Job Description

ph3About the Position /h3 pPosition as PhD Research Fellow in plant molecular biology available at CEES, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo. /p pThe fellowship period is three years. A fourth year may be considered and will involve 25% of other career‑promoting work such as teaching, supervision and/or research assistance, depending on the applicant’s qualifications and the department’s needs. /p pStarting date no later than bOctober 1, 2026 /b. No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo. Place of work is CEES, Department of Biosciences, at Blindern, Oslo. /p h3Project Description /h3 pThe PhD will be hired on the project “Tuning heat‑shock memory in plants” funded by the University of Oslo, which is a collaboration between two projects: The REPEAT project (“The functional and evolutionary importance of simple repeats in the genome”), led by Professor Kjetill S Jakobsen and Professor Melinka Butenko, and HotSpot (“Stress‑induced mutations in evolution”), which is a recently funded NFR project led by William Reinar. /p pThe PhD project will investigate molecular mechanisms that regulate heat stress memory, a vital mechanism for plant resilience. The aim is to understand the role of naturally occurring short tandem repeat polymorphisms in regulatory regions of heat stress memory genes, and the candidate will apply both wet laboratory molecular biology, genome editing, trait phenotyping, imaging/microscopy, and computational methods to meet this aim. /p pThe project aims to advance the mechanistic understanding of heat stress memory and provide a framework for targeted tuning of this mechanism. The project provides an excellent opportunity for the candidate to conduct high‑impact research facilitating pursuit of further academic and/or commercial ambitions within plant sciences after project completion. /p pThe work will be conducted in labs and facilities connected to the Department of Biosciences, UiO, which is planned to re‑locate to the new Life Science Building in 2026/2027: /p h3Required Qualifications /h3 ul liMaster’s degree or equivalent in molecular biology, biology, cell biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, ecology and evolution, or related fields /li liExperience with molecular work in Arabidopsis thaliana or other plants /li liDocumented applied skills in molecular biology techniques (cloning, transformation) /li liDocumented applied skills in plant cell imaging /li liDocumented training in Python and/or R /li liForeign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system /li liFluent oral and written communication skills in English /li /ul pCandidates without a master’s degree have until bJune 30, 2026 /b to complete the final exam. /p h3Desired Qualifications /h3 ul liExperience with genome editing in a plant system /li liSolid knowledge of gene regulation in plants /li liStrong interest in ecology and evolution /li liExperience in plant stress‑trials and plant phenotyping /li /ul h3Language Requirement /h3 ul liGood oral and written communication skills in English /li liEnglish requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements: /li /ul h3Grade Requirements /h3 ul liThe average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system /li liThe average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system /li liThe Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system /li /ul h3Personal Skills /h3 pWe are looking for a person with a positive attitude that can work both independently and as part of a team, with the ambition and drive to conduct high‑quality research. /p pEmployment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications. /p h3Benefits /h3 ul liA pleasant and stimulating work environment /li liGood welfare schemes /li liOpportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours /li liA workplace with good development and career opportunities /li liCareer development programmes /li liMembership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes /li liOslo’s family‑friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities /li liSalary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 - 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund. /li /ul h3Inclusion Statement /h3 pUiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no. /p pWe fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues, could you be the next one? /p pWe will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures. /p pIf you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment‑related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian). /p pThe selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. /p h3How to Apply /h3 ul liCover letter – statement of motivation and research interests and a description of relevant skills (max 1 page) /li liCV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications) /li liCopies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma and transcripts of records (see below) /li liDocumentation of English proficiency if applicable /li liList of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee /li liNames and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e‑mail and telephone number) /li /ul pApplication with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for this job". Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system. /p pWhen 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. /p h3General Information /h3 pThe best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews. /p pApplicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act. /p ul li25. 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. /li /ul pPlease refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. /p pThe University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc. /p /p #J-18808-Ljbffr