Postdoctoral Fellow in Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography (Carbon Export)

About the position

A position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the study of vertical particle and carbon export, including sources and sinks, across the Central Arctic Ocean is available at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB), Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE). The position is in collaboration with the Tara Ocean Foundation and Memorial University in Canada, and is part of the Norwegian research project SEDNA funded by the research Council of Norway. 

The position is a fixed term position for a duration of 3 years. It is a prerequisite that the applicant can carry out the project over the full course of the employment period. No person may hold more than one fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the same institution.

The main objective of the appointment as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow is to qualify for work in senior academic position. If you do not already have the educational competence that meets the requirements for an Associate Professor position in Norway, UiT will arrange such competence during the employment period.

The workplace is at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, in Tromsø. You must be able to start in mid-term 2026.

The Department of Arctic and Marine Biology

The Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB) includes 6 research groups. Research and teaching at AMB has a broad span, from molecular mechanisms at cellular/subcellular levels via studies of adaptations at the organismal level, to ecological interactions in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The institute is an exciting and cutting-edge academic and research unit in biology that addresses challenges in basic research, industrial and administrative-oriented research with a strong focus on the North. The Institute has extensive national and international research collaboration including regional institutions like the Fram Center, Institute of Marine Research, The Norwegian Polar Institute, and other Universities abroad.

Description of the position

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will work on marine pelagic community and resulting vertical export and regulation mechanisms as part of the newly funded project Assess Seasonality in Pelagic Diversity and Carbon Export within the Central Arctic Ocean (SEDNA). This study will be based on sediment trap samples, imagery and acoustic data of the pelagic realm collected during previous scientific expeditions in the Central Arctic Ocean and as part of the first transarctic drift of the new Tara Polar Station in 2026-2027.

The research project will focus on assessing seasonal shifts in vertical export of organic material collected by short- and long-term sediment traps during the transition from polar night to midnight sun conditions. Imagery from two Underwater Vision Profilers (UVP) and acoustic data from autonomous and hull-mounted scientific echosounders will complement biogeochemical and biological sediment trap samples. The position will involve carrying out relevant analyses of existing and newly-collected material, analyzing and interpreting data, collaborating with other scientists across different disciplines. and publishing peer-reviewed publications. The Postdoctoral Fellow will also contribute to logistical tasks related to scientific expeditions, and may be participating in relevant field work.

We are looking for a highly motivated person who will work independently and function well as part of a team. They will work collaboratively with other members of the Tara Polar Station project working on the pelagic, sympagic and atmospheric realms. Research will be part of the SEDNA project, led by adjunct Professor Maxime Geoffroy and Professor Marit Reigstad.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

• PhD degree in marine biology/chemistry or biological oceanography (or similar). 
• Experience in biogeochemical and/or ecological studies.
• Skills in relevant analytical approaches is required, including for example biogeochemical analyses, microscopy, image analysis, acoustic analysis, measurements of vertical flux. 
• Skills in relevant statistical methods and quantitative analyses.
• Interest and experience in writing scientific publications.
• Excellent communication skills (in English) both orally and in written documents (including reports and peer-reviewed publications).
• Environmental fieldwork in the Arctic will occur under harsh environmental conditions and candidates must be capable to conduct physical work related to e.g. ice coring, loading and unloading of equipment, etc under such conditions.

Requirements for participating in environmental Arctic field expeditions must be met. Good cooperative abilities are a requirement, together with an ability to work independently and proactively.

Additional desirable qualifications, knowledge and experience

• Experience in polar marine research, including field work (specifically biological and interdisciplinary research).
• Experience with vertical particle flux studies.
• Experience with systems ecology and plankton.
• Experience from work with UVP or active acoustic data.
• Experience with polar marine field work.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary groups and an interest in scientific interaction towards understanding physical and biogeochemical ecosystem functions.
• Proficiency in communicating science to different audiences will be evaluated (including symposia presentations and peer-reviewed publications). 

During the assessment emphasis will be put on the candidate’s motivation, potential for research, 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

At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

Inclusion and diversity  

UiT The Arctic University i 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 is 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 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 

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 for working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility 

Application

The applicant must present both a cover letter explaining their motivation for undertaking the Postdoctoral position, and a suggested project description in English (1-2 pages) that summarizes their scientific interests in the context presented above. The project description should provide examples of publication ideas, including a description of the topic, research question(s), proposed methodology, and a reference list. The final plan for the Postdoctoral research will be developed in cooperation with the mentors upon commencement of the position.

Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position.

Your application must include:

• Cover letter explaining your motivation for undertaking the Postdoctoral position
• CV
• Diploma for bachelor's, master's and PhD degree
• Transcript of grades/academic record for bachelor's, master's and PhD 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)
• Contact information to 2-3 references
• Documentation of educational competence, if available
• PhD thesis, and any other academic works
• Project description in English

The position will be part of an international project where the working language is English. The application should therefore be written in English.

Qualification with a PhD degree is required before commencement in the Postdoctoral position. If you are near completion of your PhD 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. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the PhD degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position.

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. A trial lecture may also be held.

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. 

The remuneration for Postdoctoral Research Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1352, with an annual salary of minimum 595 000,- in a 100 % position. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

The successful candidate must be willing to get involved in the ongoing development of their department and the university as a whole.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and 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.