A PhD fellowship is available at the Natural History Museum (NHM), The fellow will work in the Integrative Systematics of Plants and Fungi
A PhD fellowship is available at the Natural History Museum (NHM), University of Oslo. The fellow will work in the Integrative Systematics of Plants and Fungi (ISOP) research group.
The fellowship period is 4 years, of which 3 years are devoted to carrying out a research project and one year (25%) for compulsory work consisting of teaching and supervision duties, collection work, outreach activities, and research assistance.
Please note that one cannot be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo. Starting date no later than 1st of June 2022.
More about the position
The subject of the PhD project is «Lichens on heavy metal rock and soil in Norway». Lichens growing on rock and soil rich in heavy metals have been collected in Norway since the early 1800’s, though no comprehensive overview of the lichen flora in this environment exists. The species occur mainly in old mining areas and around old copper smelters, but many are also found on naturally occuring iron-rich or ultramafic rock. These specialist species tolerate the toxic stress and has little competition from generalists. However, the same toxicity that makes these sites an ideal habitat for these lichens also poses a threat to the surrounding environments and there are deliberate efforts by management agencies to cover up old mine waste heaps and smelter slag heaps to avoid heavy metals getting into watercourses. This project will increase our knowledge of the biodiversity in this environment. The lichens are mostly crustose, often small, inconspicuous, without fruiting bodies, either because they are immature or because their dispersal strategy is clonal (e.g., by soredia, isidia). Such material can often not be assigned to genus, family, or even order, with traditional methods (microscopy, thin-layer chromatography), but recent DNA techniques (e.g., DNA barcoding and metabarcoding) open up new possibilities to study their taxonomy and occurrence in nature.
The project will conduct field work throughout Norway, making detailed inventories of the species composition of ca. 50 sites. We aim at extensive DNA sequencing, both for the DNA barcode marker (nrITS) based on the collected material and through metabarcoding of rock surfaces at the sites. Biosystematic and taxonomic subprojects will be defined based on the results of the DNA sequencing.
The position is affiliated with the Integrative Systematics of Plant and Fungi (ISOP) research group at NHM, and is supervised by Prof. Einar Timdal and co-supervised by Assoc. Prof. Mika Bendiksby. The position is funded through the The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (Artsdatabanken) as a project under The Norwegian Taxonomy Initiative (Artsprosjekt) and the University of Oslo.
Qualification requirements
Required qualifications:
- An MSc degree in Biology with a specialization in either plant or fungal taxonomy, molecular phylogenetics, conservation genetics.
- Relevant research experience in lichen taxonomy and systematics.
- Excellent English writing and verbal communication skills.
Desired qualifications:
- Experience with DNA-based wet-lab work, lichen microscopy, and thin-layer chromatography of lichen compounds
- Good knowledge of Nordic lichens occurring in metal rich habitats, especially lecideoid lichens
- Experience with field work
- Good computing skills
Evaluation of candidates will focus on the following:
- Relevance and quality of the MSc thesis
- Scientific publications (not necessarily expected at this level)
- Grades from relevant university-level courses
- Application/cover letter including a description of how this position fits the career plan, interests, and experience of the applicant
- Collaborative skills
- Personal suitability and motivation for the position
- An interview, including a 15 minutes presentation of your MSc thesis (only short-listed candidates)
Grade requirements for admission to the PhD program
- The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must correspond to C or better in the Norwegian educational system
- The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must correspond to B or better in the Norwegian educational system
- The Master’s thesis must correspond to the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system
The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The fellowship requires admission to the PhD program at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Appointment to a PhD research fellowship is conditional upon admission to the Faculty’s research training program. A plan for the research training must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position, and the admission approved within three months.
We offer
- Salary NOK 491 200 – 534 400 per year depending on qualification and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
- Challenging research questions and a friendly working environment
- Full funding of the project research-related activities, including field work, lab work and presentation of results at international conferences
- Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- Attractive welfare benefits
How to apply
The application must include (as separate and numbered documents):
1. Cover letter
2. CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work, scientific publications and other relevant experience)
3. A one-page statement explaining how this project fits into the applicant’s career plan, interests, and experience
4. Copies of educational certificates and transcripts of records
5. List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluating committee
6. Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, affiliation, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number). The references will be contacted if necessary. Letters of recommendation are therefore not required for the initial application.
7. PDF of Master thesis (or equivalent) and potential publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluating committee
Applicants should deliver the application with the requested attachments (numbered as above) through our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to include an explanation of their University’s grading system. Please remember that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.
In assessing applications, particular emphasis will be placed upon educational and scientific merits and the maturity and potential of the candidates to complete the project successfully within the given timeframe. Interviews with selected candidates will be arranged.
Formal regulations
Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.
No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.
According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.
The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.
The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.
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.
Contact information
About the position and project details:
Project leader: Prof. Einar Timdal, einar.timdal@nhm.uio.no
ISOP group leader: Prof. Brita Stedje, brita.stedje@nhm.uio.no
About administrative questions and the application procedure:
HR officer Thomas Brånå, thomas.brana@nhm.uio.no
About the University of Oslo and the Natural History Museum
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.
The Natural History Museum at the University of Oslo is Norway’s most comprehensive natural history collection. For almost 200 years, specimens of animals, fungi, plants, rocks, minerals and fossils have been collected, studied and preserved here. The museum is located at Økern and in the beautiful Botanical Garden, which is not only popular for recreation, but is a scientific collection in itself.