Ledig stilling på Universitetet i Oslo

Blindern og Urbygningen (Foto: Wikimedia og Colourbox)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Microplastics Mass Spectrometry

Deadline: 13.02.2023

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 Department of Chemistry is Norway's largest institution within research and education in chemistry. Our research excels internationally and we educate students to a wide variety of jobs in industry, academia, research institutions, schools and public administration. Our research ranges from the core topics of chemistry to applied science within in environmental, health, energy and materials.


The Department has extensive contacts
with industry, research and educational institutions at home and abroad. As partner in the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology our researchers contributes to a significant interdisciplinary efforts in cooperation with the Department of Physics.


The Department of Chemistry has its own school laboratory as a great resource for teachers, public outreach and the didactics of chemistry.

Job description

Position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow available at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo.

Starting date: 01.09.2023.

The appointment is a fulltime position and is made for a period of three (3) years.

No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).

We are looking for a highly motivated individual to take a leading role in the “Airborne Microplastic Detection, Origin, Transport and Global Radiative Impact” project funded by The Research Council of Norway.

The successful applicant will join the research group of Prof. Armin Wisthaler at the University of Oslo and develop a mass spectrometry-based method for the detection of airborne micro- and nanoplastics. She/he will use highly advanced instruments including a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) and an Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometer for analyzing samples collected in urban and remote environments. The obtained data will be analyzed in joint work with researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU). The successful candidate is expected to publish the results in chemical-analytical and environmental journals. The candidate is also expected to assist Master students with their experimental work in the laboratory.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition is 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 degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in chemistry, physics, environmental engineering, or a closely related field. The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defense are eligible for appointment
  • Applicants must have a solid and documented (e.g., publications, lecture or course certificates) background in analytical mass spectrometry. Applicants must also have experience in operating, servicing and troubleshooting TOF-MS and/or Orbitrap-MS instruments. The level of expertise and experience must be described in detail in the cover letter to the application
  • Applicants must have experience in the mass spectrometry-based analysis of complex organic environmental samples. The level of experience must be described in the cover letter to the application
  • Applicants must have fluent oral and written communication skills in English

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

  • Previous experience with PTR-ToF-MS measurements is an advantage and should be described in the cover letter to the application
  • Skills in computer programming and/or complex data analysis are desirable

Personal skills

  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • Ability to work under pressure (e.g., during measurement intensives)
  • Ability to deliver results reliably and in time
  • Strong sense of responsibility towards the research group

We offer

  • Salary NOK 544 400 – 626 300 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352)
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
  • Professionally stimulating working environment
  • Vibrant international academic environment
  • Postdoctoral 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 statement of the motivation related to the project, summarizing scientific work and research interest and detailing how the candidate meets the mandatory qualification requirements listed above
  • CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity, list of publications )
  • Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
  • Names and contact details of two references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone 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 follow the link “Apply for this job”. 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, the project description (whenever this is required in the call for applicants), 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.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years).

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 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 concerning this position and recruitment process, please contact:

  • Professor Armin Wisthaler, e-mail: armin.wisthaler@kjemi.uio.no

For technical questions regarding our recruitment system Jobbnorge, please contact:

  • HR Advisor Olga Holmlund, e-mail: olga.holmlund@mn.uio.no

Apply for this job

Powered by Labrador CMS