Stilling:
PhD Candidate at Department of Pharmacy
Deadline 19.03.2019
About the position
At the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, a position has become available for the role of Research Fellow, for applicants wishing to take a Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) degree. The position is affiliated with the research group Microbial Pharmacology and Population Biology (MicroPop).
The position is available for commencement from April 1st, 2019, and for a period of three years.
The MicroPop research group focuses on microbial evolution and has two major research branches: (a) Mechanistic and evolutionary aspects of genetic recombination and (b) evolution, selection, and spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The group is technically well equipped, internationally connected, and provides an inspiring working environment. The lab language is English. MicroPop is located at the Department of Pharmacy and is headed by Professor Pål J. Johnsen.
The contact person for this position is researcher Dr. Klaus Harms, email: klaus.harms@uit.no Phone: +47 94 09 33 96.
Job description
The Research Fellow is a training position which comprises complete research training working towards a doctorate degree, the objective. Acceptance onto the doctorate degree programme is a prerequisite for appointment to this position, and the study period will begin upon commencement of the employment. The Research Fellow will participate in the faculty’s research training, and the doctorate degree project will be carried out over the course of the period of employment.
Information on the application process for admissions to the PhD programme and on PhD regulations can be found on the website; PhD programme at the Health Faculty
The Ph.D. candidate will investigate a newly discovered mutation mechanism, "short-patch double illegitimate recombination" (SPDIR). The position is funded by a NFR (Norges Forskningsrådet) FRIMEDBIO grant.
The successful candidate will characterize molecular aspects of the SPDIR mechanism. SPDIR has been discovered and initially described in the soil bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi, and the Ph.D. candidate will investigate the role of cellular DNA repair and genome maintenance functions and the impact of DNA-damaging agents and horizontal gene transfer on SPDIR mutations. In addition, the candidate will develop detection tools for SPDIR mutations in Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Qualification requirements
In order to be appointed to the role of Research Fellow, the eligibility requirements for the faculty’s PhD programme must be met, cf. section 6, Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Tromsø, with additional provisions concerning the Faculty of Health Sciences which can be found on the website with the Regulations for the PhD programme at the Faculty of health Sciences.
For the position, experiences working with the Acinetobacter baylyi model organism are desirable. The applicant is expected to have knowledge in the fields of horizontal gene transfer and illegitimate recombination and experiences in microbiological techniques, including PCR and DNA sequencing, bacterial strain constructions, and experimental evolution. We encourage the candidate to provide own research ideas and to contribute to the entire MicroPop research group with her/his expertise.
Master/medical students in the final stages are also qualified to apply, but have to document completed degree before employment.
Applicants must have a documented knowledge of English which meets the requirements as stated in the Norwegian general university and college admission requirements.
Application documents
- cover letter including a short description of interests and reasons for applying for the position
- project description, where relevant
- CV containing a complete overview of education, experience, professional work, pedagogical qualifications and references
- diplomas and certificates:
- diploma and transcript of Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (in original language and translated)
- diploma and transcript of Master’s degree or equivalent (in original language and translated)
- documentation of proficiency in English
- any academic works, including the Master’s thesis
Proficiency in the English language can be documented in the following ways:
- Diploma from a Norwegian upper secondary school with both spoken and written English (140 hours)
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
- IELTS (International English Testing Service)
- Completed university degree in the field of English language or literature
- One year’s completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or USA, for which English was the language of instruction.
Applications will only be considered if all requested application documents are received before the application deadline.
All documentation to be assessed must be translated into English or a Scandinavian language.
Applications sent to us via e-mail or by any other means will not be considered.
Assessment
The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee’s mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants’ qualifications based on the application documents and the text of the announcement.
The Assessment Committee will give emphasis to the potential for research, as presented in the Master’s thesis or equivalent, or in any other academic works.
In the assessment, consideration may also be given to professional experience and any other activity which may be significant for the completion of the doctoral degree, as well as to any pedagogical qualifications. This includes pedagogical training, teaching experience, experience of public education and experience/training of other kinds.
The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview shall, among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s personal suitability for the position and motivations. A trial lecture may also be held.
Salary and conditions
The normal period of employment is three years. Shorter periods of employment may be offered if the Research Fellow has already completed parts of the research training programme, or in the event that the employment builds upon a previous appointment in an educational position (Research Fellow, Research Assistant or similar), so that the total time of research training comes to three years.
The successful candidate is obliged to make a contribution to the teaching of all students at the Faculty of Health Sciences as and where necessary.
The remuneration for Research Fellows is in accordance with the State salary scale codes 1017 and 1378, depending on the qualifications of the former.
A compulsory contribution of 2% to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.
Other information
We make the appointment in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.
UiT The Arctic University of Norway has HR policy objectives that emphasize diversity, and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their age, gender, functional ability and national or ethnic background. The university 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. You may request to not be registered on the public list of applicants, but the University may decide that your name will be made public. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication.
We look forward to receiving your application!