Job description

Position as postdoctoral research fellow in the field in Quaternary geology (stratigraphy) and palaeoecology is available at the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences (IBV), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo.

Starting date 01.06.2021 (with absolute latest start date 01.08.2021). No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

The appointment is a full-time position and is for a period of three years (10% of which is devoted to required duties, usually in the form of teaching activities).

Project description

The Postdoctoral fellow will be part of a multi-disciplinary, international research team working on the project EvoCave: Investigating 122 000 years of high-latitude faunal diversity using palaeozoology, archaeology, palaeoecology and ancient DNA funded by the Research Council of Norway. In this project we will excavate and analyse sediments and fossil remains from cave deposits in northern Norway. These caves provide a rare opportunity for the comparative, interdisciplinary analyses of a high-latitude ecosystem throughout the last interglacial-glacial cycle. Exploratory excavations have discovered an extraordinarily rich fossil assemblage from a range of Arctic and boreal fauna. The postdoctoral fellow will join a strong, international team of scientists from the fields of evolutionary biology, palaeozoology, geology, geochronology, archaeology, aDNA and genomics.

The project will evaluate hypotheses on the northern limits of boreal ecosystems, mammals and humans in the Arctic and their responses to dramatic shifts in climate during a pre-industrial epoch. Two major excavations will take place (September 2021 and late summer 2022). The postdoctoral fellow’s main tasks lie in the geological and palaeoecological analyses of the excavated records. These data will be interpreted within the interdisciplinary framework of the project in collaboration with the project team. The postdoctoral fellow will also work closely with a PhD candidate who focuses on palaeoecology and ancient DNA. The ideal candidate will make a major contribution to the planned research, but may also develop her/his own complementary lines of research that reflect the candidate's own expertise and interests, and that fit within the project's main goals.

The EvoCave project forms a close collaboration between the CEES (IBV, University of Oslo), the University Museum of Bergen, the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Bergen (UiB), the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), the Centre for Palaeogenetics (Stockholm), The Arctic University Museum of Norway and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. The postdoctoral fellow will be based at CEES, but will also spend time at UiB and NMBU as well as in the field.

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 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 Quaternary geology (stratigraphy) and/or palaeoecology. The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and defence are eligible for appointment.
• The candidate should be able to document adequate skills in geological and/or paleoenvironmental analyses, preferably from glacial sediments. Experience with excavations, GIS and both analogue and digital documentation methods are considered important qualifications.
• Experience from cave stratigraphy (at high latitudes) and/or archaeology will be an advantage.
• Applicants should have a strong publication record for their career stage
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

Personal skills

We seek a highly motivated, enthusiastic person with the ambition to gain insight and publish papers in leading, international journals, with strong interpersonal skills and the capability to work in close collaboration with others. Experience working in an interdisciplinary team is considered an advantage.

Host institution

The Department of Biosciences is the largest unit of biological research in Norway, working on a broad range of theoretical and empirical topics within ecology and evolution at all scales from genomes to ecosystems. Information about the department can be found at this link.

The Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo. CEES provides a stimulating research environment with international and Norwegian scientists working on a variety of theoretical and empirical topics within ecology, evolution, population genetics, genomics, phylogenetics, molecular biology, and statistical methodology. Information about the centre can be found at: www.cees.uio.no

We offer

• Salary NOK 526 000 – 608 200 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

• Application letter including a statement of interest, briefly summarizing your scientific work and interests, and a personal assessment focusing on how you fit the description of the person we seek
• A brief (max A4) with a proposal for the project to be undertaken as envisioned by the candidate
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities)
• Copies of educational certificates and transcript of records
• A complete list of publications and unpublished works, and up to 5 academic work that 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 Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow 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.

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

The position is conditional on the budget remaining unchanged in the final agreement with RCN.

Contact information

For further information please contact:

• Sanne Boessenkool sanne.boessenkool@ibv.uio.no
• Stein-Erik Lauritzen Stein.Lauritzen@uib.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system please contact: HR-adviser nina.holtan@mn.uio.no.

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