PhD Research Fellow in Active Learning for Arctic observing systems

About the position

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Active Learning for Arctic observing systems available at the Department of Geosciences

Starting date is as soon as possible.

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.

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

Job description

The PhD fellow will contribute to the development of an observing system for land-atmosphere fluxes of carbon, water, and energy in arctic environments. Observations from eddy flux towers, drones carrying meteorological sensors and gas analyzers, soil sensors, and satellite imagery are fused with land-surface models using data assimilation. The goal is to develop an adaptive experimental design frame-work for the observing system to guide ongoing measurement campaigns and targeted, computationally expensive, model simulations. This experimental design process is envisioned to update iteratively as new data become available to optimally infer surface fluxes across the landscape.

The work will build on and extend the existing infrastructure at the Department of Geosciences, including mobile flux towers and drone-based observing systems developed in-house.

Fieldwork for testing newly developed algorithms is anticipated in mainland Norway, Svalbard, and abroad.

Funding is also available for conference attendances and research visits with external collaborators.

The position is part of the ERC-funded project “Actively learning experimental de-signs in terrestrial climate science (ACTIVATE)”:
https://www.mn.uio.no/geo/english/research/projects/activate/index.html

The PhD fellow will be part of a growing team of researchers, postdocs and PhD students working on intelligent observing systems using machine learning and data assimilation methods in the ACTIVATE project.

What skills are important in this role?

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 geosciences, mathematics, comput-er/data science, physics, environmental sciences, or any other relevant field.
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• The candidate must have a strong quantitative background including experience in scientific programing (using e.g., Python, MATLAB, R, or Julia)
• A strong interest in land-atmosphere interactions, data assimilation methods, and land-surface modelling is required.
• The ability to meet the requirement for security clearance is required

Desired qualifications:

• Experience with data assimilation, probabilistic machine learning, Bayesian inference, inverse modeling, and/or simulation-based inference is an advantage.
• Experience with land-surface models, micro-meteorology, Earth system modeling, and/or satellite remote sensing is an advantage.
• Experience with fieldwork in challenging environments is an advantage.

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/regula-tions.html#toc

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 com-pletion of a PhD degree. For more information see: Supplementary Regulations at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences to the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo - The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

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 reg-ulation, and the national security regulation.

What are we looking for in you?

Personal skills:

• Applicants must be able to work independently while having the ability to actively communicate and co-operate within the larger research team.

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, 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.

We can offer you

• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Career development programmes
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours
• Salary NOK 550 800 – 595 000 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)

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

How to apply:

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Transcripts of records, copies of the original Bachelor’s and Master’s degree diploma
• 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". Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.

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.

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

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 cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to recruitment positions at UiO 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.