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A fully-funded PhD position in Population Biology is available at the Gjærevoll Centre for Biodiversity Foresight Analyses (https://www.ntnu.edu/gjaerevoll) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
The Gjærevoll Centre is an interdisciplinary research center founded by NTNU and hosts internationally leading research activity in the interface between different scientific disciplines including ecology, evolutionary biology, mathematics and statistics, informatics, economics and social sciences. We aim to apply advanced statistical and theoretical frameworks to analyse various kinds of field data to answer key questions regarding future changes in biodiversity
he PhD position is associated with the Advanced Grant project “Eco-Evolutionary Rescue of Fragmented Populations” funded by the European Research Council and NTNU, with an overall aim of providing new understanding of factors affecting the viability of small populations in nature. The position is also expected to contribute to relevant research topics in the FME InterPlay (https://interplayresearch.no/), which aims to integrate energy system to reduce impact on biodiversity.
Specifically, the primary focus of the PhD will be to analyse and parameterize models describing the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of small and fragmented populations, and how the risk of extinction is affected by changes in the environment such as expected alterations of the climate and loss of critical habitat types. The primary model system for examining the validity of the models will be a unique long-term individual-based data set on house sparrows at the coast of Helgeland in Northern Norway. Here there will also be opportunities to contribute to fieldwork.
The PhD position provides an exciting opportunity to gain broad basic research experience and expertise in evolutionary ecology under a conservation biology context, while working in an interdisciplinary research environment. The successful candidate will acquire broad training in the necessary research skills, and the position will suit a candidate who is motivated to undertake high-level research in the interface between different research disciplines. The three-year position includes research time as well as course components corresponding to half a year of studies, and concludes with a PhD degree.
The position will be hosted within a dynamic research group based at NTNU, with strong collaborative links to many internationally leading research groups nationally and abroad. There will be opportunities for international mobility to the collaborating groups, and for conference and workshop participation.
The project supervisor will be Professor Bernt-Erik Sæther (Gjærevoll Centre, NTNU).
The co-supervisors will be Dr Yimen Araya-Ajoy (Department of Biology, NTNU) and Professor Henrik Jensen (Department of Biology, NTNU).
Duties
- Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a PhD.
- Learn and apply advanced statistical methods to analyse multi-year data from a house sparrow metapopulation to answer key questions in evolutionary ecology related to conservation biology, especially concerning factors affecting viability of populations
- Contribute to collecting, collating and managing field data.
- Produce a high quality PhD thesis, comprising manuscripts written for publication in peer-reviewed international journals.
- Interact with relevant research groups in FME InterPlay.
- Contribute to a collaborative and interactive local and international research team.
- Fulfil NTNU’s course credit requirements for the award of a doctoral degree (30 credits)
- Undertake teaching and other professional activities, as agreed with the leadership of the Gjærevoll Center.
Qualification and requirements
- You must have an relevant background in ecology, evolutionary biology, quantitative genetics or mathematical statistics.
- Capability to learn and apply models and advanced statistical analyses to field data is necessary.
- You must have strong quantitative skills, or willingness to learn, including basic competence in the R programming environment.
- Your previous education must be equivalent to a five-year Norwegian degree programme, where 120 credits are obtained at master’s degree. This corresponds to an undergraduate Bachelor degree and typically a two-year master’s degree. Applicants with a non-Norwegian education who meet comparable requirements through other routes are welcome.
- You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master’s degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
- Excellent communication skills in written and verbal English.
- Current master’s students are encouraged to apply, but the master’s degree must be obtained and documented before starting the PhD position.
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the PhD programme in Biology (Ph.d.-programmet i biologi – NTNU)
Benefits
In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 540800,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.
The employment period is 3 years for the doctoral work with a possibility of up to one year of career promotion work. (A minimum of three work years of the total term period must be dedicated to doctoral work).
For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.
The position is conditional on external funding.
As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.
For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.
The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technologyand services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.
Organization/Company – NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Research field – Biological sciences
Research profile – First Stage Researcher (R1)
Country –Norway
Application Deadline – 15 Aug 2025 – 23:59 (Europe/Oslo)
More information: Euraxess.
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