Job description

Position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow available at the Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo in the research group of Professor Cinzia Progida.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

The appointment is a fulltime position and is made for a period of three years (10% of which is devoted to required duties, usually in the form of teaching activities).

The candidate for this position will work on a project funded by the Norwegian Cancer Society. In this project, we aim to unravel the role of membrane contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum and other organelles in transducing external cues to the nucleus, leading to altered gene expression, and how this is coupled with the development of the cancer cell invasive ability during cancer progression. To achieve this, the project will make use of RNAi screens, biochemical and molecular biological methods, and advanced imaging techniques such as super-resolution and live imaging. See Guadagno et al., J Cell Biol 2020. Our group has access to the National imaging platform NorMIC Oslo, with a wide range of state-of-the-art imaging equipment. The Department of Biosciences harbors also an EM-lab, the Norwegian Sequencing Centre (NSC) and Proteomics services.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition is to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

  • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a similar field. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defence are eligible for appointment.
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
  • Competitive publication track record.
  • Documented hands-on experience with eukaryotic (preferably mammalian) cell culture is required.
  • Extensive practical experience with molecular and cell biology methods is required.
  • Previous experience with advanced imaging techniques, preferably confocal live imaging, and image analysis is required.
  • Documented experience with the study of intracellular transport or organelle dynamics is a strong advantage.

Personal skills

We are seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic and hard-working candidate with the ambition to gain new insights and publish papers in leading, international journals. Applicants must show good interpersonal skills and be willing to work in close collaboration with the project PI and other members of the project team, as well as have the ability to work independently.

Personal suitability for the position will be emphasized.

We offer

  • Salary NOK 534 400 – 615 800 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352)
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
  • Professionally stimulating working environment
  • Vibrant international academic environment
  • Postdoctoral development programmes
  • Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

  • Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest and describing how your background and previous experience relate to the project in general, and how your skills fit into the research framework outlined)
  • CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
  • Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
  • Letters of recommendation
  • A complete list of publications and up to 5 academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
  • Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University’s grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability.

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.
It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)

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 University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this. 

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

For further information please contact: Professor Cinzia Progida, e-mail: c.a.m.progida@ibv.uio.no, phone: +47 228 54441

For questions regarding the recruitment system please contact: HR adviser Nina Holtan, e-mail: nina.holtan@mn.uio.no, phone: +47 228 54424

About the University of Oslo 

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28 000 students and 7500 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.

Department of Biosciences (IBV) is one of nine departments at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Research in the department is organised in five sections covering topics within biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, cell biology, genetics, aquatic biology, toxicology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Education across these topics is offered for around 350 bachelor, 250 master, and 120 PhD students. With 52 permanent professors/associate professors, post-docs, researchers, technical, and administrative personnel, the Department has a total staff of 340 from more than 30 different countries. The Department aims to maintain high international standards within both research and teaching. The new bachelor program in bioscience is the first of its kind to include programming and computational modelling as core elements.

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