PhD position in statistics / mathematics / computer science, Norway (2015)

If the successful candidates have a good knowledge of one Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish), the fellowship will be for a period of 4 years, with 25 % compulsory work (teaching responsibilities at the Department). Otherwise, the fellowship will be for a period of 3 years, with no compulsory work. Starting date as soon as possible but no later than 01.01.2016. No one can be appointed for more than one fixed-term period at the same institution.

Job/ project description:

This is an opportunity to join one of Europe’s most active statistics groups at an exciting time.  Currently, the department includes 10 tenured faculty members in statistics and several post-doctoral fellows and PhD students, making up a group of about 20. Statistics at the University of Oslo is internationally recognized, with interests spanning a broad range of areas (including space-time data, model selection, mathematical statistics, time-to-event models, data integration, statistical genomics, Bayesian inference, stochastic models, high dimensional data and models) and numerous collaborations with leading research groups nationally and internationally.

This PhD position is part of the recently funded centre for research-based innovation Big Insight, a consortium of academic, industrial and public partners, with a funding of about 4 milion Euro annually for eight years starting from 2015. Big Insight will develop original statistical and machine learning methodologies and analytical and computational tools to extract knowledge from complex and big data, with focus on two central themes, namely  novel personalised solutions and sharper predictions of transient behaviours:

• Big Insight shall discover new ways to target towards individual needs and conditions, products, services, prices, therapies, technologies – thus providing improved quality, precisions and efficacy.
• Big Insight shall develop new approaches to predict critical quantities which are unstable and in transition, as customer behaviour, patient health, electricity prices, machinery condition.

This will be possible thanks to the unprecedented availability of large scale measurements and individual information together with new statistical theory, computational methods and algorithms, delivered by a world-class team of scientists. Big Insight will be a leading international centre in model-based statistics for complex, high dimensional data, addressed towards innovation. Big Insight is a consortium of 12 partners: The Norwegian Computing Centre, the University of Oslo (Department of Mathematics and Department of Biostatistics), the Oslo University Hospital (Cancer Registry, Department of Tumour Biology, Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology), the University of Bergen (Department of Mathematics), and industrial, public and business partners: ABB, DNB, DNV-GL, Gjensidige, Norsk Hydro, NAV, Skatteetaten and Telenor.

Major tasks: The successful PhD candidate will develop new statistical methodology in the area of structured personalised solutions, for example in order to control customer retention, refine personalized pricing, design personalized products and personalized marketing. She/he will exploit the unique availability of customer behavioral measurements, such as mobile telecommunication networks, like market indicators, geographic location and social network activities, among others. Research might involve the design of comparative adaptive trials within customer cohorts and the development of methods for prediction of personalized deviation from normal behavior.

The PhD studies at the University of Oslo are characterized by a strong research profile: the PhD thesis usually includes several papers which are published in leading scientific journals, while the candidates are required to take only a small number of advanced courses as part of the training component of their degree.

Big Insight and the University of Oslo offer a lively and socially rewarding environment, with many common activities, like the organization of an annual international Junior Research Lab and a broad visitor program, with guest from the best universities also as adjunct professors.

Qualifications:

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and will be expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Applicants must have a Master of Science degree in statistics, mathematics, computer science, or a related quantitative subject with proven competence in statistics. Excellent results in the MSc studies are required.

The ideal candidate has some experience in methodological statistics, and an outstanding potential and genuine interest to develop statistical methodology which solves key applied problems within the present project themes. Proven experience in programming is required. We seek a highly motivated and skilled person, able to work effectively as part of a team, who is eager to both gain and share insight while being focused on publishing papers in leading international journals.

Candidates without a Master’s degree have until November 15, 2015 to complete the final exam.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information, see here and here.

A good command of English is required of all students attending the University of Oslo. For English proficiency requirements, see here

Salary:

Position code 1017, Pay grade: 50 – 57 (NOK 429 700 – 482 800 per year)

The application must include:

• Application letter
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work)
• Copies of educational certificates and transcript of records
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee, including a copy of the master thesis, if available.
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

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 gender or ethnicity.

UiO has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.