The position

A PhD position is available at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences with the Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry research group.

The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year and will consist of teaching and other duties. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The project / The position’s field of research

The project

Fish farming is a cornerstone of the Norwegian economy but faces several biological and environmental challenges. These include the prevalence of sea lice and winter sores (ocean farmed fish), sudden death syndrome (ocean and RAS farmed fish) and gastrointestinal health problems (farmed cod), causing significant animal welfare concerns and financial losses. By analyzing lipid and metabolite profiles from different stages of salmon/cod development and under varying environmental stress factors, this project aims to identify key lipids and metabolites involved in the underlying (patho)physiology of these conditions. This can in turn lead to better targeted nutritional and overall farming strategies, providing an invaluable contribution towards improved fish health while enhancing both the sustainability and profitability of the entire value chain of the Norwegian salmon and cod industries.

The positions field of research

Optimization and application of UHPLC-Orbitrap MS for high-resolution lipidomics and metabolomics analysis.
Development and validation of mass spectrometry workflows, including optimization of sample preparation methods for different biomasses, such as salmon and cod skin, filet, and liver, ensuring reproducibility and robustness in lipidomics/metabolomics analysis.
Data processing and lipid identification using LipidSearch, Compound Discoverer, and other relevant MS software.
Statistical and multivariate data analysis in R and Python to extract meaningful biological insights from lipidomics/metabolomics datasets.
Comparative analysis of lipid and metabolite profiles in farmed salmon and cod under different environmental conditions and health challenges.
Method development for targeted lipidomics approaches to quantify specific lipids and metabolites linked to fish health and stress responses.

The applicants must present a description outlining the academic basis of the PhD project. The project description shall not exceed 4 pages, literature references included. It must include a description of the topic, research question(s) and a reasoning of the choices. It should also indicate the methodologies to be used. The final project description will be developed in cooperation with the supervisor.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Kine Ø. Hansen:

phone: +47 77 64 92 72
email: kine.o.hanssen@uit.no

Qualifications

The candidate must:

Have a master’s degree or equivalent in one of the following areas: Pharmacy, biomedical sciences, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, biotechnology or similar, with an emphasis on advanced analytical techniques, focus on mass spectrometry or lipidomics/metabolomics. If you will complete your master’s degree by July 1st, you may still apply.
Practical (hands-on) experience with mass spectrometry techniques
Document fluency of in English and be able to work in an international environment.
Document a good command of Norwegian equivalent to Bergen test, level B2 or other Scandinavian languages, to be able to teach in Norwegian.

It will be considered an advantage if the candidate has:

A strong interest in mass spectrometry-based lipidomics and metabolomics. The application must include a cover letter explaining the candidates interests and motivation for applying for the position.
Experience with UHPLC-Orbitrap MS or comparable high-resolution mass spectrometry techniques.
Experience in lipidomics or omics-based research.
Experience in sample preparation optimization for different biomasses
Data processing using LipidSearch, Compound Discoverer, or similar software.
Proficiency in statistical and multivariate data analysis using R or Python.

The selection process will emphasize the applicant's potential to successfully complete a PhD, as demonstrated by their master’s thesis, scientific work, and relevant experience. The project description will also be considered.

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who:

Have good collaboration skills
Have good communication and interaction with colleagues and students
Wants to contribute to a good working environment

As many people 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.

Admission to the PhD programme

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:

A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS.
A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.

Applicants must have a grade of C or better on the master's thesis and have a grade point average of C or better for the master's degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

We offer

Involvement in an interesting research project
Good career opportunities
A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues 
Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement 
Pension scheme through the state pension fund 
PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 536 200 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

Application 

Your application must include:

Cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
CV
Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree
Official transcript of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
Documentation of English proficiency. Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.
Documentation of proficiency in Norwegian level B2 (or a Scandinavian language).
2-3 references with contact information
Master’s thesis, and any other academic works (if you are near completion of your master's degree, see the paragraph below)
Project description (max 4 pages)

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. To be eligible, you have to have completed your master’s degree by July 1st. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. We only accept applications and documentation sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

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 written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants.

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.

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