Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Carbonate Geochemistry and Sedimentology
Deadline: 01.12.2025
Publisert
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.
Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB) is a Norwegian Centre of Excellence that provides a stimulating and well-funded research environment. PHAB’s main goal, based on detailed studies of Earth and our solar system, is to develop predictive models to identify habitable planets around other stars. PHAB research activities comprise three interrelated research themes: (1) Planets and Early Earth, (2) Modern Earth and (3) Exo-Earths. The centre was established in 2023 and will consist of approximately 70 full time and part time professors and researchers, PhD Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Research Fellows.
About the position
Position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow available in Carbonate Geochemistry and Sedimentology is available at the Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB), Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo (UiO) in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), Trondheim.
Starting date 01.01.2026 or as soon as possible after this.
The appointment is a fulltime position and is for a period of three years (10% of which is devoted to career promoting work, usually in the form of teaching activities).
The appointment is a joint venture between the University of Oslo (UiO) and the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU). UiO is the employer and NGU in Trondheim is the work location.
No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.
Place of work is NGU in Trondheim.
Project description
The position is associated with the Centre for Planetary Habitability and linked to “The Great Oxidation Event and Planetary Habitability” (GOE-PHAB) project funded by the Research Council of Norway. GOE-PHAB, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), is part of the international initiative (18 partner countries) GOE-DEEP (Gabon and Oxygenation of Earth – Drilling Early Earth Project), which aims to obtain 11 drill cores from the exceptional sedimentary archive of Paleoproterozoic time preserved in the Franceville Basin in Gabon, Africa. Eight cores have been obtained and the remaining 3 will be drilled in 2026. These span the key events of the early Proterozoic (2.5-2.0 Ga) and will deliver new geobiological, geochronological, geochemical, paleomagnetic and sedimentological knowledge to reconstruct the environmental conditions and resolve fundamental questions that remain about the initial rise of atmospheric oxygen and emergence of Earth´s aerobic biosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere system.
Tasks:
Sedimentologic logging and paleoenvironmental facies reconstruction of carbonate successions associated with the Paleoproterozoic Lomagundi-Jatuli carbonate carbon isotope Excursion (LJE) in the GOE-DEEP drill-cores.
Sampling of drill cores (and potentially outcrops) for detailed isotopic-geochemical analyses including component-specific analysis using bulk techniques on micro drilled samples and in-situ techniques on thin-sections and polished slabs.
Petrographic thin-section analyses for identification of primary precipitates and secondary cements.
Assessment of sedimentary facies influence on geochemical parameters including carbon isotope ratios of LJE carbonates.
Assessment of global and regional drivers causing carbonate carbon isotope anomalies in the Paleoproterozoic rock record.
Geological fieldwork and outcrop logging in Gabon may take place to supplement the materials from the drill-cores.
The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.
What skills are important in this role?
The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. 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.
Qualification requirements:
Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in geosciences. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defence are eligible for appointment.
Strong background in geology, ideally with experience in stable isotope and trace element geochemistry, petrography and sedimentology
Experience with mass spectrometry and data reduction
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
Desired qualifications:
Experience using LA-ICPMS for trace-element and isotope ratio analyses. The LA-ICP-MS laboratory at NGU is equipped with 193 nm excimer laser, QqQ-ICP-MS, and multicollector ICP-MS.
Fieldwork and drill-core sampling experience.
Experience working with petrographic thin-section and identifying primary carbonate components and secondary cements.
All candidates and projects will have to undergo a check versus national export, sanctions and security regulations. Candidates may be excluded based on these checks. Primary checkpoints are the Export Control regulation, the Sanctions regulation, and the national security regulation.
What are we looking for in you?
Personal skills:
Good communication and collaboration skills
Strong quantitative and analytical skills
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
Ability to work precise in a structured manner and swiftly adapts to new tasks
Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.
We can offer you
Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
Committed colleagues in a good working environment.
Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
Salary in position as Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK 595 000 - 690 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
Inclusive work life and diversity at UiO
Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.
If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.
We hope that you will apply for the position.
More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.
How to apply
The application must include:
Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
A complete list of publications and up to 5 academic works 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)
Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".
When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.
General information
The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.
Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.
If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)
Eventuelt hvis postdoktorstillingen er finansiert av NFR:
No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).
Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we can't, you will hear from us.
