techniques is desired.

Personal skills

• PoreLab and Njord actively work for the creation of a friendly and welcoming work environment and the applicant is expected to actively contribute to this.
• Enthusiasm, personal drive, and ability to take initiative.
• Management, organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Flexibility, ability to handle pressure and meet deadlines.
• The applicant is expected to enjoy participating in outreach activities.
• A strong sense of scientific independence.
• The applicant is expected to be an open-minded person and to embrace diversity in all its forms.

We offer

• Salary NOK 534 400 – 615 800 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352).
• A professionally stimulating working environment.
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Postdoctoral development programmes
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities.

How to apply

The application must include

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest, potential connections between the applicant previous activity and the goals of this project)
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience , outreach experience and other qualifying activity)
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
• A complete list of publications
• References of 3 academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered in more detail for the evaluation
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English or in a Scandinavian language.

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, and the quality of the project as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships 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.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

• Marcel Moura, phone number: +47 9545 3499, e-mail: marcel.moura@fys.uio.no

For technical questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Elin Thoresen, e-mail: elin.thoresen@mn.uio.no, phone +47 22 85 71 96.

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