Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in archaeological geochemistry and dating

About the position

A Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1352) is available in archaeological geochemistry and dating at the Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo. 

The position is part of the project Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch), funded by the European Research Council (ERC Synergy Grant 101224871). More information about the project can be found here. 

More about the position

The appointed candidate will work within the overarching goal of the project EcoArch to disentangle the drivers of landscape and climate change in the Afrotropics since the introduction of domesticated food economies. 

Candidates should propose a research project that provides, in one form or another, an examination of landscape transformation in the Afrotropics since the advent of agriculture using high-resolution dated sediment cores recovered from lakes or swamps as well as archaeological sites. The candidate will work in conjunction with the Tandem Laboratory at the University of Uppsala to apply state-of-the-art dating analyses coupled with compound-specific isotope analyses (CSIA) to be interpreted in tandem with biomarker analyses.

Applicants are required to upload/attach a research proposal (hf.uio.no) stating how they intend to address the central research questions and offer theoretical and methodological approaches to attend to the project’s objectives. Preference will be given to independent projects devoted to addressing one or more of these following possible themes: 

• The roles humans have had over the last 6000 years in shaping ecological baselines. 
• Landscape changes across the Afrotropics following the introduction of pastoralism and plant cultivation.
• Potential roles of fire, land clearance, grazing, plant selection and climate variability in shaping landscape complexion.
• Use of high-precision, dated sediment cores and CSIA to shape our understandings of ecosystem functionality over different time scales.

Proposals will be evaluated based on their relevance to EcoArch, feasibility and application of theoretical and practical knowledge to better understand how humans have changed ecological systems over the last 6000 years. 

IAKH’s archaeometry research group and laboratory provides the context for the fellowship, which houses a Büchi E-914 SpeedExtractor for extracting samples. Further laboratory analysis will take place at the Tandem Laboratory in Uppsala, and the candidate is expected to periodically travel between Oslo and Uppsala. In addition, the successful candidate is expected to travel to Africa and will join the team in sampling from archaeological sites as well as coring in the regions and analysing sediments from these projects. 

The appointment is for a duration of four years. 10% of the position is devoted to research-based and research-led contributions to career-promoting work within the scope of EcoArch’s project goals.

The successful candidate is expected to be based in Oslo. The preferred starting date is October - December 2026. 

The main purpose of postdoctoral research fellowships is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

 Qualifications

Mandatory requirements:

• PhD or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialization in archaeological geochemistry or a related discipline.
• The candidate's research project must be closely connected to central objectives of the EcoArch project. 
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• Background in biomarker analysis and/or compound specific isotope analysis and/or archaeometric dating techniques and Bayesian statistics.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position

The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the application deadline. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved. 

Qualifications that count in the assessment of candidates:

• Archaeological or geologic fieldwork experience 
• Laboratory experience with biomarkers from archaeological contexts
• Knowledge of Bayesian statistics and the use of R or a related application
• Documented success with inter- and cross-disciplinary collaborations
• Documented success of working within deadlines
• Communication skills and publication of research results in peer-reviewed academic journals

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 offer

• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Fully funded research and travel for the period of the three-year position
• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK from 595 000 – to 677 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (spk.no), which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Attractive welfare benefits (uio.no)

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

Application

The application must include:

• Application letter describing your qualifications and motivation for the position
• Curriculum Vitae with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities
• Project proposal, including a detailed progress plan for the project (3 - 5 pages, maximum 14,000 characters. See Template for project proposal (hf.uio.no)
• List of publications
• Copies of diplomas and educational certificates (PhD / MA / BA) 

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language. Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge. 

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

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 cannot, you will hear from us.

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

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.