A PhD position is available at the Department of Geosciences. The appointment is for a period of 4 years. The nominal length of the PhD program is three years and the fourth year is distributed as 25 % of each year, and will consist of duty work for the department. This may include teaching (e.g. supervision and evaluation of student exercises) at various levels, as well as other duties relevant for the department. UiT funds the position.

Work place will be the Department of Geosciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø. The person appointed will collaborate with scientists from the Alfred Wegner Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Bremerhaven & Sylt, Germany), and the GEOMAR, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Kiel, Germany).

The position’s field of research

The overall goal for the announced PhD project is to reconstruct palaeo-environmental/-oceanographic conditions offshore north and northeast Greenland during past glacial-interglacial cycles derived from multi-proxy analyses of sediment cores. The work will particularly focus on the investigation of sedimentary processes and bottom-current reconstructions based on the analysis and interpretation of X-radiographs, granulometric analyses and XRF core scanning, as well as integration with other parameters including physical properties, organic geochemistry, and oxygen and carbon isotope analyses.

The analytical work will primarily focus on sediment cores retrieved during Expedition 115.1 of RV “Polarstern” in 2018. The cores are currently stored at the Alfred Wegner Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany. Additional cores might be retrieved during future expeditions.

Work place will be the Department of Geosciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø. However, the appointed candidate is an integral part of a collaboration among scientists from UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø (Department of Geosciences), the Alfred Wegner Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Bremerhaven & Sylt, Germany), and the GEOMAR, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Kiel, Germany). Thus, the appointed candidate will also collaborate with scientists and students from these institutions.

The successful candidate will dedicate 25% of her/his working time to duty work for the department. This may include teaching (e.g., supervision and evaluation of student exercises) at various levels and other activities relevant for the department.

Further information about the position and UiT is available by contacting Head of Department, Associate Professor Matthias Forwick

• phone: 47 77644453
• email: matthias.forwick@uit.no

Qualifications

To gain admission to the PhD programme, you must have a grade average for your M.Sc. in geology/geosciences or a related field of C or better. Further information about requirements for admission to PhD studies are available here: https://uit.no/nt/phd

Applicants for this position are required to have knowledge about sedimentary processes in glacimarine environments. As the study is based on multi-proxy analyses of sediment cores, experience related to acquisition, interpretation and integration of X-radiographs, XRF core scanning, core descriptions and granulometric analyses, as well as with other proxies is regarded as highly relevant.

The work will be performed in collaboration with international partners and it shall be presented at national and international conferences/workshops, as well as published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Therefore, a good command in English, both written and oral, is required. Applicants not being able to communicate in Norwegian are required to learn the language within a reasonable time.

Documented fluency in English is required, and working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language is desirable.

As the core material is stored at the AWI Bremerhaven (Germany) and complementary analyses will be performed by colleagues and students from AWI and GEOMAR (Germany), the applicants’ willingness for repeated visits of these institutions for up to several weeks or months is expected. Applicants should also be willing to participate in potential future marine-geoscientific cruises to recover additional material for the project. Thus, experience with data collection during marine-geoscientific cruises is an advantage. Teaching experience will be regarded as positive.

The assessment will emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. You must be willing to engage in the ongoing development of your discipline and the university as a whole.

During this assessment process, emphasis will be put on your potential for research as shown by the Master’s thesis, and any other academic works. In addition, we may consider work experience, teaching qualifications or other activities of significance for the PhD studies.

Application

Your application must include:

• CV and application letter
• Diplomas and transcripts for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree (diploma supplement)
• Documentation on English language proficiency
• References
• Master thesis
• Project description

In addition, you may present a description outlining the academic basis of the PhD project. You may also submit academic works which you wish us to consider during the assessment process.

Qualification with a master’s degree required before commencement and within a reasonable time. Applicants who are near to completion of their master’s degree, must submit a draft version of the thesis.

All documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language. Applications must be submitted electronically through Jobbnorge.

Terms of employment

Remuneration of PhD positions are in salary code 1017 on the pay scale for Norwegian state employees. There is a 2% deduction for contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

You have to be qualified for and participate in our PhD study program. As many as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

More information about moving to Norway: http://uit.no/mobility

General

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 is an IW (Inclusive Workplace) enterprise, and we 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.

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