About the position 

Position as PhD Research Fellow in chemical biology available at Department of Chemistry, Section for chemical life sciences – biomolecules, bio-inspired, materials and bioanalytics.

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

Starting date no later than October 1, 2025.

The fellowship period is 3 years.
A fourth year may be considered with a workload of 25 % that may consist of teaching, supervision duties, and/or research assistance. This is dependent upon the qualification of the applicant and the current needs of the Department.

Job description

Due to advances in medical science, human lifespans have expanded, placing neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and Huntington's at the forefront of health concerns. A shared feature of these diseases is the abnormal accumulation of proteins, leading to impaired neural function and cognitive decline. While the exact molecular mechanisms behind these accumulations remain elusive, there's growing interest in understanding the potential catalytic properties of protein aggregates and their role in these diseases. This project will employ methods like recombinant protein expression, chemical peptide synthesis, and biophysical characterization of aggregation to investigate the catalytic roles of certain amyloids in relation to their aggregation states and dynamics. By focusing on the catalytic aspect of protein aggregates the project hope to elucidate new and innovative therapeutic approaches. 

The work will involve: 

• Development of expression systems for the production of proteins (e.g. Aβ, α-synuclein). 
• Investigation of the catalytic properties of amyloids and their relation to the aggregation state.
• Development of synthetic peptide variants inspired by nature or what we know about ideal design of catalytic sites and characterize their catalytic physicochemical and toxicological properties. 
• A study of the relationship between other proteins (e.g. Tau, apoE, CASS4, NME8) and how these also may be characterized using similar strategies.

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 qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in molecular biology or a corresponding area with experience in protein expression and purification.
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system.
• For a 4-year position, the candidate must master a Scandinavian language sufficiently well to teach in that language. The Department of Chemistry will prioritize candidates that can teach in biochemistry and/or organic chemistry.
   

Desired qualifications:

• An interest in chemistry and chemical synthesis would be advantageous. 
• A large part of the work will involve structural characterization of protein/peptide aggregates, so insight into scattering techniques, NMR, protein folding, and spectroscopic measurements would be advantageous.
   

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.
   

Language requirements:

• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English. If eligible for a fourth year with teaching, it will necessary to be also be fluent in a Scandinavian language. 
• 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 
 

Candidates without a master’s degree have until 30 June 2025 to complete the final exam.
 
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/

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 Doctoral 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

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, transcripts of records and 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. Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.

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.

Contact information 

For further information, please contact: Håvard Jenssen, e-mail: haavje@uio.no, phone: +45 61951209
 

For questions regarding recruitment system Jobbnorge, please contact:
HR advisor Olga Holmlund, e-mail: olga.holmlund@mn.uio.no