Job description

Applications are invited for a three-year position in a Research Fellowship as a PhD Candidate in Molecular Nutrition to be based at the Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo.

The project involves two research groups at the Department with a common research interest in insulin resistance and type 2 Diabetes and national and international collaborators. The PhD Candidate will study the role of lipid droplet binding perilipins and chemokine binding proteoglycans for development of insulin resistance using various knock-out mouse models. Development of insulin resistance in muscle and liver will be studied in animals lacking a perilipin family member, whereas development of insulin resistance and inflammation in adipose tissue will be studied in animals lacking a secretory chemokine-binding proteoglycan. The project combines in vivo analysis in mouse models with molecular analysis of collected organs and tissues. Methods such as in vivo metabolic phenotyping, insulin- and glucose tolerance tests, RNA and protein analysis, isolation of hepatic cell types, isolation of lipid droplets and histology will be used in the project. The candidate will plan, organize and execute in vivo studies, analyze data, write manuscripts to publish the data, and communicate results at relevant congress meetings or to the public.

More about the position

The Department of Nutrition at the University of Oslo is the largest nutrition department in Europe associated with a Medical Faculty. The Department has a broad and highly active research environment with excellent publication record. The Department is divided in three Divisions, with research activities performed within the fields of nutritional biology, molecular nutrition, clinical nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, diet research and research on policy instruments. The PhD Candidate will be associated with the Division of Molecular Nutrition. The PhD student will join the lipid droplet group headed by Associate Professor Knut Tomas Dalen but will also dedicate time to work for the proteoglycan group headed by Professor Svein Olav Kolset. Additional information about the Department and these research groups is available on the Department home page.

The fellowship period is for 3 years. The fellowship period may be extended up to 4 years with 3 years devoted to research education plus a compulsory work load of 25% that consists of teaching, supervision duties and research assistance. The research fellow must take part in the Faculty’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.

Qualification requirements

The Research Fellow will work in an international research environment and interact with team members from Norway and abroad. We seek a highly motivated, creative and energetic candidate that is expected to take active part in the research cooperation within the project.

The candidate must have an interest in molecular nutrition and metabolic diseases, and meet the following requirements:

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in Nutrition, Biochemistry, Molecular biology, or similar areas, minimum grade B (ECTS grading scale) or equivalent. The Master’s degree must include a thesis of at least 45 ECTS. Candidates that deliver a master degree during spring 2019 might be considered for the position.
• Experience with some form of molecular laboratory work.
• The candidate must also be willing to conduct and participate in animal experiments. The project requires that the applicant obtains official approval for conducting animal research in Norway (e.g. FELASA-C/EU-functions B certificate). This certificate may be taken as an elective course in the PhD education.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and preferably a Scandinavian language. Note: Oral and written communication in a Scandinavian language will be required for combining the PhD position with teaching obligations (extended 4 year position).

In addition, the candidate should:

• Be experienced with statistical analysis or large data sets (e.g. of metabolic phenotyping data).
• Preferentially have experience with culturing of cells.
• Preferentially be experienced with relevant animal work (diet intervention studies, metabolic phenotyping, tolerance tests).

Personal skills

• Good communication skills with the ability to collaborate locally and internationally.
• Must have high work capacity.
• Must have the ability to work independently.

We offer

• Salary NOK 449 400 – 505 800 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as PhD Research fellow, (position code 1017)
• 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 motivation and research interests.
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work).
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only).
• Documentation of English proficiency (for non-European candidates).
• A complete list of publications and academic works.
• A 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”. Foreign 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

For further information regarding the position and the research environment, please contact:

• Associate Professor Knut Tomas Dalen, e-post: k.t.dalen@medisin.uio.no, tlf: 22 85 15 15.
• Alternatively, Professor Svein Olav Kolset, e-post: s.o.kolset@medisin.uio.no, tlf: 22 85 13 83.

Note that applications are not to be sent attached to an e-mail. The application with attachments is to be delivered in our electronic recruiting system Jobbnorge.

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