PhD Research Fellow in fungal biology/ecology

About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in fungal biology/ecology available at Department of Biosciences/ Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (EVOGENE).

The fellowship period is three years.

A fourth year maybe considered and it will involve 25 percent of other career-promoting work. Other career-promoting work may consist of teaching, supervision, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

Starting date no later than October 1, 2026.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo. 

Place of work is Department of Biosciences/ Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (EVOGENE) at Blindern, Oslo.

Job description

The candidate will be part of Oslo Mycology Group (OMG), a vigorous research group including around 15 people focusing mainly on fungal ecology and evolution. To study fungi, we often combine field work with DNA-based laboratory methods and bioinformatics.

Most land plants form mycorrhizal symbiosis with various fungi in their roots, where the associated fungi provide the host plant with an increased uptake of nutrients and water from the soil. The mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi extends from the plant roots into the soil and can form extensive belowground individuals (genets). In forests, the mycelium of one genet can connect two or more trees, even of different plant species, which is then termed a common mycorrhizal network (CMN).

The core of the PhD project is to conduct spatiotemporal analyses and mapping of common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) formed by various mycorrhizal fungi in forest ecosystems. To this end, various sample types - soil, fungal fruit bodies, and plant roots - will be collected in a long-term monitoring plot in a forest near Oslo. The samples will be analyzed using high-throughput DNA sequencing, including DNA metabarcoding and population genetics/genomics. During the project, we may also establish pilot experiments addressing the functionality of CMNs.

The main research tasks will include fieldwork, DNA laboratory work, bioinformatics, statistical analyses, and scientific writing. The candidate will collaborate closely with four supervisors with different competences, as well as with international research partners. There will be possibilities for research visit(s) abroad to other laboratories.

What skills are important in this role?

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Required qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in fungal biology/ecology
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• Formal competence and hands-on experience in DNA-based methods, including DNA-extraction, PCR, and analyses of high-throughput sequence data
• Competence and hands-on experience in bioinformatics and statistics
• Experience with scientific writing

Candidates without a master’s degree have until June 30, 2026 to complete the final exam.

Desired qualifications:

• Knowledge in mycorrhizal ecology/biology
• Solid experience with DNA metabarcoding, including DNA library preparation and bioinformatics analyses
• Experience with population genetics and genotyping, including library preparation and bioinformatics analyses
• Competence and hands-on experience with R and statistics
• Experience in field work
• Experience with scientific publishing

Language requirement:

• Good oral and written communication skills in English
• English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements:
  https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/regulations/regulations.html#toc8

Grade requirements:
The norm is as follows:

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information see:
http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

All candidates and projects will have to undergo a check versus national export, sanctions and security regulations. Candidates may be excluded based on these checks. Primary checkpoints are the Export Control regulation, the Sanctions regulation, and the national security regulation.

What are we looking for in you?

Personal skills:

• We strongly emphasize a good working environment and is looking for a person with good interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods
• The project will involve handling and processing of a high number of samples at the lab. We therefore need a person with ability to work precise in a very structured manner.

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.

We can offer you

• 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
• Career development programmes
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• Salary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 - 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund 

We need different perspectives in our work

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues, could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. 

We hope you will apply for the position with us.

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma and transcripts of records (see below)
• Documentation of English proficiency if applicable
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for this job". Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.

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

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.

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 can't, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.  

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