Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

About the position

Applications are invited for a 3-4-year postdoctoral research fellowship in affective neuroscience at the Leknes Affective Brain lab (www.affectivebrains.com), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway. The starting date in the position is set to January 2026.

The position is associated with the project: «The full spectrum of opioid effects», funded by an ERC Consolidator Grant. The candidate would be responsible for day-to-day management of a work package that centers on laboratory testing of a newly discovered human genetic knockout model population, as well as data analysis of large-scale registry data comparing mutation carriers to non-carriers. The aim of the project is to generate novel insights into human endogenous opioid function.

More about the position

Opioid analgesics are powerful medical tools with the potential to cause terrible side effects. Because their effects are so variable across individuals and contexts, many key debates remain unsettled in the field. Improved understanding of endogenous opioid functions in the healthy human brain is urgently needed.

While it is well known that opioid drugs interfere with the many functions endogenous opioids serve throughout the brain and body, current understanding relies too heavily on extrapolation from rodent studies and non-specific pharmacology in humans. Notably, genetically engineered ‘knockout’ mice that lack the mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) have revealed the opioid-dependence of e.g. pain and stress regulation. Moreover, an OPRM1 genetic dose response was found for reward by comparing knockouts to heterozygous knockdown mice with few mu-opioid receptors. The project centers on a newly discovered human OPRM1 knockout/knockdown model to probe human endogenous opioid function with a precision far exceeding existing antagonist studies in the field.

The project offers opportunities to develop unique competence in behavioral genetics, experimental psychology and psychopharmacology, whilst working in an ambitious yet friendly and collaborative, interdisciplinary environment. The research group comprises affective and social neuroscience, psychology, anesthesiology, and other disciplines and specializes in the study of pain, reward, stress, and addiction. The candidate will participate in study design, data collection, analysis, and publications in close collaboration with other team members and under the guidance of Siri Leknes. Further details about the project are available upon request, and applicants can contact professor Leknes for more information.

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Residence in Norway is expected, but postdoctoral research fellows are also encouraged to spend time abroad during the fellowship period. 

Qualifications

Necessary qualifications

• Applicants must hold a PhD degree in psychology, neuroscience, medicine, or related field.
  • Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the application deadline.
  • Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.
• A qualified applicant must have expertise in quantitative statistical analysis as well as training and experience in at least one of the following areas: psychopharmacology, computational neuroscience, experimental psychology, functional imaging, behavioral genetics,
• Documented experience with either psychopharmacology, laboratory testing of reward, pain, or stress in human participants, or advanced quantitative statistical analysis (e.g. multilevel/mixed models) and analysis of longitudinal or clustered (dependent) data is a requirement.
• Extensive experience with statistical modelling, preferably in R
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Relevant and significant scientific publications in respected journals, at the level of the career status of the applicant.

Additional desired qualifications

Coding skills are a strong advantage

The cover letter must include relevant, brief reflections on the implementation of this behavioral genetics study, e.g. sketches of an analysis plan for data extracted from suitable databases, ideas for statistical analysis comparing single-case/small-group mutation carriers to controls, etc. Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications. In the assessment of applications, emphasis will be on:

• The applicant’s personal suitability and motivation for the position, including enthusiasm, flexibility, curiosity, and a strong ability to collaborate as part of a larger research team
• Previous research and interest in the above-mentioned themes, e.g. reward, stress, addiction, pain, opioids
• Proven ability to work independently and efficiently on relevant research topics.

Why should you choose us?

• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
• Committed colleagues in a pleasant and stimulating work environment.
• Good welfare schemes. 
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours. A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK from 610 000 - 690 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

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.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

Application

The application must include

• Cover letter, stating motivations for this position and reflections on project implementation.
• A CV with full education, positions, academic experiences, details on PhD thesis, detailed computational skills and a list of publications.
• Certified copies of diplomas, grade transcripts and any other testimonials.
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number).
   

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

General information

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, as well as the candidate’s motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged. The final hiring decision is the responsibility of the department’s board and will be based on an evaluation of the overall qualifications of the shortlisted candidates and the department’s needs.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian) and Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO.

Recruitment positions are appointed on a fixed-term basis pursuant to the Act om Universities and Colleges § 7-6. No one can be employed for more than one fixed-term period in the same position category at the same institution.verall qualifications of the shortlisted candidates and the department’s needs.

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.