About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellowship in Meteorology/ Atmospheric Chemistry available at the Department of Geosciences, Meteorology Oceanography Section.

The fellowship period is up to 4 years, with 3 years devoted to research education. The position entails a compulsory work load of 25% that consists of teaching and supervision duties and research assistance.

The starting date is preferable on 01.07.2019 and latest until 01.10.2019. No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Job description

The PhD Research Fellowship will be carried out within the Research Council of Norway Toppforsk project “VIKINGS: Volcanic Eruptions and their Impacts on Climate, Environment, and Viking Society in 500-1250 CE”. This multi-disciplinary project aims to understand the role of volcanic eruptions and climate change in shaping the early history of Europe. The period 500-1250 Common Era (CE) is characterized by natural disasters, societal unrest, Viking expansion, and large volcanic eruptions evidenced by geochemical markers in natural archives. At present, we know little about the climate and environmental variations in Europe and especially in Scandinavia during this period.

The VIKINGS project seeks to reveal the climate and environment of the early historic period, and resolve how volcanic eruptions and their environmental impacts facilitated societal changes during the Viking era.

The PhD candidate will analyse the volcanic forcing during the last two millennia with a focus on 500-1250 CE based on volcanic aerosol chemistry climate modelling linking volcanic signals from ice cores with volcanological records. The PhD Research Fellowship will have a strong focus on Chemistry Climate Modelling simulating the effects of volcanic volatiles on the atmosphere (stratosphere and troposphere). Experience in atmospheric chemistry and physics, aerosols, or climate modelling and analysis of large model or observational data will be beneficial for this position.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in Meteorology, Chemistry, Physics, or in related fields
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) should correspond to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Candidates without a Master’s degree have until 30 June, 2019 to complete the final exam
• Candidates with research experience and knowledge in atmospheric chemistry, aerosol-climate interactions, and atmosphere dynamics will be given priority
• Technical skills in programming as well as in graphical and statistical tools (e.g. Fortran, python, Matlab, R) are mandatory for this position

Additional qualifications:

• Experiences in chemistry climate, aerosol climate or earth system modelling, analyses of those model data or related observational data sets will be advantageous for the PhD fellowship
• Knowledge of a Scandinavian language will be advantageous for the teaching
• The PhD candidate should be interested to work in a multi-disciplinary research field and team and be willing to exchange with national and international project collaborators including potential research stays abroad

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and a Scandinavian language (due to teaching responsibilities):

https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/application.html

We offer

• Salary NOK 449 400 – 505 800 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• PhD Research School on Changing Climates in the Coupled Earth System (CHESS) (https://chess.w.uib.no)

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records and letters of recommendation
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Documentation of Scandinavian language proficiency equivalent to B2 level of the Bergenstest (this apply only if a Scandinavian language is not your native language)
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone 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). 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.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see:

http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

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

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

• Kirstin Krüger, e-mail: kirstin.krueger@geo.uio.no, Phone: +47 22 85 58 11.

For technical questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Officer Therese Ringvold, e-mail: therese.ringvold@mn.uio.no, phone: +47 22 85 16 06.

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