Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Statistics and Data Science

About the position

We invite applications for position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow in statistics and data science available at Department of Mathematics.

Preferred starting date as soon as possible.

The fellowship period is three years.

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

The place of work is Department of mathematics at Blindern Campus, Oslo. The position is associated with the newly established Norwegian Maritime AI Centre (MAI), a national initiative for research, innovation, and education in artificial intelligence for the maritime sector. Here you will work together with students, PhD candidates and researchers, as well as world leading industry partners.

The candidate will be affiliated with the Statistics and Data Science Section. The section is active in many areas of applied and theoretical statistics and data science, and is heavily involved in research at the crossing of statistics and machine learning.

The focus of this postdoctoral fellowship is to conduct cutting-edge research on AI-based forecasting and analytics for shipbroking and maritime decision support. The aim is to develop and analyze advanced models that integrate heterogeneous maritime data sources - such as AIS, metocean, emissions, port, cargo, and business data - to improve predictions of costs, freight rates, delays, emissions, and port logistics. While strongly rooted in real-world industrial use cases, the position has a clear academic orientation to develop advanced models for data rich environments. 

The successful candidate is expected to contribute to the methodological foundations of maritime AI, publish in leading international journals and conferences, and collaborate closely with MAI’s academic and industrial partners to advance safe, transparent, and trustworthy AI in the maritime sector. 

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. In addition to the activities in MAI, the project will benefit from a large machine learning research environment in the Norwegian Center for Knowledge‑driven Machine Learning (Integreat) hosted by the Section for Statistics and Data Science at the Department of Mathematics. 

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:

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in statistics, applied mathematics, machine learning, computer science, operations research or a similar field. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defense are eligible for appointment. 
• The applicant is required to document that the degree corresponds to the profile of the post.
• Documented knowledge of statistical theory and methods and core machine learning methods.
• Documented Python programming skills.
• Excellent skills in written and oral English.
• The candidate's research proposal must be closely connected to the call and the research of MAI.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position.

Desired qualifications (advantageous, but not necessary):

• PhD thesis or later research relevant for the position.
• Experience with interdisciplinary research, bridging the gap between academic methodological development and industrial applications.
• Relevant experience with data from the maritime sector.

The University of Oslo is subject to the Norwegian Security Act, which sets requirements for the handling of protected information, in addition to other relevant legislation on sensitive information. It is therefore a requirement for employment that the candidate is personally suitable from a security perspective. Please note that prospective candidates may be asked questions to determine this. Background checks may be performed. It is a requirement for this position that the candidate is eligible to receive a national security clearance at level K.

What are we looking for in you?

Personal skills:

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work precisely and in a structured manner, and to adapt quickly to new tasks
• Good communication and collaboration skills
• Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods
• Solution oriented

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.

We can offer you

• A friendly and stimulating work environment
• Good welfare schemes
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours. 
•  A workplace with good development and career opportunities
• Career development programmes
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK 595 000 - 690 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund

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 (Norwegian), 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.

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, a complete list of publications and other qualifying activity 
• One-page research proposal relevant to the position stating research questions and methodological approaches
• Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records 
• Documentation of English proficiency if applicable
• A complete list of publications and up to 3 academic works (pdf files attached to the application or web links to open-access of full version of published papers) 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 this job".

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 Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)

No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).

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.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.