Postdoctoral Research Fellow position: Tracking the deep evolutionary origins of neurons –...

The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad. 

Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology (Sars Centre) is situated at the Marineholmen campus together with other research institutes at the University. The Sars Centre is partner with European Molecular Biological Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany and is organized directly under Rector at UiB. – Read more here .

There is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow position at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology (www.sars.no ) in the research group headed by Dr. Pawel Burkhardt. The position is for a period of 3 years and is funded by an ERC consolidator grant (ORIGINEURO). The Sars Centre belongs to the University of Bergen and is partner of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) (www.embl.de ). The place of work will be at the Sars Centre. The preferred but negotiable starting date is January 2023.

The Burkhardt group combines comparative biological systems in the laboratory to understand when and how first synapses, neurons and nervous systems evolved. The group is particularly interested in studying the nervous system of ctenophores. Ctenophores – strong candidates for being the sister-group to all other animals - are beautiful, but still mysterious marine animals. Given their phylogenetic position characterizing the nervous system of ctenophores promises to reveal fundament insights into the evolutionary origin of neurons. We are looking for a highly self-motivated and enthusiastic Postdoctoral Research Fellow with interests in evolutionary biology, neurobiology and electron microscopy. The project will focus on the ultrastructural characterization of the nervous system of an entire ctenophore. The successful candidate will undertake research using 3D electron microscopy and CLEM to reveal ctenophore connectome(s) and will work in close association with the group leader and other lab members with the aim to contribute to the further development of the project in line with her/his interests.

• The applicant must hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent degree in fields related to the project and must have submitted his/her doctoral thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded
• Strong motivation/enthusiasm to perform research at an internationally competitive level
• Practical experience in image segmentation and 3D reconstructions of serial EM sections is required
• Practical experience with serial sectioning and electron microscopy techniques (TEM, SBFSEM) is highly desirable
• Practical experience in situ hybridization (ISH), immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy and correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is highly desirable
• Specific experience in working with marine invertebrates (ctenophores, cnidarians, sponges) is beneficial, but not essential
• The ability to work both independently and to cooperate with others in a structured manner is essential
• Proficiency in both written and oral English

The position of postdoctoral research fellow is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The fixed-term period for this position is 3 years. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

Upon appointment, applicants must submit a project proposal for the qualifying work including a work schedule. It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

• A professional, challenging and international working environment
• Well-equipped, modern laboratories and facilities
• Salary as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (code 1352) according to the state salary scale upon appointment. This currently constitutes of a gross annual salary of NOK 573.900. Further promotions are made according to length of service. For particularly highly qualified applicants, a higher salary may be considered
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits

• A cover letter of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• The names and contact information 2-3 reference persons. One of these must be the the main advisor from the PhD programme
• CV
• Transcripts and diplomas and official confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted
• Relevant certificates/references
• List of publications or other relevant scientific work

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge.

Application Deadline:  17 October 2022.

Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting: Group Leader Pawel Burkhardt, tlf.: +47 906 48 539, email: [email protected]

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

Further information about our employment process can be found here .

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