PhD Candidate in scientific archaeology

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At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

   

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About the position

Are you motivated to apply and/or learn a variety of techniques within the field of scientific archaeology to explore the use of plant resources by prehistoric people?

 As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia. You will benefit from the international and interdisciplinary work environment at the National Laboratory for Age Determination (NLD), which at present has eight employees with six different professions and five different nationalities. You will further develop your professional and personal skills by cooperating with researchers from the Museum’s two departments: the Department of Archaeology and Cultural History (IAK) and the Department of Natural History (INH). 

You will be part of the Environmental Archaeology Research group, which connects researchers from IAK, INH and NLD, as well as from the Department of Historical and Classical Studies at the Faculty of Humanities. You can choose to join one of the other research groups at the museum as well, depending on your focus (https://www.ntnu.edu/museum/research-groups).

Your immediate Line Manager and main supervisor will be the Leader of The National Laboratory for Age Determination.

About the project

The main topic of the PhD project is the changing use of plants by prehistoric people in Norway. This includes plants, algae and fungi, which would have been used as food or for other purposes such as animal fodder, clothing or medicine.

Apart from wood used for constructions or as firewood, and occasional charred macrofossils, very little evidence exists for the use of plants, algae and fungi in prehistoric Norway. This PhD project will therefore explore different methods, such as proteomics, sedimentary DNA or isotope analysis to distinguish terrestrial and marine plant remains, in addition to literature/excavation report studies, to find out which plants were used in prehistory. A strong focus would furthermore be on radiocarbon dating to obtain absolute dates for the use of the different plants, and to identify changes through time.

Sampling will be done in connection with field work such as rescue excavations or field schools for archaeology students in cooperation with the Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum (IAK). Sediment aDNA analysis will be done in cooperation with the Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum (INH). Sampling material is also available from the collections of IAK (material from archaeological excavations) and INH (herbarium samples as reference material).

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of excellent quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the Environmental Archaeology research group
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals, participate in international activities such as conferences
• Other career-promoting work such as teaching, outreach activities, field work or laboratory work, depending on the University Museum's needs and the applicant's qualifications and interests.

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have an academically relevant background within one of the relevant natural sciences, with a strong interest in humanistic question; or in archaeology, with courses and experience in natural sciences that allow you to follow the doctoral programme of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Please indicate how your special experience can help to shed light on the use of plants in prehistory.
• You must have a Master's degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to  NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme
• You must have excellent English language skills, both written and spoken.

 

If you cannot document skills in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2 upon employment, you must complete Norwegian courses corresponding to at least 15 credits before the end of the employment period. NTNU will facilitate this. 

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience in the identification of plant remains, e.g. botany/archaeobotany
• Understanding of plant communities and plant use, e.g. ethnobotany
• Curiosity, dexterity and willingness to learn new laboratory techniques
• Be able to analyze large datasets, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions 
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian/Scandinavian
  • If you cannot document skills in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2 upon employment, you must complete Norwegian courses corresponding to at least 15 credits before the end of the employment period. NTNU will facilitate this. 

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: 

• Work independently and in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Cooperate with scientific and technical staff on the basis of honesty, generosity and collegiality
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• working capital that can be used to implement the project
• training during working hours and company sports at NTNU 
• As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)  

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts. 

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 532 200 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. 

The employment period is 3 years in total: 3 years for the doctoral work in addition to 12 months of carreer promotion work. If learning Norwegian (level A2 corresponding to at least 15 credits) is to be completed before the end of the employment period. 

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Natural Sciences within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The application must include: 

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV 
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages) 
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• If applicable: publications or other relevant research work, such as a project report
• Names and contact information of two-three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.
NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

General information

 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Bente Philippsen, Leader of the Natonal Laboratory for Age Determination, bente.philippsen@ntnu.no , telephone +47 73 41 25 15. 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Anne Karin Henning, Senior Consultant HR, anne.karin.henning@ntnu.no , telephone +47 95 88 18 05.

Application deadline: 25.02.2025

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.