About the position

Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences (IHA), Faculty of Biosciences (BIOVIT) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) in Ås, near Oslo, has a vacant 3-year PhD–position related to sustainability of livestock systems.

Norwegian University of Life Sciences

NMBU has a special responsibility for research and education that ensures the basis of life for future generations.

Sustainability is rooted in everything we do and we provide knowledge for life.

NMBU has 1700 employees and 5200 students and is organized in seven faculties. NMBU has a campus in Ås and in Oslo. In the autumn of 2020 we are co-located on Ås.

Further information on NMBU is available at www.nmbu.no.

About BIOVIT

The main objective of BIOVIT is to contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture and food production systems through basic and applied research on plants and animals including fish (aquaculture).

BIOVIT is organized into two departments: Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences and Department of Plant Sciences. Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences provides fundamental, innovative research and practical solutions to improve productivity and sustainability across the agriculture and aquaculture sector. It represents the sciences for the future within the animal husbandry fields of breeding, nutrition and ethology.

Research is organized in the following groups: Breeding and Quantitative Genetics, Ethology and Animal Environment, Nutrition and Physiology in Monogastric Animals, Ruminant Nutrition and Physiology, Genome Biology, Agroecology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Plant Protection and Food Crops.

The faculty houses the Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE) and a research centre for Research-based Innovation (SFI) - Foods of Norway. The faculty is responsible for bachelor- and master programmes in Biology, Animal Science and Plant Sciences, and international master programmes in Agroecology, Plant Sciences, Aquaculture, Animal Breeding Genetics and Feed Manufacturing Technology. PhD programmes include Animal Science and Aquaculture, and Plant Sciences.

BIOVIT employs approximately 240 scientists, technicians, and administrative personnel. Around 480 bachelor and master students and 90 PhD students are enrolled in educational programmes within the faculty, offering a stimulating and supportive learning environment.

The available position will be organized within the Animal Breeding and Genetics Research Group, but will be part of a research team focusing on sustainability in livestock systems.

The successful candidate will also work closely with the research team within a 4-year project (LIVESTOCK), including researchers from NMBU, Østfoldforskning, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy (NIBIO), in addition to partners and collaborators from the industry.

In this PhD project, the sustainability of livestock production will be approached in a holistic way by using life cycle assessment (LCA), with a focus on the farm production system and on the effect of breeding strategies. It is expected that the successful candidate spends some of her/his study time at the University of Aarhus at the Department of Agroecology – Agricultural Systems and Sustainability.

The scholarship is funded by NMBU.

Main tasks

The main tasks will be to develop LCA models of ruminant livestock systems with different perspectives and to document the sustainability of the breeding goals for dairy cattle.

The successful candidate is expected to enter a plan for the progress of the work towards a PhD degree during the first months of the appointment, and is expected to complete a doctorate within the PhD scholarship period.

Qualifications and skills

The successful applicant must meet the conditions defined for admission to a PhD programme at NMBU. The applicant must have an academically relevant education corresponding to a five-year Norwegian degree programme, where 120 credits are at the master's degree level. The applicant must have a documented strong academic background from previous studies and be able to document proficiency in both written and oral English. For more detailed information on the admission criteria please see the PhD Regulations and the relevant PhD programme description.

The applicant must also document expertise and interest in the research.

Required academic qualifications

• Master’s degree in Animal Science. Other master’s degrees (or equivalent) with relevant profile can be considered.

Desired academic qualifications

• Experience with research within animal breeding
• Experience with research within system analysis, like for instance LCA

Required personal skills

• Good writing skills in English
• Highly motivated for research
• Good abilities to cooperate and communicate
• Ability for analytical and logical thinking

Remuneration and information

The position is placed in government pay scale position code 1017 PhD fellow, wage framework 20. PhD fellows are normally placed in pay grade 51 (NOK 449 400) on the Norwegian Government salary scale upon employment and follow ordinary meriting regulations.

Employment is conducted according to national guidelines for University and Technical College PhD scholars.

For further information, please contact:

• Hanne Fjerdingby Olsen (post doc – tenure track) by e-mail: hanne.fjerdingby@nmbu.no; or by phone +47 67 23 27 23

Information for PhD applicants and general information to applicants

Application

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply for this job' button above. This will route you to the University's Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Applications should include (electronically) a letter of intent, curriculum vitae, list of publications (if any), copy of Master thesis, copies of degree certificates and transcripts of academic records (all certified), and a list of two persons who may act as references (with phone numbers and e-mail addresses). Publications should be included electronically within the application deadline.

Application deadline: May 15th 2019

Printed material that cannot be sent electronically should be sent by surface mail to Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, within May 15th 2019. Please quote reference number 19/01977.

If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution to publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

The relevant NMBU Department may require further documentation, e.g. proof of English proficiency.

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