PhD position:

The Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen (University of Bergen, Norway) opens a vacancy for a PhD position within the field of biosystematics. The position is for a fixed-term period of three years starting on the 1st of September 2023. The candidate will be working on a research project on the diversity, systematics, phylogeny, speciation, and historical biogeography of the marine gastropod molluscan genus Haminoea, entitled “Understanding diversity patterns, speciation, and biogeography of shallow-water marine organisms in the Atlantic realm”. The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway.

The project has a component of outreach in collaboration with the Department of Research and Science Communication of the University Museum of Bergen and The Coastal Museum of Øygarden nearby the city of Bergen.

About the project/work tasks:

The primary objective is to understand the time and processes underlying the origin and diversification of Atlantic shallow-water soft-bottom species, using Haminoea gastropods as a case-study. A multidisciplinary approach using original morpho-anatomical data, micro-CT scan, phylogenetic inference based on mitogenomes, will be combined with biogeographic, oceanographic, and historical climatic data, and used as a proxy to answer questions about the diversity and distribution of species, as well as the time, mode, and geography of speciation.

Supervisor: Prof. Manuel Malaquias (Department of Natural History, University Museum, University of Bergen).

Qualifications and personal qualities:

We seek an enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate ideally with experience in biosystematics of marine invertebrates. The successful applicant must be a good team worker and have the ability to work independently and must also possess excellent social and communication skills.

Required:

  • Applicants must have a master science degree (MSc) or equivalent education in zoology, evolutionary biology or biosystematics, and must have submitted his/her master’s thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the master’s degree has been awarded.
  • Experience with molecular laboratory work and phylogenetic analyses.
  • Availability to travel abroad to carry out fieldwork and study biological collections at other institutions.
  • Good command of English, both oral and written.

Preferred:

  • Experience in taxonomy and systematics of marine gastropods.
  • Experience with anatomical dissections of gastropods, in particular Cephalaspidea.
  • Experience with scanning electron microscopy.
  • Experience in writing scientific articles and presentation of poster and oral communications at international scientific meetings.
  • Shallow-water and tidal fieldwork experience.

About the PhD position, research, outreach, and educational training:

The PhD candidate will be responsible for the development of the research project (fieldwork, taxonomic identifications, phylogenetics and speciation and biographic analyses, writing up) and will collaborate with the Department of Research and Science Communication of the University Museum of Bergen and The Coastal Museum of Øygarden in the planning of outreach activities based on the results obtained with the project.

The PhD candidate must take part in the University’s approved PhD program leading to the degree within a time limit of 3 years. Hence, applicants must meet the formal admission requirements for the PhD program. Application for admission to the PhD study, including progress plan for education and research will be made together with the project advisors. A final plan for the implementation of the research training must be approved by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences within two (2) months after the candidate has commenced in the position. It is a condition that the candidate satisfies the enrolment requirements for the PhD programme at the University of Bergen.

We can offer:

  • A good and professionally challenging working environment.
  • Position as research fellow (code 1017) gross annual salary of NOK 501 200, with automatic salary development with a 3% annual increase.
  • Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
  • A position in an inclusive workplace (IA enterprise).
  • Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

Your application must be submitted electronically in English and include:

  • A motivation letter stating your research interests and reasons for applying for the position (maximum one A4 page).
  • The names and contact information for two reference persons. One of these must be the main advisor for the master’s thesis or the responsible for a research project where the applicant previously had a relevant participation.
  • CV (maximum 2-pages) with name, contacts, qualifications, working experience, and publication record (if any).
  • Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, or official confirmation that the master’s thesis has been submitted.
  • Relevant certificates/references.
  • A list of any work of scientific nature (publication list).
  • Any publications in your name.
  • Approved documentation of proficiency in English (if. required, cf.

https://www.uib.no/en/matnat/52899/admission-doctoral-education-faculty-mathematics-and-natural-sciences#english-language-requirements-for-phd-admission

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge. Applications sent by e-mail will not be considered.

For further information, please follow this link.