Ledig stilling ved UiT Norges arktiske universitet

1-2 PhD Fellows in Organic Chemistry

Deadline: 31.05.2020

UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT is a multi-campus research university in Norway and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.


Credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment shall be hallmarks of the relationship between our employees, between our employees and our students and between UiT and our partners.

The position

The Department of Chemistry is seeking to appoint up to two motivated and creative PhD fellows in organic chemistry for a period of 4 years, on a project involving the development of novel therapeutics to overcome antibacterial resistance. The position is also affiliated with the Centre for New Antibacterial Strategies (CANS), a new interdisciplinary centre bringing together researchers across the physical, life and health sciences.

As a PhD fellow you will be part of a welcoming, diverse and international department. Your main responsibility will be to conduct ground breaking research, including practical experiments, data analysis, and disseminating results through presentations and written publications. During your fellowship you will complete 30 ECTS credits of coursework. You will also take part in group meetings and departmental seminars, and you will have the opportunity to present your results at national and international conferences.

The preferred start time for the position is August 2020. The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD program is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year, and will consist of teaching and other duties. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to a PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position.

The position's field of research

The successful applicant(s) will join the newly established Haugland research group within the Organic Chemistry section at the Department of Chemistry. The group’s research interests range across organic chemistry and chemical biology, with a particular emphasis on new strategies to combat antibacterial resistance. Within this context, the advertised project seeks to employ state-of-the-art late-stage functionalisation techniques to derivatise established antibiotics and resistance breakers, as well as prepare analogues through classical organic synthesis. The fellow will liaise with collaborators throughout CANS and beyond to test compound activity against bacterial targets. While the project is firmly based within organic synthesis, fellows are expected to take an active part in the collaborative aspects of the project. Fellows will be encouraged to contribute their own research ideas.

Contact

Further information about the position, UiT and CANS is available from:

Qualifications

Essential criteria:

  • Master’s degree, or equivalent experience, in a relevant subdiscipline of chemistry at the time of taking up the position.
  • Previous experience with organic synthesis
  • A strong academic record, and motivation and potential for conducting research, as evidenced through transcripts and academic works
  • Documented proficiency in English that satisfies the Norwegian Higher Education Entrance Qualification, either as a native language, via undergraduate education in a Nordic or certain other countries, or by test scores as described here.

Desirable criteria:

  • Documented interest in applications of chemistry in biology and medicine
  • Awareness of aspects of medicinal chemistry
  • Teaching experience
  • Willingness to work in a collaborative and interdisciplinary manner
  • Good communication and presentation skills
  • Good working knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language

Admission to the PhD programme

The position requires admission to the Faculty’s PhD programme. The applicant must have an average grade of C or better. Further information about requirements for the PhD programme is available here: Regulations PhD Faculty of Science and Technology

Applicants with a foreign education will be evaluated on whether the educational background is equivalent to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines. Applicants from some countries will have to document additional higher education in order to fulfill the requirements.

Application

Your application must include:

  • Cover letter explaining how you fulfil the above criteria, citing relevant skills and experience. This may include experience gained in employment, education, or during career breaks
  • CV (max. 2 pages)
  • Copies of degree certificates and transcripts, including Diploma Supplement for completed degrees from EU universities (and applicants from non-EU universities are advised to attach an explanation of the grading system)
  • Documentation of English language proficiency. If not otherwise exempt, documentation of English language proficiency for PhD-studies, with a recommended minimum score of 6.5 on each part of the IELTS test, or minimum scores of 22, 22, 22 and 25 (reading, listening, speaking and writing, respectively) on the TOEFL test.
  • 2 references, including contact details
  • A copy of your Master’s thesis (representing at least 30 ECTS or one full semester load), and any other academic works.

Qualification with a Master’s degree is required before commencement. For those who are near to completion of their Master’s degree, submit a draft version of the thesis and a letter from your university confirming the planned date of examination. You must have fulfilled all requirements (and passed all examinations) for the Master's degree before the planned commencement date.

Documentation may be submitted in English or a Scandinavian language. We are only able to consider applications submitted electronically through www.jobbnorge.no.

Assessment

The assessment will emphasize academic performance, motivation and personal suitability for the role. Evidence for your motivation and potential for research will be sought, especially from your Master’s thesis and any other academic works. Teaching experience and/or qualifications will be considered an advantage.

As many as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, you will not be eligible for this position.

We offer

  • The opportunity to participate in an exciting research project at the interface of chemistry, biology and medicine, with important real-life applications
  • A good academic working environment with dedicated colleagues in an exotic location
  • Good renumeration
  • Access to welfare benefits for employees, including a beneficial pension scheme and insurance and mortgage opportunities through the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

For more information about working and living in Norway, see http://uit.no/mobility

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

You have to be qualified for and participate in the PhD programme. A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. UiT will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability.

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to Offentleglova information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.

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