The position

The Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE) has a PhD position vacant in Evolutionary Marine Genomics - for applicants who wish to obtain the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD). The position is affiliated with the research group for Genetics.

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.

The PhD position is for a fixed term of four years, with the objective of completion of 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 Candidate shall participate in the faculty’s organized research training, and the PhD project shall be completed during the period of employment. Information about the application process for admission to the PhD programme and regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) are available at the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics' PhD web pages.

The Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics consists of Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS) and School of Business and Economics. The Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS) undertakes research and research-based teaching of high national and international quality in an interdisciplinary environment. Research activity is organized into 9 research groups: Genetics; Fisheries management, technology and biology; Aquaculture and environment; Marine bioprospecting; Marbio - an analytical platform for natural products; Microalgae; Marine resource economics: Fish immunology and vaccinology; and, Marine resource management and development.

The position’s field of research

The focus of the PhD project is to study adaptive mechanisms in cleaner fish used for the biological control of sea lice infestation in salmon aquaculture. The successful candidate will perform high-throughput sequencing approaches and investigate signatures of selection in wild and hatchery reared individuals. Throughout the PhD project, the candidate will acquire skills to couple genomic and transcriptomic data with phenotypic and environmental information. Following an interdisciplinary approach, it will be possible to deepen our understanding into adaptive mechanisms in relation to anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. The successful applicant will be integrated into the research group for Genetics at NCFS and get involved in a network of national and international collaborators working on genetics in aquaculture and fisheries management. A supervising team will be established within this network.

The PhD candidate is expected to participate in field surveys campaigns and may also visit the laboratory of one of the international collaborators within the network for a prolonged period of time. The PhD candidate will play an active role in the dissemination of results through international peer-reviewed scientific journals and meetings, as well as in national and popular science journals. The successful candidate will also interact with the aquaculture industry and fisheries managers, and present the findings in public meetings.

Contact

For further information about the position and UiT contact:

Associate Professor Enrique Blanco Gonzalez:

• phone: +47 45496531
• email: enrique.blanco@uit.no

Associate Professor Kim Præbel:

• phone: +47 7646107
• email: kim.praebel@uit.no

Qualification requirements

The successful applicant must document education and knowledge in population genetics/genomics, quantitative genetics, molecular biology, biotechnology, fisheries ecology or equivalent at Master’s level. Good knowledge in theory of genetics, evolution, molecular biology and fisheries/aquaculture will be central for a successful candidate. The candidate should preferably document good skills in the R - package and in handling large pheno- and genotypic datasets. Consideration will also be given to experience in molecular biological techniques from relevant laboratory and field work. Experience with bioinformatics, and/or cleaner fish aquaculture is considered positive. The candidate should have good analytical, writing and collaborative skills. In addition to the formal qualifications, personal suitability for the position will be emphasized, including motivation for scientific work, structured work routines, collaborative skills and ability to contribute positively to a collegial environment. A statement of personal and scientific interest in taking a PhD degree, and a separate outline of a relevant PhD project idea (max. 2 pages) must be included in the application dossier.

Language

The applicant must have a good command of English, both written and oral. Due to teaching obligations, proficiency in a Scandinavian language will be regarded as advantageous. How to document languages proficiency (link). Admission to a PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment in a PhD position; cf. Section 6 of the Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The PhD programme must be approved and the contract signed no later than six week after the starting date. In connection with this, the person who is appointed can receive a period of up to two month in which to submit a draft of their project description/reworked project description and a proposal of courses for the instruction component. In the event that the PhD contract is not completed within the stipulated deadline, the employer may annul the contract; cf. Section 1-3(8) of the Regulations relating to conditions of employment for positions of Postdoctoral Fellows, PhD Candidate, Research Assistant (only in Norwegian).

Application

Your application must include:

• cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
• CV - summarizing education, positions and academic work
• diplomas and transcripts from all completed degrees
• documentation on English proficiency
• 2-3 references with contact details
• master thesis, and any other academic works
• a separate outline of a relevant PhD project idea (max. 2 pages)

Documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language. We only accept applications through Jobbnorge.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
• A large degree of independence in work
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund

The appointment is for a period of 4 years, and the nominal length of the PhD program is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % of each year, and will consist of teaching or other duties for the department. UiT funds the position.

Remuneration of PhD positions are in state salary code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2% to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here: Welcome to UiT!

General

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 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.

Moderate gender quota: UiT wishes to increase the proportion of females in academic positions. In cases where two or more applicants are found to be approximately equally qualified, female applicants will be given priority.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and 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.

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