Two positions as research fellow in climate dynamics

Norway | Aug. 27, 2026

Report as Closed

Company: UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN ADMINISTRASJONEN

Country: Norway

Type: Onsite

Employment: Contract

Description: UiB - Knowledge that shapes society

UiB must be among Europe's leading universities, internationally known for high quality in research and education. As a community institution, we shall contribute to a sustainable and democratic development and be an attractive and inclusive study and workplace.

Video: https://youtu.be/M5n6RnScNgAScholarship

At the Geophysical Institute it is two vacant positions as a PhD student in climate dynamics. The positions are for a term of three years, with the possibility of a fourth year consisting of career-promoting work (for example, teaching). The positions are linked to the strategic Bjerknessenter project Global Responses and Drivers of the Tropical Pacific Zonal SST gradient Trend (GRADIENT). One position is funded by the GRADIENT project and the other is funded by the University of Bergen.

About the project/tasks:

The zonal gradient in sea surface temperature in the tropical Pacific Ocean is a central component of global climate variability, but climate models still fail to reproduce the historical development of the gradient. This discrepancy affects estimates for climate sensitivity and regional climate projections through remote links. As a PhD candidate in GRADIENT, you will be part of an interdisciplinary team with expertise in climate dynamics, paleoclimate, data assimilation, and climate and isotope modelling. 

The PhD candidates will investigate mechanisms that link trends in surface temperature in the tropical Pacific Ocean with external climate forcing and their impact on regional climate (e.g. Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, precipitation trends in East Africa). The tasks include analysis of model simulations and a new paleo-reanalysis that uses modern data assimilation and an extensive archive of paleoproxy data, as well as designing and carrying out a targeted climate model experiment. 

As a PhD candidate at the Department of Geophysics at the University of Bergen, you will also be connected to Bjerknes Center for Climate Research (BCCR), the largest climate research center in the Nordics with a broad international environment. The candidate can also participate in the national PhD network The Norwegian Research School for Climate-Informed Innovation and Decision-making (Climate-Informed).

Qualifications and characteristics:

• Applicants must have obtained a master's degree or equivalent education in climate dynamics, meteorology, oceanography, physics, mathematics or related subject areas, or have submitted the master's thesis for assessment before the application deadline. It is a prerequisite that the master's degree has been obtained before employment can take place.
• A solid background in mathematics and physics is a requirement.
• Experience with scientific programming (e.g. Matlab, Python) is a requirement.
• Experience with statistical analysis of climate data (observations or model results) is an advantage. independent and structured and have good collaboration skills
• Applicants must have good written and oral English skills

Personal and interpersonal skills will be emphasized. Ambitions and potential will also count when assessing the candidates.

The following applies to the position:

Specific requirements for the position
UiB is subject to the regulations for export control and the regulations apply when processing applications for the position. 

About the position as a PhD scholar
The scholarship period is three years, with an opening for a fourth year depending on the candidate's qualifications and the department's need for teaching, and is decided by the head of department upon appointment. If a fourth year is decided, one year's work consisting of career-promoting work linked to teaching, dissemination and research infrastructure/services will be distributed over the total appointment period and thus correspond to 25% of the time each year.

If you have previously been appointed in a recruitment position (scholarship, scientific assistant or similar), a deduction may be made during the appointment period.

About research education
As a PhD scholarship holder, you must participate in an approved education program for a PhD degree within a time frame of three years. The deadline for applying for admission to the PhD program at the Faculty of Science and Technology is two months after taking up the position or after starting the research project that will lead to the PhD degree. It is a prerequisite that you meet the requirements for admission to the PhD program at the University of Bergen. 1017) in accordance with the state wage regulations. This amounts to a gross annual salary of NOK. 593 700. Further promotion takes place according to seniority

membership in the State pension fund

good welfare schemes

The application must contain:

• a brief explanation of research interests and the motivation for applying for the position
• a detailed justification of your qualifications in relation to the listed requirements, and how you fulfill each criterion. In addition, you should address the aforementioned "advantages", as these will be considered when ranking the candidates.
• names and contact details of two references. One of these should be the chief justice from the master's thesis or an equivalent thesis. 
• CV
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not yet completed your master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted. 
• relevant certificates
• approved documentation that you meet requirements for English skills (if required, cf. PhD programme).
• any list of scientific work (list of publications with links).

Application and attachments with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded to JobbNorge. 

General information:

Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting associate professor Lea Svendsen, Department of Geophysics (Lea.Svendsen@uib.no), or head of department Tor Eldevik, Department of Geophysics (Tor.Eldevik@uib.no).

For HR-related questions contact Magnus Larsen (Magnus.Larsen@uib.no).

Diversity is a strength and enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, outlook on life, functional impairment, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and age. 

The University of Bergen uses more discretion when appointing academic positions.

Information about the applicant may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to be included on the applicant list. If the request is not accepted, the applicant must be notified of this.

We encourage applicants with a disability, immigrant background or gaps in their CV to apply. If you tick this in the application, you may receive positive special treatment. We always invite at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups to an interview.

More about the appointment process here.

Life as a PhD candidate at UiB

Astrid Nybø talks about life and everyday work as a PhD candidate at UiB.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo3Z63yzkKA&list=PLf8ZIYfAO0qjhROTj6SthDbSScg0lSO6G&index=5

About the employer:

The University of Bergen is a recognized educational and research institution, organized into seven faculties and around 54 institutes and academic centres. The campus is located in central parts of Bergen with the university campus at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.

The Faculty of Science and Technology consists of seven departments and a number of centres. Read more about faculty and belonging department.  

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