Postdoctoral fellow on host-microbiome interactions in human liver diseases

About the position

Do you want to work as a postdoctoral fellow in research on host-microbiome interactions in human liver disease in the context of an ERC consolidator grant?

One position is available as Postdoctoral fellow (SKO 1352) - a 3-year engagement - at Research Institute of Internal Medicine at Institute of Clinical Medicine, funded by University of Oslo.

Research Institute of Internal Medicine consists of 6 research groups, and a total of about 60 employees. The research profile of the Institute is to combine clinical medicine and molecular biology to establish a bridge between bench and bedside. This is of utmost importance to exploit in clinical medicine the recent development in immunology, biochemistry and molecular biology with the ambitious aim to develop novel treatment modalities and new diagnostic tools.

Integrated in the institute is the Norwegian PSC Research Center (NoPSC), which is a world-leading center dedicated to research on the chronic liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Several features make PSC an intriguing model disease; more than 80% of the patients have inflammatory bowel disease, for which the link with the biliary inflammation is poorly known, and the disease may recur after liver transplantation. The center comprises three research groups covering all aspects of research related to primary sclerosing cholangitis, from basic genomic and experimental studies to clinical research and clinical trials.

More about the position 

We are now seeking a skilled and ambitious co-worker to take on challenging projects in the context of the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant “FatVersusBile”, which focuses on how the gut drives liver health in humans and mice, in particular in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease. The subprojects in this 3-year postdoctoral position will use exciting in vivo gnotobiotic models as a discovery tool to define the microbial contribution to and interaction between chronic inflammatory and steatotic hepatobiliary diseases. New leads will be pursued using in vivo and in vitro experiments (including the use of organoid systems) as well as validation in human materials, with the aim of identifying potential mechanisms and their clinical relevance. 
 

The research group, led by Prof. Johannes Hov, has over the last decade established a strong clinical and translational microbiome research environment with access to a wide range of tools including metagenomics, mouse models and a germ-free animal facility. The group has recently successfully completed the ERC Starting Grant project “StopAutoimmunity”, which has led to several important discoveries. With the new ideas in “FatVersusBile” we aim to move one step further to understand gut factors driving liver health and how they can be manipulated. 
 

Your main tasks will be 

The work tasks will involve planning and execution of animal experiments and lab work including microbiology, flow cytometry and cell cultures. A collaborative attitude within the group to achieve common goals is expected.

Importantly, we seek candidates who have an ambition to form an independent research track. A career plan shall be developed for the Postdoctoral Fellow, specifying the competencies the Postdoctoral Fellow should acquire. UiO is responsible for following up on the career plan and ensuring that the Postdoctoral Fellow has access to career guidance throughout the postdoctoral term.

Qualifications 

In this role you must have 

• Applicants must hold a relevant PhD
• Good written and oral proficiency in English is a requirement
• Ability to design, plan, interpret original in vitro and in vivo experiments in an independent and innovative way
• Experience with molecular biology is a requirement, preferably within microbiology or immunology.
• Formal training and significant experience with animal experiments is a requirement
• Laboratory animal training according to 2010/63/EU requirements is an advantage

Personal skills 

• Well organized with high working capacity and productivity
• Excellent team working skills
• Strong motivation for a career in science, including project management and scientific writing.

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications, which will also be emphasized.
 

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

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

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

We offer

• A challenging and friendly international working environment located at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet.
• Good welfare schemes.
• 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.
• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK 595 000 - 679 000, depending on competence and experience. 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.

Application

Your application should include:

• Application letter.
• CV.
• A complete list of publications.
• Project description.
• Transcripts and certificates.
• Contact information for 2-3 references.

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. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

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 cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian) and Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO.

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