Researcher on bioaccumulation and effects of PFAS in seabirds

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At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

   

Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0

About the Job

Are you ready to take your research career to the next level? We offer an exciting 2-year position within the field of ecotoxicology that gives you the opportunity to develop a strong researcher profile (post PhD). You will gain valuable experience that might be relevant for your further career.

Apply for this position to become part of our strong research environment and take the next step in your career with us.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of the Biology Department. The research supervisors will be Prof. Veerle Jaspers and Prof. Bjørn Munro Jensen in the ENVITOX research group, Department of Biology.

About the project

We are searching for a researcher with experience within wildlife ecotoxicology that will focus on accumulation and effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in seabirds. The researcher will be employed at the Department of Biology, NTNU in the ClimACTox project (Interactive effects of pollution and climate on seabirds in Arctic coastal ecosystems) financed by the Norwegian Research Council (Project #343266). The candidate should have experience in wildlife ecotoxicology and pollutant analysis. 

The researcher will carry out investigations into accumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in seabird species, and investigate effect biomarkers, e.g. related to endocrine disruption and immunomodulation. The sampling of the seabirds, including common eiders Somateria mollissima, Arctic skuas Stercorarius parasiticus and great skuas S. skua, is coordinated by NINA (with the possibility for the researcher to join) at specific breeding sites in high arctic and sub-arctic coastal Norway and on Svalbard. The three species differ in their trophic ecology, life-history, and migratory movements. Depending on the species, samples (mainly blood and feathers) and/or previous data are available for several of the breeding sites (some samples since 2014).

The overall goal of ClimACTox is to address the consequences of long-term effects of climate change, pollutants and seasonal distribution on the population dynamics of Arctic seabirds. The specific research questions to be addressed during the research period are related to time trends of PFAS pollution in the different species, the importance of wintering area in their exposure, the importance of PFAS precursors in the total exposure scenario, and the potential effects on physiology and reproductive parameters. In collaboration with partners at NINA, the results will be applied to model the possible effects of PFAS on the population levels of these species. The researcher will be actively involved in co-supervision of master students in activities linked to ClimACTox.

Duties of the position

• Carry out research within ClimACTox on PFAS analysis and biomarkers in seabirds 
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the ENVITOX research group 
• Apply for additional research funding and aid to report on progress to funding sources 
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays 
• Mentoring students, helping them with their research projects, and advising on methodology and academic writing 

Required selection criteria

• You must have completed, or soon to be completed, a doctoral degree in Environmental Toxicology, Ecotoxicology, Environmental Chemistry or in Biology from Norway or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree. NOTE: Documentation of the obtained doctorate must be presented before you can take up the position 
• First author publications in international peer-reviewed journals are required
• Experience in wildlife ecotoxicology and (organic) pollutant analysis in biota samples
• Excellent oral and written presentation skills in English 

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience with organic pollutant analysis in wildlife samples
• Field work experience
• Experience with running linear models in R
• Experience with PFAS analysis is an advantage
• Experience in teaching and/or co-supervision of MSc-students is an advantage

Personal characteristics

Working as a researcher requires that you:

• Work independently with a problem-solving attitude
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject 
• Enjoy interdisciplinary research
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals (e.g. at NTNU and NINA)
• Are flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed 

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities, such as motivation, experience and curiosity.

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

Salary and conditions

The gross salary for the position of researcher (code 1109) is depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The position is temporary for 2 years.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.   

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work. 

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. 

About the application

Your application and supporting documentation must be in English. 

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Your application must include:

• A letter of motivation for the position
• CV, diplomas, and certificates. If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or confirmation that your PhD thesis has been submitted. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, you can attach a draft of the thesis. 
• Academic works - published or unpublished (up to 5 items)
• A complete publication list
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees

It is important that you both document and reflect on your competence. You are encouraged to use the NTNUs competence matrix as a guide for  documentation of your competence.

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Open scientific practice will be recognized.

NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and The obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions to science and society. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.

Your application will be considered by a committee at the department. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview.

General information

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse, and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.   

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.  

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability, and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. 

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality. (delete if not applicable) 

As an employee at NTNU, you must continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given expert evaluations of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and are stipulated by rules of confidentiality. 

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Prof. Veerle Jaspers, email: veerle.jaspers@ntnu.no or Prof. Bjørn Munro Jenssen, email: bjorn.munro.jenssen@ntnu.no

If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Consultant Alexander Skomakerstuen, e-mail alexander.skomakerstuen@ntnu.no. 

Application deadline: 26.04.2026

 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.