LEDIG STILLING VED UIT NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET

PhD Fellow - Faculty of Science and Technology

Deadline: 24.03.2021

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT is a multi-campus research university in Norway and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.


Credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment shall be hallmarks of the relationship between our employees, between our employees and our students and between UiT and our partners.


The main task of the Faculty of Science and Technology is to conduct research and teaching at high national and international level. Prioritized research areas include energy, climate, environment, maritime, marine, nano-, space-, and information technology; addressing both general topics and topics relevant for the High North.

Faculty of Science and Technology / Norwegian Meteorological Institute

PhD Fellow in Integrated Drift Modelling and Remote Sensing for Coastal Environmental Monitoring

The position

The Department of Physics and Technology at UiT The Arctic University of Norway announces a vacant position of a 3-year PhD fellow in the area of satellite remote sensing and drift modelling for coastal environmental applications. The project is a collaboration between UiT The Arctic University of Norway and Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

The position is affiliated with the Centre for Integrated Remote Sensing and Forecasting for Arctic Operations (CIRFA), which is a Centre for Research Based Innovation (SFI). CIRFA conducts research on integrated and multi-modal remote sensing for Arctic operations by developing data analysis methods and technologies for reliably characterizing and monitoring the physical environment of the Arctic. The Centre also explores methods to efficiently assimilate the derived information into models for improved predictions of sea ice, meteorological, and oceanographic conditions. The announced project is associated with both WP3 and WP5, which conducts research on remote sensing of ocean surface films, such as oil spills, produced water, and biogenic slicks, and drift modelling and prediction of ocean surface features.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position in Tromsø within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The position is for a period of three years. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme in Science is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. The candidate will be enrolled in the Young Scientist Forum of CIRFA.

The position’s field of research

Knowledge of the amount, transport, impact, and frequency of anthropogenic pollution in the marine environment is instrumental for sustainable management of valuable marine resources on the shelf and along the Norwegian coast. Likewise, it is important to being able to model and monitor physical and biogeochemical processes at the ocean surface.

This study will focus on an integrated methodology utilizing remote sensing (synthetic aperture radar and optical data from satellites and aircraft) and geophysical modelling (oil spill trajectory modeling, ocean circulation models, wave models and/or weather prediction models) to detect and characterize spatial and temporal properties of ocean surface pollution, such as oil spills and produced water, or biogeochemical substances, such as harmful algae and plankton. The aim of this project is to establish a framework and develop the tools needed for efficient environmental monitoring and large-scale impact studies of ocean pollution.

Roles and responsibilities of the PhD Fellow

The PhD Fellow will be associated to work package WP3 and WP5 in CIRFA (i.e., oil spill remote sensing and drift modelling and prediction). The project will be established as a collaboration between UiT and MET Norway. The candidate’s daily office will be at UiT’s Campus Tromsø, but the candidate is also encouraged to spend time at MET Norway's premises in both Oslo and Bergen.

The following key points are expected to be covered by the research:

  • Use of ocean ensemble prediction systems (Barents-2.5, Norkyst-800) in conjunction with particle trajectory models (OpenDrift) to describe the temporal and spatial development of marine pollution (e.g., oil slicks) and associated uncertainties in drift predictions.
  • Develop and/or apply machine learning and/or statistical segmentation methods to extract surface slick masks from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and/or optical data that shall be used for initialization and verification of drift simulations.
  • Develop and/or apply information retrieval algorithms of ocean surface slick characteristics from SAR and optical measurements.
  • Run predictions and initialization of geophysical models (near-field and oil transport and fate models) integrated with remote sensing information (e.g., oil spill masks).
  • Compare the similarities and dissimilarities of extent and positions of the slicks utilizing statistical measures between the simulations and remote sensing data.

Contact

Further information about the position is available by contacting:

Qualifications

The position requires a Norwegian Master’s degree, or a corresponding foreign Master’s degree recognised as equivalent to a Norwegian Master’s degree, in applied physics, mathematics, statistics, or other relevant disciplines.

The suitable candidate must have:

  • Experience with remote sensing data analysis and/or experience in ocean or atmosphere circulation modelling.
  • Background in signal and/or image processing.
  • Good skills in programming and English language.

Knowledge in machine learning and previous experience related to marine pollution remote sensing (SAR and/or optical) would be advantageous.

Applicants must document fluency of in English and be able to work in an international environment. Working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language is desirable.

The assessment will emphasize motivation, academic and personal suitability for the position and the research project. Emphasis will be put on potential for research as shown by the Master’s thesis and any other academic works. In addition, we may consider work experience, teaching qualifications or other activities of significance for the PhD studies. The applicant should be creative, with a strong ability to work problem oriented, and enjoy working in collaboration with others. Furthermore, the applicant must be willing to engage in the ongoing development of the discipline and the university as a whole. We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position.

As many as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

Admission to the PhD programme

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme in Science at the Faculty of Science and Technology and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:

  • A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
  • A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS.
  • A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.

In order to gain admission to the programme, the applicant must have a grade point average of C or better for the master’s degree and for relevant subjects of the bachelor’s degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from NOKUT.

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme in Science. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University i Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

Application 

Your application must include:

  • Application and motivation letter (max 1 page)
  • CV (max 2 pages)
  • Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree
  • Transcript of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
  • Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
  • Documentation of English proficiency
  • Three references, preferably including the master thesis supervisor
  • Master thesis, and up to ten other academic works

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must document completion of your degree before commencement in the position. You must still submit your transcripts for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. We only accept applications and documentation sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

We offer

  • Involvement in an interesting research project
  • A fantastic work environment with friendly and dedicated colleagues
  • Excellent career opportunities
  • A large degree of independence in work
  • Opportunities to travel and meet other leading scientists within the field
  • Pension scheme through the state pension fund
  • More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

UiT has good welfare arrangements for employees including beneficial arrangements for pension and insurances. The UiT main campus is located near the centre of Tromsø, a vibrant city located in Northern Norway with approximately 75 000 inhabitants. The location also offers ample opportunities for e.g., sighting aurora, hiking and skiing.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.

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