PhD position in Molecular Biology, Norway

A Doctoral Research Fellowship in Molecular Biology (PhD Candidate SKO1017) is available for three years at the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Hilde Nilsen group,Department of Clinical Molecular Biology.

The Department of Clinical Molecular Biology is located at Akershus University Hospital where it is a part of the Division of Medicine and Laboratory Sciences, which is the largest division at the Akershus University Hospital Campus, with approximately 40 university employees. The Department has a large and well-equipped molecular biology laboratory that enables advanced translational research. Research themes include: Genome Stability, Cancer Genomics and Cancer Biology, Neurological diseases

Job Description

The position is available in the “Genomic stability” group led by Professor Hilde Nilsen. The overall focus of the Nilsen group is on DNA base excision repair and its role maintaining genome stability and healthy aging. It is increasingly clear that Base Excision Repair enzymes may have functions other than DNA repair. Recently, the Nilsen group demonstrated that the DNA base excision repair enzyme SMUG1 interacts with Dyskerin, which isomerizes specific uridine residues to pseudouridine on ribosomal and small nuclear RNAs and is required for telomere maintenance by stabilizing the telomerase RNA component (TERC) (Jobert et al., Molecular Cell 2013. PMID:23246433).

The PhD Candidate hired will work on a project to characterize the roles of SMUG1 in telomere maintenance, within a academically stimulating environment consisting of a team of senior research scientists, post-docs and technicians. The PhD Candidate is expected to take active part in the research cooperation within the project.

Requirements

We are seeking a talented and dedicated person with an MD-degree (or equivalent), or a candidate holding an academically relevant MSc-degree. We are looking for candidates with documented hands on experience in molecular analyses of telomere maintenance in cultured cells and in tissues. The ability to master specialized techniques such as TRF analyses, various immunocytochemical methods to assess telomere biology (telomere-FISH, CO-FISH, IF-FISH), measurement of telomere DNA damage and confocal microscopy is required.

The PhD Candidate must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Medicine, as the purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.  

Personal Skills

We are looking for a researcher with:

• Strong      motivation and drive for scientific research
• High capacity for work
• Ability      to work independently and in teams
• Good      writing and oral communication skills in English

In the evaluation, the applicants’ academic and personal qualifications to undertake the project will be given high priority. Particularly suitable applicants will be invited for interviews.

We can offer

• A      challenging and friendly international working environment with broad      expertise.
• A      competitive salary.  Pay Grade 50-59 (NOK 430 500 – 501 300) for      appointment as PhD Candidate depending on qualifications.
• Favourable pension      arrangement
• Attractive welfare      arrangements
• Access to state of the art facilities and resources for biomedical research

The application must include

• Application      (a one-page statement of motivation and research interests)
• CV      (summarizing education, employments within or outside of academia)
• List of      publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered      by the evaluation committee (not complete articles)
• Copies      of university degree certificates and grades
• Names,      email and telephone number of 2-3 referees (describe relation to      applicant)

The application with the required attachments should preferably constitute as few files as possible, preferably 1-2 PDF-files.

The application with attachments is to be delivered in our electronic recruiting system EasyCruit.

Please also refer to the regulations pertaining to the conditions of employment for PhD Candidates.

Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University’s grading system. Please remember that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.

In accordance with the University of Oslo´s equal opportunities policy, we invite applications from all interested individuals regardless of sex or ethnicity.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non disclosure.