PhD Fellow in Marine Ecology / Biological Oceanography

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus research university 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 Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE) consists of Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NFH) and School of Business and Economics. The main task of BFE is to conduct teaching and research dissemination at a high national and international level within all relevant fields. Prioritized research areas are aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, climate, life in the arctic, marine bioprospecting, fish health, seafood products, business and macroeconomics, resources and environment, markets and management of marine resources.The interdisciplinary profile of the faculty provides good opportunity to develop research projects involving several research groups at the faculty according to its strategy.

Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics

The position

A PhD position in Biological Oceanography is available at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology within the research group Arctic Marine System Ecology.

The PhD project will address zooplankton patchiness in the Norwegian Sea and will be centered around questions that arose in relation to observed large-scale zooplankton patches in the area. The fellow will be expected to collect own data in the field, during cruises in the Norwegian Sea, and to perform experiments with copepods and other zooplankton, as well as to statistically analyze large data sets from advanced optical and acoustical sensors and from ocean color remote sensing, all in an endeavor to increase our knowledge on the role of large-scale swarms in the marine ecosystem. The fellow is also expected to participate in science communication events to the public (e.g. fairs and web sites) and to the scientific community (i.e. conferences and workshops).

The position is for a fixed term of four years. The nominal length of the PhD program is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year and will consist of teaching and other duties. The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time.

UiT offers an international research environment with world class research on polar ecosystems. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to a PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. The PhD fellow shall participate in the faculty’s organized research training, and the PhD project shall be completed during the period of employment.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact:

• Associate Professor Sünnje Basedow, [email protected]

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent degree in Biology
• An interest in analyzing large data sets using programming languages Python or Matlab is required, and experience in this direction is an advantage.
• Previous experience from research cruises is considered beneficial.
• Experience or knowledge with experimental design and research methodology, field work and collection of data (onboard vessels) and experience with analysis of data and general statistics is valuable for the position.
• Scientific publishing experience will be acknowledged.
• Documented knowledge of English as stated here is required and working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language is desirable

The applicants must present own ideas outlining the academic basis of the PhD project. The project description shall not exceed 2 pages, literature references included. It must include a description of the theme, research question(s) and a reasoning of the choices. The final project description will be developed in cooperation with the supervisor. It is important that the applicant has a suitable background and is motivated to work on the project.

Emphasis will be put on the candidate’s potential for research, motivation and personal suitability for the position.

The position requires admission to the Faculty’s PhD programme. Information about requirements and the PhD programme is available here: PhD Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics

Applicants with a foreign education will be evaluated on whether the educational background is equivalent to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines. Applicants from some countries will have to document additional higher education in order to fulfil the requirements.

Application

Your application must include:

• Cover letter explaining how your education and experience makes you qualified
• CV
• Diplomas, diploma supplements and transcripts (all degrees)
• Documentation of English language proficiency
• Contact information to 1-3 references, reference letters
• Master thesis, and any other academic works
• Research proposal / project description (max. 2 pages)

Qualification with a Master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are very 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 that you will obtain the degree within the next two months. You must document completion of your degree before commencement in the position.

The cover letter and CV must be in English, all other documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. We only accept applications sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

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.

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.

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.

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. UiT will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability.

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to Offentleglova 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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