Ledig stilling ved Universitetet i Bergen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow position: Evolutionary Origin of Synaptic Proteins

Deadline: 30.08.2020

University of Bergen

The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.


Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology (Sars Centre) is situated at the Marineholmen campus together with other research institutes at the University. The Sars Centre is partner with European Molecular Biological Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany and is organized directly under Rector at UiB – Read more here.

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow position

There is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow position at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology (www.sars.no) in the research group headed by Dr. Pawel Burkhardt. The position is for a period of 3 years and is funded on the Sars Centre core budget. The Sars Centre belongs to the University of Bergen and is partner of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) (www.embl.de). The place of work will be at the Sars Centre. The preferred starting date is between October and December 2020.

About the project/work tasks:

The Burkhardt group combines comparative biological systems in the laboratory to understand when and how the first synapses and neurons evolved. The group is particularly interested in studying the origin and evolution of synaptic proteins. We are looking for a highly self-motivated and enthusiastic Postdoctoral Research Fellow with interests in evolutionary biology, neurobiology and cell biology. The project will focus on the functional characterization of synaptic protein homologs in choanoflagellates and ctenophores to better understand the evolution of first neuron-like cell types in animals. The successful candidate will undertake research with the possibility to use a variety of techniques, ranging from generating transgenic reporter lines, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, super resolution immunofluorescence and electron microscopy to study synaptic protein homologs in choanoflagellates and/or ctenophores. The successful candidate will work in close association with the group leader and other lab members with the aim to contribute to the further development of the project in line with her/his interests.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

  • The applicant must hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent degree or must have submitted his/her doctoral thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded
  • Strong motivation/enthusiasm to perform research at an internationally competitive level
  • Practical experience with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and with different fluorescence imaging techniques is highly desirable
  • Specific experience with choanoflagellates or ctenophores is beneficial, but not essential
  • The ability to work both independently and to cooperate with others in a structured manner is essential'
  • Proficiency in both written and oral English

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:

The position of postdoctoral research fellow is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The fixed-term period for this position is 3 years. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

Upon appointment, applicants must submit a project proposal for the qualifying work including a work schedule. It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

We can offer:

  • A professional, challenging and international working environment.
  • Well-equipped, modern laboratories and facilities
  • Salary at pay grade 59 (code 1352 / pay range 24, alternative 1) according to the state salary scale upon appointment. This constitutes a gross annual salary of NOK 523.200. Further promotions are made according to length of service. For particularly highly qualified applicants, a higher salary may be considered
  • Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
  • Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

  • A cover letter of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
  • The names and contact information 2-3 reference persons. One of these must be the the main advisor from the PhD programme.
  • CV
  • Transcripts and diplomas and official confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted
  • Relevant certificates/references
  • List of publications or other relevant scientific work

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at JobbNorge.

Application Deadline: 30.08.2020

General information:

Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting:

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. Age and gender balance among employees is therefore a goal. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.

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