Job description

Applications are invited for a 3-year Postdoctoral Research Fellow position in Biostatistics to be based at the Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo.

This is an opportunity to join one of Europe’s most active biostatistics groups in an exciting time. Currently, OCBE includes 10 tenured professors and associate professors, 15 researchers, and several postdoctoral fellows and PhD students, making up a group of about 70 individuals in total. OCBE is internationally recognized, with interests spanning a broad range of areas (including time-to-event models, causal inference, data integration, statistical genomics, high dimensional data and models, Bayesian inference, stochastic simulation algorithms, probabilistic graphical models, machine learning, evolution and population genetics, informative missingness and measurement error models, epidemiological studies of lifestyle and chronic diseases, and stochastic models for infectious diseases). OCBE has numerous collaborations with leading biomedical research groups internationally and in Norway.

More about the position

The position is linked to the larger project “Stochastic differential equations for robust evaluation of cancer treatments with registry data’’ funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

The overall objective of this project is to develop better statistical methods for trustworthy evaluation of cancer treatments from registry data in order to support decision makers when forming official clinical guidelines. We use tools from survival analysis, causal inference and stochastic calculus. This particular work package is expected to involve particular techniques from the theory of stochastic differential equations, so the ideal candidate should have some experience with Ito-integrals, martingales etc.

The postdoctoral fellow will be part of the causal inference group at OCBE, with about ten other researchers, including PhD students and postdocs, working on causal inference and time-to-event analysis with applications in medicine and epidemiology.

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Starting date for the position should be no later than September 1st, 2021.

Qualification requirements

• PhD degree or equivalent in statistics or mathematics with experience from stochastic processes, semiparametric statistical theory or causal inference.
• Interest in developing methods for applied problems.
• Good programming skills (in R, Matlab, Python, C++ or similar). Experience with analyzing large datasets or registry data is an advantage, but not necessary.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defence of the doctoral thesis being approved.

Personal skills

• Ability to work independently and efficiently.
• Good collaborative skills.

We offer

• A friendly, ambitious and international working environment.
• Opportunities for national and international collaborations.
• Salary NOK 526 000 – 586 500 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352)
• 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 and research interests.
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work).
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only).
• List of publications, academic works, published abstracts or presentations.
• List of 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 a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified 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 or with funding from the Research Council of Norway.

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.

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

• Associate professor Kjetil Røysland, mob: (+47) 970 23 897, e-mail: kjetil.roysland@medisin.uio.no

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