PhD position in Biostatistics 

About the position

Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD position in Biostatistics to be based at the Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo.

This is an opportunity to join the Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE). OCBE is one of Europe's most active biostatistics groups with currently about 75 researchers. OCBE is internationally recognized, with interests spanning a broad range of areas - including causal inference and time-to-event analysis, computationally intensive inference, high-dimensional and big data, machine learning, measurement uncertainty and research for clinical trials and observational studies - and has numerous collaborations with leading biomedical research groups internationally and in Norway.

More about the position

The PhD position is full-time, for a period of three years. There is a possibility of extending the fellowship period for a fourth year, where the 4-year period will contain 25% workload dedicated to teaching or advising activities.

The position is part of the project “Estimating inequality in cancer risk” and will use detailed, large-scale data, collected from population-wide registries. Cancer is a major public health burden, and many cancer types cluster in certain families. Much effort has been devoted to cancer research, both regarding prevention, treatment and identifying causes. Nevertheless, observed risk factors can only account for a minor part of most cancer types. Studying how cancer clusters in families can give indications of how cancer risk is distributed in a population, also due to factors that have yet to be discovered. That is, one can estimate the inequality in cancer risk across a population, due to both observed and unobserved factors. Furthermore, there is a need for statistical methods that can provide estimates of what a certain familial cancer history means for the risk of cancer in an individual. This project aims to develop and apply statistical methods for time-to-event data that can be used to estimate inequality in cancer risk, as well as providing familial risk predictions that are relevant for individuals. The population-wide family-linked data to be analyzed contains information on approx. 8.1 million Norwegians. 

The successful candidate will have her or his workplace at OCBE and be part of an internationally active research group working on methods for survival analysis and also causal inference. She or he will also be part of a multidisciplinary project group.

The research fellow must take part in the Faculty’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The PhD program is characterized by a strong research profile, and the PhD thesis will include scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals of high quality.

Starting date for the position should be no later than September 1st, 2025.

Qualification requirements

 

• Master’s degree or equivalent in statistics, data science or similar (with documented knowledge in statistics) with an average grade of B or above.

• The ideal candidate has a background in methodological statistics and interest in developing methods for applied problems. Knowledge of, and experience with, survival analysis is an advantage, but not necessary.

   

 

• Good programming skills (in R, Python, or similar). Experience with analyzing large datasets or registry data is an advantage, but not necessary.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

To be employed as a PhD Research Fellow

To be employed as a PhD Research Fellow, admission to a doctoral program is required, or there must be a binding agreement for admission. Normally, one must apply for admission to a Ph.D. program within 3 months after the start of the research project leading to the Ph.D. degree.

Personal skills

• Ability to work independently and efficiently.
• Good collaborative skills.

We offer 

• A friendly, ambitious and international working environment.
• Opportunities for national and international collaborations.
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities. 
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Good welfare schemes.
• Salary NOK 536 200 – 575 400 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as PhD Research fellow (position code 1017). From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

 

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

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.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

Application

Your application should include:

• Cover letter statement of motivation and research interests.
• CV (summarizing education, positions, academic work, including details on master’s thesis, statistical and programming skills).
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only).
• List of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number).

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. Applicants may be called in for an interview.

General information

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews. 

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we can't, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.