Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Bioinformatics of eDNA

The position

A position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow in bioinformatics of eDNA is available at the Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT. The appointment is for three years. The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position no later than 6 months after receiving the offer. You will conduct research as a part of the Norwegian Centre for Arctic Ecosystem Genomics (ArcEcoGen) and will be part of the methodological development working group.

Research at ArcEcoGen focuses on the combined effect of humans, climate, and biota on northern ecosystem dynamics in the past, present, and future using environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques. Norway has among the world’s best coverage of local flora and fauna in DNA reference libraries, with nearly 20,000 species barcoded. Further, we have low coverage genome skims of 2000 vascular plants from Norway and Arctic regions (PhyloNorway) and access to 6000 genome skims from European alpine regions (PhyloAlps). In addition, the large natural history collections at The Museum will be available for creating complementary reference libraries. Our collections also include sediment samples from arctic and alpine lakes as well as DNA extracts from sediments and organisms. We also have fully equipped laboratories and infrastructure for recovery and analyses of modern, ancient, and eDNA, as well as field equipment for sediment coring.

As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, you will have the opportunity to advance your scientific career and further qualify for academic positions. 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. 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 position's field of research

The position will focus on bioinformatic analyses of shotgun sequence data from lake sediments collected from many sites across arctic-alpine landscape in Europe. Currently, shotgun sequencing does not yield reliable identification on species level for vascular plants. Using our genome skim reference library PhyloNorway combined with 15X and full genome data, the Post Doc will develop new methods for processing and annotating DNA shotgun data with a focus on vascular plants.

The position holder will also participate in teaching, outreach, and methodological assistance to the ArcEcoGen members. It is expected that the position holder will participate in research group collaboration and professional networks nationally and internationally and will also be supported to obtain external funding from national and international funding agencies (e.g. RCN/EU).

You must submit a research plan that describes how you scientifically can contribute to the described field of research (1-2 pages).

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Professor Inger Greve Alsos:

• phone: +47 77620796 
• email: inger.g.alsos@uit.no 

or Head of Department Dr. Geir Rudolfsen:

• phone: +47 77646881
• email: geir.rudolfsen@uit.no 

Qualifications

We are looking for a candidate with a strong interest in developing bioinformatics methods for sequence analysis in close collaboration with researchers in biology.  

• A Norwegian PhD degree in bioinformatics or other relevant field or a corresponding foreign PhD degree recognised as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD degree. Qualification with a PhD is required before commencement in the position. If you’re at the final stages of your PhD, you may still apply if you have submitted your PhD thesis for doctoral degree evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis with your application. You must have dissertated before the start-up date of the position.
• A research profile with relevant experience in biological sequence analysis, with complementary skills in machine learning or other relevant algorithms.
• A relevant publication record, and with a clear vision for further research development
• Excellent English language skills. Nordic applicants can document their capabilities by attaching their high school diploma

• Prior experience in genome-skimming, mapping and classification of metagenomic data, k-mer– based methods, reference database construction, and phylogenetic placement
• Ability to assess where machine-learning approaches may complement existing bioinformatic and phylogenomic methods, particularly for improving taxonomic resolution
• Skills in data management, statistics, DNA metabarcoding, and/or next generation sequencing
• Fluency in Norwegian/another Scandinavian language
• Experience in teaching and outreach
• Knowledge in DNA metabarcoding and next generation sequencing

In the assessment the main emphasis will be attached to the submitted works and the research plan. Emphasis shall also be attached to experience from popularization/dissemination and academic policy and administrative activity.

During the assessment emphasis will be put on the candidate’s motivation, potential for research, and personal suitability for the position. 

• Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
• Networking skills
• Ability to collaborate
• Ability to cooperate and communicate well with other members of staff

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 
• A highly competent research environment
• 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

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:

• Application letter including a short description of interests and reasons for applying for the position
• CV containing a complete overview of experience, professional work and references
• Diplomas and transcripts (all degrees)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Contact information to 2 references
• Documentation of educational competence, if available
• A list of your academic production
• Description of your academic production, stating which works you consider most important
• Description of your most relevant academic works, up to ten. The doctoral thesis is regarded as one work
• An outline of a research plan and how your skills align with the aim of the Aurora Centre (1-2 pages)

If you’re at the final stages of your PhD, you may still apply if you have submitted your PhD thesis for doctoral degree evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis with your application. Documentation of your completed PhD degree must be submitted before commencement.

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. 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.