LEDIG STILLING VED UIT NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET
Postdoctoral Fellow in Hibernation - UiT Aurora Centre Arctic Seasonal Timekeeping Initiative
Deadline: 15.11.2021
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 position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow focusing on the neural, endocrine and physiological mechanisms controlling torpor arousal cycling during hibernation is available jointly at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB), affiliated with the Arctic Chronobiology and Physiology research group. The position is a fixed term for a period of three years.
The Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB) includes 5 research groups distributed across several buildings. Research and teaching at AMB has a broad span, from molecular mechanisms at cellular/subcellular levels via studies of adaptations at the organismal level, to ecological interactions in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The institute is an exciting and cutting-edge academic and research unit in biology that addresses professional challenges in basic research, industrial and administrative-oriented research with a strong focus on North. The Institute has extensive national and international research collaboration including regional institutions like Framsenteret, IMR and NIBIO. The staff counts 56 permanent scientists, 25 technicians, 12 administrative positions and 50 temporary employees (researchers, postdocs, PhD fellows, technicians).
Appointment to the position of Postdoctoral Research Fellow is mainly intended to provide qualification for work in top academic positions. It is a prerequisite that the applicant is able to carry out the project over the full course of the employment period. No person may hold more than one fixed-term position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the same institution.
The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within 6 months after receiving the offer.
The position's field of research
The position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow is available in the framework of the Arctic Seasonal Timekeeping Initiative (ASTI), a new UiT-funded Aurora centre which has the aim of establishing an international centre of excellence on seasonal timekeeping in north Norway. As such a general requirement is that the appointee will contribute to the ongoing development of ASTI, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology and the university as a whole.
The research project will focus on the neural, endocrine and physiological mechanisms controlling torpor arousal cycling during hibernation. The project is well funded and supported by two existing PhD positions and uses the golden hamster as a model species. The project will include stereotaxic surgery and AAV approaches to elucidate the core mechanisms driving torpor arousal cycling.
Therefore, it is essential that the applicant has prior experience of stereotaxic surgery/neurosurgery techniques in rodents. Your application should include a letter of motivation detailing your experience and compatibility to the project. Informal enquires are encouraged.
The appointee will become an active and integral member of the Arctic Chronobiology and Physiology research group, which is based on the UiT Brevika campus and leads the ASTI programme. Membership of this group will provide excellent further training and career development opportunities, in both research and pedagogical aspects, enabling the appointee to compete for future long-term career positions.
Contact
For further information about the position, please contact:
The candidate must have successfully completed a Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) or its international equivalent in a relevant field (i.e. neuroscience, neuroendocrinology)
Practical experience of stereotaxic surgery and neurosurgery techniques
Practical experience of animal handling
Excellence in oral and written communication in English
A strong early career track record of presentation and communication of research findings through peer reviewed publications and presentations at scientific conferences.
Additional desirable qualifications:
Prior experience of stereotaxic surgery in hamsters
Strong neuroscience background
Prior experience with microdialysis and/or osmotic minipumps
Practical experience of AAV’s in vivo and in vitro
Brain slice culture and electrophysiology experience
Live calcium imaging in vitro
Experience with hibernation
Qualification with a PhD is required before commencement in the position. If you’re at the final stages of your PhD, you may still apply if you have submitted your PhD thesis for doctoral degree evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis with your application. You must have been examined before the start-up date of the position.
In the assessment the main emphasis will be attached to the submitted works. Involvement in popularization/dissemination and teaching may be beneficial to the application but is not essential..
During the assessment emphasis will be put on the candidates motivation, potential for research, and personal suitability for the position.
At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).
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.
We offer
Involvement in an interesting research project and a wider initiative to establish an international centre of excellence on seasonal timekeeping
Strong mentorship to build your own independent research career
Excellent career opportunities
A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
Pension scheme through the state pension fund
Application
Your application must include:
A cover/application letter with a description of your past research projects and relevant experience for the advertised position (max 1 page)
A statement of your research motivation and future career plans (max 1 page)
CV
Diplomas and transcripts (all degrees)
Contact information to 2-3 references
A list of your academic production
Description of your academic production, stating which works you consider most important
Academic works, up to ten. The doctoral thesis is regarded as one work.
The documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. We only accept applications sent via www.jobbnorge.no.
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.
The remuneration for Postdoctoral research fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1352. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.
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.
More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here.
