Section of Health, Developmental and Personality Psychology

Job description

Applications are invited for a 3-4 year position as PhD fellow in psychology, at the PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.

The PhD fellow will collaborate with colleagues at PROMENTA, and internationally, to examine the role of genetic and environmental factors in wellbeing and mental health. The PhD project will aim to examine a) causal factors and processes in wellbeing, b) the genetic and environmental underlying structure of the broader wellbeing spectrum, and c) gene-environment interplay in wellbeing and mental health. Methodologically, the project will be based on longitudinal twin studies and molecular genetic studies, with data from the Norwegian Twin Registry and the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).

The study will offer opportunities to develop high-quality research competence, to work with leading experts in the field, and potentially conduct a visiting research arrangement abroad. The candidate is expected to develop strong skills in advanced statistical methods and finalize a PhD dissertation within the period. The project is led by professor Espen Røysamb in collaboration with other PROMENTA researchers.

More about the position

The fellowship is for a period of three years. A 4th year can be considered with the addition of 25 % teaching requirement, depending on the competence of the applicant and the needs of the department.

The research fellow must take part in the Department’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The applicant must, in collaboration with her/his supervisor, within three months after employment, have worked out a complete project description to be attached to the application for admission to the doctoral program. For more information, please see our web site:

https://www.sv.uio.no/english/research/phd/

PROMENTA is a newly established interdisciplinary research center aiming to provide answers to three central questions in mental health, well-being, and drug use research: What processes lead to poor and good mental health, and how? How do social and geographic inequalities in mental health arise? How can we develop, tailor, and evaluate effective interventions in communities to promote good mental health? To address these questions, we examine sources of mental health on a variety of levels, such as genetic risk, neurocognitive development, the psychosocial environment, and the socio-cultural and political context. The center is financed by the Research Council of Norway and contributions from the Department of Psychology, the Department of Sociology and Human Geography, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and other participating partners. For more information about PROMENTA, please visit www.promenta.no.

Qualification requirements

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent in psychology (Professional program or Master’s program in psychology), or related fields. Normally, minimum grade B (ECTS grading scale) or equivalent. The Master’s degree must include a thesis of at least 30 ECTS
• Strong skills in quantitative analysis
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Preferable qualifications

• Interest and experience in research on wellbeing and mental health
• Some familiarity with behavior genetic studies and methods (quantitative genetics, molecular genetics)
• Some experience with advanced methodology, such as structural equation modelling
• Enthusiasm for the topic and for participating in building up a new research center
• Ambitions for high-quality research within the project, as evidenced by the required letter of application, explaining the motivation for applying and how own qualifications are suitable for the announced position
• Personal suitability, motivation and willingness to collaborate with academics from diverse backgrounds
• Experience with software such as R, Stata, Mplus or SPSS.
• Teaching experience is an advantage

Personal skills

• Creative thinking and analytic abilities
• High motivation and efficient work structure
• Ability to work in collaborative groups and independently

We offer

• Salary NOK 449 400– 505 800 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as PhD Research fellow
• The possibility to attend international conferences, courses and workshops
• A unique and flourishing research environment
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

• Cover letter statement of background, motivation, research interests and how own qualifications are suitable for the announced position.
• CV (summarizing education, positions, and academic work)
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
• A complete list of publications and academic works
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”. International applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. Applicants may be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

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.

The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Contact information

• PROMENTA director: Espen Røysamb, +47-22845128, espen.roysamb@psykologi.uio.no
• Head of Administration: Birgitte Bøgh-Olsen, +47-22845104,birgitte.bogh-olsen@psykologi.uio.no

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