PhD Research Fellow in Hydrogeology / Environmental Geoscience

About the position

The Section for Environmental Geoscience, Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo (UiO), invites applications for a PhD Research Fellow to investigate how climate change affects groundwater systems in cold climates.
The fellowship period is three years.

A fourth year may be considered and it will involve 25 % 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, but preferably before September 1.

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

Place of work is The Department of Geosciences in the Geology Building at Blindern, Oslo.
 

Job description

The Environmental Geoscience Section at the Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo (UiO), invites applications for a PhD Research Fellow position. The position is funded by UiO and will be carried out independently by the fellow, while closely linked to ongoing research projects. The main supervisor will be Ass. Prof. Anja Sundal, with co-supervisors from UiO and Eawag/ETH (Switzerland). The overarching research theme is the effects of climate change on groundwater in cold climates.

Groundwater is an important geochemical archive of environmental change, climate variability, and human impact. In the rapidly warming Arctic, processes such as permafrost thaw, changing landscape morphology, altered infiltration patterns, are reshaping groundwater systems. These physical changes in turn drive chemical responses, for example shifts in water–rock interactions, mobilization of dissolved organic carbon and nutrients, and altered redox conditions, creating knowledge gaps about the consequences for ecosystems and carbon cycling.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with existing datasets on (ground-, soil-)water chemistry and carbon in cold climate zones (e.g. permafrost regions in Finnmark) and to expand hydrogeological observations during upcoming field campaigns. Potential methods include using noble gases as natural tracers (miniRUEDI) and/or detailed carbon speciation analyses.
Research directions will be adapted to the candidate’s interests and skills and to emerging opportunities for data collection. Possible topics include:
•    Regional comparative studies of climate impact on groundwater in cold climate sites (e.g. Finmark, Svalbard)
•    Local-scale permafrost–groundwater interactions
•    Large-scale source-to-sink investigations, including exploration of submarine groundwater discharge (POLHAVET 2050 project).

We seek an enthusiastic early-career researcher with a strong interest in groundwater processes and a creative, independent approach to research. You should be motivated to shape your own project as well as contribute ideas and collaborate within a multidisciplinary research environment. Thinking in terms of physical/chemical mechanisms as a foundation for tackling environmental questions — i.e., framing hypotheses around process understanding and causal drivers — will be especially welcomed. The Environmental Geoscience and Cryosphere research groups at UiO strive to be an inclusive and supportive workplace, with an interdisciplinary team ready to provide guidance and networking. Opportunities for international mobility may be available.

The candidate may be asked to provide limited teaching assistance for the courses GEO4360 Field Methods in Hydrogeology and GEO4190 Hydrogeology. Please consult the UiO course webpages for descriptions, and include in your application a short reflection on your ability and interest in assisting with these courses. If you are interested in gaining formal teaching experience, note that this may be accommodated through an extension of the fellowship period.

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.

• Master’s degree (MSc) or equivalent in hydrogeology, environmental geoscience, or a closely related field. Equivalent foreign degrees at M.Sc. level corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system are acceptable.
• Documented experience in one or several of the following areas: Groundwater hydrogeochemistry (e.g., reactive transport, tracers, biogeochemical processes), Groundwater flow modelling, Noble gas isotope mass spectrometry, Carbon speciation in groundwater, Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), Permafrost–groundwater interactions. Please provide concrete examples in your application (projects, theses, publications, methods used).
• A valid passport, eligible for travel in Europe, including Svalbard
• Interest and capability to perform several weeks of fieldwork under Arctic conditions (i.e. Finmark, Svalbard), on land and onboard research vessels. The first field trip may commence already in September 2026. 

Candidates without a master’s degree have until 30.06.2026 to complete the final exam.
 

• Valid driver’s license.
• Programming and numerical analysis skills (e.g., Python, MATLAB) and/or experience with groundwater/geochemical modelling software (e.g., MODFLOW, PHREEQC).
• Experience with laboratory analytical methods (e.g., chromatography, mass spectrometry).
• Familiarity with AI or machine learning applications relevant to environmental data analysis.
• Basic knowledge of GIS/mapping tools 
• Practical outdoor field experience (e.g., groundwater sampling, instrumentation deployment) in challenging conditions.
• Experience with remote sensing applications (e.g., InSAR, thermal IR).
• Experience in teaching, supervision, or scientific outreach.

Please note

• We do not expect any single applicant to possess all desired qualifications. The project scope, research questions, and methods will be tailored to the successful candidate’s skills and interests. You will play an active role in shaping your PhD project as part of the researcher education at UiO.
• In your application, clearly indicate which required and desired qualifications you fulfil, and give concrete examples of relevant experience (fieldwork, analytical techniques, code repositories, publications, course work, etc.).

In the evaluation of the applications, emphasis will be placed on the applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to carry out the project within the allotted time frame and to contribute to the main project.

• Fluent 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?

We are looking for a person with a strong motivation for research and a curious personality. 
You should be able to work well on your own while also thriving in team settings. Be flexible and solution-oriented, able to adapt the research focus as new opportunities and challenges arise. We expect strong motivation for research, structured work habits, and a positive, inclusive attitude — we look forward to welcoming a new colleague to the group.

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

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Transcripts of records, copies of the original Bachelor’s and Master’s degree diploma (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.