About the position 

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Theoretical Physics is available at the Department of Physics.

Starting date no later than October 1, 2025. 

The fellowship period is 3 years. 

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

A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25 % that normally consists of teaching. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the department.

Job description

The successful applicant will join the research project "A truncated particle", financed by the Research Council of Norway (2025-2029), at the Section for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics. It is a project in fundamental physics at the intersection of quantum field theory, quantum optics, and quantum information, focusing on the effects of localized, causal interactions on particle states.

At the heart of this research project is the following question. What happens if you truncate a photon? If the leading tail of a single photon is removed using an optical shutter, what is the resulting state? This question, despite being banal at first sight, has not been asked before in the literature. The problem is not at all simple, as the localized effect of the shutter interacts nontrivially with the quantum vacuum and creates new photons. The answer must be complicated, and the treatment has several important applications in quantum field theory and quantum optics.

The candidate will consider this question, and more generally, locally equivalent states in quantum field theory. The set of strictly localized states close to nonclassical states such as single particle states will be characterized, both for bosons and fermions. A main goal in the project is to obtain a framework for describing experiments (for example, scattering) where the information transfer is manifestly causal. In addition to fundamental, new understanding, the work is expected to have applications in quantum information science.

Qualifications

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:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in physics
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• A strong background in quantum field theory and/or theoretical quantum optics, including the relevant physics and mathematics foundations

Candidates without a Master’s degree have until 15 September 2025 to complete the final exam.

Grade requirements:
The norm is as follows:

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or bet-ter 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

Language requirements:

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

For candidates who would like to apply for a fourth year including teaching, good knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is strongly preferred.

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/

Personal skills

• Good collaboration skills, and the ability to work independently

We offer

• Vibrant international academic environment
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• Good welfare schemes.
• Career development programmes
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017, in salary range NOK from 536 200 - 575 400, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

Application

Your application should include:

• Cover letter – short statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, previous positions and academic work)
•  Copies of the original Bachelor’s and Master’s degree diplomas
• Transcripts of records
• Documentation of English proficiency
• List of any 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)
• Applicants who are interested in teaching need to add to this application a description of their motivation for and (if any) experience with teaching.

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. 

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.

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.