Doctoral Research Fellowship in Statistical and Population Genetics

Job description

At the Centre for Precision Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, there is a doctoral research fellowship position available. The Centre runs a series of multidisciplinary studies involving hospital departments in Oslo and several research groups at the University of Oslo. The main goal is to develop tools and knowledge for precision medicine in psychiatry, building on advanced statistical methods for analysis of large-scale human genetic and neuroimaging data, to better understand how biological, psychological, and environmental factors contribute to severe mental and neuropsychiatric disorders, their treatment, and outcomes. 

The Centre has access to a large database of biomarkers, clinical, and cognitive variables, genotyping and sequencing data, and MRI brain imaging data on patients with neuropsychiatric and severe mental disorders. In addition, we actively collaborate with large international consortia, particularly the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC), the ENIGMA consortium, and the European Alzheimer's Disease DNA BioBank (EADB). The Centre also has access to the data from a broad range of national and international studies, including the Norwegian population cohorts (e.g., MoBa), the UK Biobank, and the ABCD and ADNI studies. 

For more information: Precision psychiatry

More about the position

The current position is part of the ResiliDem project which aims to identify resilience factors contributing to Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia, by integrating genetic variants with environmental and lifestyle factors to elucidate their roles in the development of these diseases. 

To achieve this goal, the researcher hired for this PhD position will work with the Centre’s datasets, analytical methodology, and computational tools, including state-of-the-art data storage and research infrastructure, hosted at the university’s IT department through the Services for sensitive data (TSD) 

The PhD fellow will work with large scale analytical tools to identify genetic variants of dementia and potential overlap with other disorders and diseases, as well as interplay with lifestyle and environmental factors. 

The candidate is expected to develop a research proposal within the scope of this project for a PhD research program, and to participate in literature searching, data analysis and interpretation and to write up research articles to be published in peer-reviewed academic journals. The candidate is also expected to work efficiently both independently and as part of a team under supervision of the group leader, and to take an active part in the daily activities at the Center, depending on interests and qualifications.

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The research fellow must fulfill the requirements of and take part in the approved PhD program at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo, and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The applicant must, in collaboration with her/his supervisor, within three months after employment, work out a complete project description to be attached to the application for admission to the doctoral program. For more information, please see our website Doctoral degree: PhD in medicine and health sciences - Faculty of Medicine. 

Qualification requirements

• A master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., statistics, mathematics, informatics, genetics, medicine, psychology, or an equivalent field).
• Proficiency in programming and scripting languages (e.g., Python, R, Matlab).
• Experience with data processing and statistical analysis, including familiarity with relevant statistical software.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a structured manner, while also being capable of effective collaboration with others.
• Experience in relevant research projects, particularly those focused on dementia or population studies is considered positive.
• Interest and motivation to work in a multidisciplinary team is considered an advantage.
• Experience with machine learning for large datasets is considered an advantage.

Personal skills

We are looking for a motivated candidate with excellent problem-solving and communication skills, a strong technical background, and competences in statistical genetics.

We offer

• Salary NOK 540 500 – 594 500 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as PhD Research fellow (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement

The position is funded for three years and is available as soon as possible.

How to apply

The application must include

• Application letter including motivation for applying for the position, and a short plan for project design can be included. 
• CV (summarizing education, relevant work experience etc.)
• Certified copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records.
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee.
• Contact details of 2-3 references, including their name, position, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The best qualified candidates will be invited for interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

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.

The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact information

Questions regarding the position: 

• Researcher Shahram Bahrami, phone +47 41187403, shahram.bahrami@medisin.uio.no
• Professor Ole Andreassen, phone +47 99038893, o.a.andreassen@medisin.uio.no

Questions regarding the online application form:

• HR-adviser Aina Sandvik, email: a.k.sandvik@medisin.uio.no