PhD Candidate in Medicine and Health Sciences

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At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the position

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join our dynamic research environment at the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. The position is for a period of 3 years. The PhD candidate will work on a project lead by Dr. Kristin Roseth Aass, researcher on Centre for Myeloma Research in Trondheim. The center brings together researchers and clinicians at NTNU and St. Olav´s University Hospital and do clinical, translational and basic research on the cancer Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer arising in plasma cells in the bone marrow. 

IKOM is the faculty´s largest department with around 450 employees. IKOM is physically integrated with St. Olav’s University Hospital, providing unique opportunities for close collaboration between clinical practice and academic research.

About the project

Immunotherapy has rapidly become a cornerstone of Multiple Myeloma treatment and the PhD will focus on understanding the role of the immune environment in the response to such treatment. Monoclonal antibodies targeting CD38 (anti-CD38), a surface molecule on the cancer cells, is an important treatment for myeloma, but rapid relapse or lack of response remains a significant challenge. 

The aim of this project is to investigate how anti-CD38 treatment affects the immune system of myeloma patients. We will study which features of the immune cell environment that are associated with treatment response by comparing immune cells from patients with good and poor responses. 

Immune cells from patients will be analyzed using single-cell “multi-omics” sequencing, which will provide information about the composition of immune cell populations as well as their epigenetic and functional characteristics. The immune cells will be further characterized by in vitro cell culture assays and flow- or mass- cytometry analyses. Through these analyses, we hope to identify new mechanisms underlying resistance to anti-CD38 therapy, which may contribute to the development of improved immunotherapy approaches for myeloma. A deeper understanding of differences between patients with good and poor responses may support greater precision and individualized treatment strategies.

The PhD candidate will join a collaborative and international research environment, participate in weekly group meetings, and work closely with other people at Centre for Myeloma research and IKOM, including master’s students, other PhD students, postdocs, engineers, researchers and external collaborators. We have excellent infrastructures for experimental and clinical research with state-of-the-art equipment. Moreover, IKOM offer local core facilities in imaging, bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics.

Duties of the position

The primary task of the PhD candidate will be to analyze immune cells from myeloma patients treated with anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies. Depending on the candidate’s background, the main focus will either be on bioinformatic analysis of single-cell sequencing data or on laboratory-based work, including cell-culture assays, flow cytometry and mass cytometry. The candidate should, however, be prepared to contribute to all these methods, as well as to other ongoing research projects in the group.

The work will lead to scientific publications that, together with coursework equivalent to 30 credits, will form the basis for the doctoral degree.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a relevant Master's degree or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position and no later than 01.07.2026.
• You must have a strong academic background in a field relevant for the position, which includes biochemistry, cell biology, biotechnology, immunology or medicine, or computational biology/bioinformatics/informatics 
• The average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, should be equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences´ Doctoral Programme
• Proficiency in oral and written English 

PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Practical experience with bioinformatics/computational biology 
• Experience with single-cell or other next generation sequencing analysis
• Experience in cell- and molecular biology laboratory techniques
• Experience with flow cytometry or mass cytometry
• Good communication skills, both oral and written
• Interest or background within immunology

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: 

• Strong motivation and scientific curiosity
• Work independently and in teams
• Work in a structured and goal-oriented manner
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Work constructively under pressure and show perseverance in the face of obstacles

We offer

• Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)  
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)
• Access to NTNU´s employee benefits.

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. 

The employment period is 3 years. 

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Medicine and Health Sciences within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

The position is conditional on external funding.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in English. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The application must include:

• CV, including list of publications, relevant former positions
• Copy of relevant transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor´s and Master's degrees
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have not yet or recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis or a description of you project. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• A short statement from a former supervisor/tutor/teacher may also be included
• Contact information of two referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.

Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Researcher Kristin Roseth Aass, telephone +47 47 76 47 72, email kristin.r.aass@ntnu.no. 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Advisor Elisabeth Myrvang, e-mail: elisabeth.myrvang@ntnu.no.

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For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 
 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.