PhD position in Animal Science

About the position

Faculty of Bioscience and Aquaculture (FBA), Nord University, Norway, invites applications from outstanding candidates for a three-year PhD position in Animal Science.

We are seeking a PhD candidate passionate about dairy farming who would like to investigate the impact of light environments on physiology of dairy cows and farm economy. The project aims at improving our understanding of how cows react to different night lengths, how the cows’ eye responds to light of different wavelengths, how cows perform in a dark farm environment and how farm economy is impacted by optimizing lights on a farm.

The successful candidate will be part of the Animal Science, Production and Welfare research division.

The contract will be for a 3-year period. The position is to be located in Steinkjer, Central Norway, and will be available from start of 2025. Travelling, within Norway and abroad, is expected.

Qualification requirements

• A master’s degree in a field relevant for the position, such as animal science, veterinary medicine or similar.
• Experience in handling farm animals.
• Proficiency in oral and written English. It is preferred that the applicant masters a Scandinavian language both written and oral (the thesis can be written in English or a Scandinavian language).
• A grade B (ECTS scale from A-E) or higher at the qualifying MSc examination and MSc thesis, and an average grade B for the whole study programme to be admitted to the PhD programme. See admission requirements: PhD in Biosciences
• Applicants from outside the EU/EEA must submit NOKUT approval of their master’s degree.
• Final project outline with plan for the doctoral work must be approved and agreed upon no later than 3 months after accession. Termination may be considered if admission to the doctoral program is not available within this deadline, due to lack of annual reporting of progress and/or serious failure in progress and in duty work. For admission requirements and regulations, see our web page.
• It is expected that the person who is hired is admitted to the faculty’s doctoral program.

Candidates who already have a PhD degree will not be considered for the position.

Qualified applicants will be ranked according to the following criteria:

• Personal suitability.
• Ability to work independently, goal-oriented and systematically.
• Relevant experience from research work.
• Theme and perspectives from the applicant’s master’s study. Project outline with description of project idea and plan for implementation.
• The applicant’s description of motivation for the doctoral work and opportunities for completion.

We offer

The annual salary for doctoral researchers (code 1017) is set at wage level 54, NOK 532 200,- in the Norwegian State Salary Scale.

• Advantages within the Government Pension Fund for borrowing, insurance and pension
• Creative and collegial working environment
• An interdisciplinary and multicultural workplace with progressive development
• Flexible working hours
• Active university sports team

General information

The person who is appointed must abide by the applicable laws, agreements, and directives. The responsibilities and duties associated with the position may change with future reorganization at Nord University.

The public sector workforce is expected to reflect the diversity of the population in general. Nord University therefore encourages qualified candidates with disabilities, gaps in their CV, immigrant backgrounds or different life experience to apply.

If applicants indicate they have disabilities or gaps in their CV, their details may be used anonymously for the purposes of governmental annual review.

Contact information

Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting :

• Associate Professor Emma Ternman, emma.m.ternman@nord.no, +4774112005

Application process

Applicants will be evaluated by an internal expert committee. Relevant applicants will be invited for an interview, trial lecture or other presentations.

The Faculty reserve the right not to hire applicants who may be scientifically qualified but who do not meet other criteria such as language, educational background or personal characteristics

Application

Applications must be submitted electronically by 30.07.2024

The application should include:

• Application letter with description of your motivation for applying for the position
• Complete CV (education, work and teaching experience and overview of any scientific publications)
• Copy of diploma for both bachelor and master education and relevant certificates
• Copy of the applicant’s master’s thesis as a PDF file
• Project description of 1-3 pages where you explain the idea for the PhD project, theoretical anchoring and methodological approach
• The project outline should include a progress plan for how the fellowship period is intended to be used
• Name and contact information of 2-3 references (name, your relation to the person, email and phone number)
• Other activity that is considered relevant for the position, and wishes to be taken into account in the assessment

All documents must be uploaded as attachments to the electronic application form.

It is the applicant's responsibility to submit the complete documentation within the deadline.

After the application period has expired a list of applicants will be published. Note that, in special cases, the identity of particular applicants to a position may be made public even when that applicant has requested that their application be processed confidentially. Applicants requesting an exemption from publication of their identity must explain their reasons for doing so in their application. In this case, advance notice will be given in the event of a decision to make any information about the applicant public.

Refnr. 30213385