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Postdoctoral Research Fellow position

There is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow position in marine evolutionary ecology at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Bergen. The position is for a fixed term of 3 years and is associated with the Theoretical Ecology group (http://bio.uib.no/te).

The ocean is a physical environment that is dynamic and variable in terms of e.g. light, temperature, and ocean currents. These provide constraints and opportunities for the organisms that live there, who have evolved adaptations in terms of physiology, behaviours, and life history strategies that make them succeed with surviving and producing offspring. In the Theoretical Ecology group, our approach to studying marine systems is therefore to focus on the individual in its environment and develop numerical models to study how physical influences and relationships with other species can explain the adaptations these organisms have. This requires a thorough understanding of marine ecology, the role of the environment, and the capabilities of marine organisms, but also good numerical literacy in developing computer code for simulation models and for data analysis and interpretation.

About the project/work tasks:

The position is part of the starting grant project DRIFT – “Systematically rethinking advection and cross-ecosystem subsidies” (https://bio.uib.no/te/research/advection/) – funded by the Trond Mohn Research Foundation, with partners at the Geophysical Institute and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, the University Museum of Bergen, and the Faroe Marine Research Institute.

The project focuses on how advection turns ocean currents into food conveyors. The open ocean harbours an estimated 1–16 billion tonnes of small mesopelagic fishes, comprising 50–95% of global fish biomass. Many of these, along with pelagic crustaceans, squids, and gelatinous zooplankton, are active vertical migrators but remain hidden in the twilight zone at depths of several hundred meters during the day. Our focus is when these drifting organisms are transported from the open ocean towards underwater slopes—such as seamounts, banks, and continental shelf breaks—where they are pushed from the deep twilight into the shallower depths where light can reach, and there become easy prey for predators. Our hypothesis is that this process fuels productive ecosystems and supports dense predator populations along these slopes and coasts. DRIFT aims to uncover the mechanisms that govern when and where oceanic prey becomes accessible to predators, map foraging hotspots across the North Atlantic, and predict how advected biomass shapes production, life histories, and species distributions in recipient ecosystems.

The primary responsibility of the postdoctoral research fellow will be to lead the analysis of field data and integrate it with ongoing modelling efforts in the project. In particular, the fellow will analyse a three-decade acoustic time series collected via an array of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler moorings positioned around the Faroese shelf. Depending on the candidate’s disposition, skills, and interests, the position may evolve in one of two directions: (1) conducting a trait-based analysis of over 30 years of fisheries survey data from the Faroe Marine Research Institute to compare slope communities upstream and downstream of the shelf, or (2) contributing to the development of mechanistic simulation models for adaptive behaviour of predators and prey along shelf ecosystems.

The position offers opportunities to gain experience in project coordination and scientific leadership, including involvement in the planning of a research cruise and co-supervision of Master’s students.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) within biology or another discipline relevant for the project. PhD-students may apply if defence of the PhD-thesis is completed by 31.12.2025. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded.
• Documented experience and confidence in quantitative analysis and computer programming, preferably using R, MATLAB, or Fortran is a requirement.
• Demonstrated experience working with large field datasets is a requirement
• Experience with acoustic data analysis and related software is an advantage
• A background in one or more of the following areas: marine ecology, fisheries science, trait-based analysis, biological oceanography, bioacoustics, or ecological modelling is an advantage
• Applicants must have excellent skills in oral and written English.
• Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and have the ability to cooperate with others. The project aims at extensive and close-knit teamwork.
• Applicants must be willing to challenge existing ideas and approaches.

In the evaluation of the candidates, their personal and relational qualities, independence, and relevant research experience will be emphasized. Ambitions, as demonstrated in the motivation letter and interviews, will count when evaluating candidates. We expect the candidate's presented qualifications and work to show a high degree of future potential and an upwards trajectory.

Special requirements for the position
The University of Bergen is subjected to the regulation for export control system. The regulation will be applied in the processing of the applications.

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:

The postdoctoral position is a fixed term position with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. If the appointee lacks teaching experience, or other relevant qualifications, the employment period may be increased to 3 years and 6 months. Teaching and other duties will in such cases be added to the position. The position may be extended by up to one year (maximum 4 years in total) if the appointee is granted externally financed research stays abroad. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

For postdoctoral research fellow positions associated with externally financed projects, the completion of the project proposal for the qualifying work, as well as a progress plan, will be developed in cooperation with the supervisor and head of department.

It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

We can offer:

• a positive, dynamic, trusting and critical research group for discussions and interactions
• position as postdoctoral fellow (code 1352 in the basic collective agreement) and a gross annual salary of NOK 624 500 upon appointment. Further increases in salary are made according to length of service in the position. A higher salary may be considered for a particularly well-qualified applicant
• enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• a brief motivation letter (max 2 pages) of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• the names and contact information for two reference persons we may contact. One of these should be the main advisor from the PhD programme
• CV
• transcripts and diplomas. If you have not yet completed your PhD degree, please submit a statement from your institution confirming the expected date of award of your degree. Your PhD degree must be documented with transcripts and/or diploma, alternatively confirmation from your institution on completed degree before employment
• relevant certificates/references
• a complete list of scientific publications
• three selected papers (as pdfs) relevant to the position. These should ideally demonstrate nuanced scientific writing that pedagogically links established disciplines or levels of understanding

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at JobbNorge.

General information:

For further details about the position, please contact Tom Langbehn, Researcher, Institute of Biological Sciences, UiB. Email: tom.langbehn@uib.no

For HR related questions, please contact HR Adviser Magnus Larsen, magnus.larsen@uib.no

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions. Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.