PhD Research Fellow in (Pharmaceutical) analytical chemistry

About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in (Pharmaceutical) analytical chemistry availableat the Department of Pharmacy 

Starting date after May 1st but no later than May 15th 2026.

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.

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

Job description

The position is part of the EU funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) "MIPrecise". This network is coordinated by Börje Seller-gren from the Malmö University. 

More information on MIPrecise can be found here: 
MIPrecise - Development and use of stable synthetic antibodies and de-signed receptors as diagnostic tools to reduce cancer treatment disparities

The candidate will work with implementing Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) in the sample preparation workflow of bottom-up liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of established disease biomarkers. Novel MIP-assays developed in the project will be validated against conventional assays (including both immunoassays (where available) and MS-based assays). The 
project will mainly be conducted at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo (UiO), but will include secondments (total approximately 6 months) to Proteome Sciences, Frankfurt (Germany), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (United Kingdom) and Capitainer AB (Sweden).

At UiO the candidate will focus on the determination of biomarkers for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), which is an aggressive form of lung cancer with a short survival after diagnosis (few months). Since SCLC is sensitive for treatment, early diagnosis or proper monitoring is of high interest. Our research focuses on design and development of the sample preparation and the possibility to determine and differentiate multiple SCLC markers simultaneously at ultra-low concentrations which might allow a more robust and personalized diagnostic profile in the future.

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.

Qualification requirements:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in (bio)analytical chemistry at the moment of appointment
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system in (bio)analytical chemistry
• Experience with LC-MS and sample preparation (SPE or immuno-based affinity extractions) preferable from biological samples
• Residency Restriction: The applicant can be of any nationality but at the date of recruitment should not have resided in the country where the research training takes place for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment and not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in that country. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account
• Candidates must not have a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

Desired qualifications:

• Tryptic digestion of proteins for LC-MS analysis
• Experience with nano-flow LC-MS systems
• Knowledge of polymer chemistry in general and molecular imprinting technology in special is advantageous

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:

• Curious, analytical, patient, creative
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work precise in a structured manner and swiftly adapts to new tasks
• Good communication and collaboration skills
• Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods

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
• Letters of recommendation
• 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 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

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.