Postdoctoral Fellows in Bioinformatics in the EU-funded ExMilk project

About the job

The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions.

We have two 3-year positions in the ExMilk project (Exercised Breastmilk: A kick-start for childhood obesity prevention?), which is an ERC Starting Grant project. The overall aim of the project is to determine how exercise can modify breastmilk composition.

The postdoctoral fellows will focus on bioinformatics/data analyses of data from multi-omics technologies to discover the acute and long-term effects of exercise on breastmilk composition.  

The positions are available at the Exercise, Cardiometabolic Health and Reproduction (EXCAR) research group. Your immediate leader is Senior Researcher Trine Moholdt.

The responsibilities and tasks in the two positions are similar and you may apply for both positions. You must indicate in your application which position(s) you apply for.

Duties of the position

Postdoc 1: The main responsibility will be data analyses of global metabolomics and lipidomics data from breastmilk samples.

Postdoc 2: The main responsibility will be bioinformatic analyses of metagenome sequencing data from faecal samples, microRNA data from breastmilk samples and from dried blood spots, and integration of data from multi-omics platforms.

Both positions will also involve the following tasks:

• Develop strategies for analysing and integrating data from multi-omics platforms based on state-of-the-art analytical methodologies.
• Relate multi-omics signatures with clinically relevant parameters.
• Ensure that omics data are available and reusable.
• Interpret, present, and publish results.

Required selection criteria

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in bioinformatics, statistics, systems biology, or an equivalent topic. If you can document that the PhD thesis has been submitted, your application can be assessed even if you have not yet defended your dissertation. Documentation of the obtained doctoral degree must be presented before you can start in the position. 
• Documented experience with data analysis in R, Python, or similar
• Excellent written and oral English skills

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

Postdoc 1:

• Experience in metabolomics analyses
• Experience in biological interpretation of metabolomics results, microRNA analyses, and cytokine profiling data

Postdoc 2:

• Experience in next-generation sequencing analyses
• Experience in biological interpretation of microRNA analyses and gut microbiome analyses

Both positions:

• Training in molecular biology
• Experience in multi-omics data integration
• Training and experience in development of statistical scripts

Personal characteristics

• Ability to work independently and with scientific, experimental, or technological creativity.
• Motivated and excellent team player with positive attitude and high ambitions on behalf of yourself and the group.
• Curious, with ambitions of acquiring new knowledge and skills.
• Ability to adjust approaches to overcome setbacks or solve challenges.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer 

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment 
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues 
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• employee benefits 

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 575 400 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

The period of employment is 3 years. The start date is flexible, but no later than 1st March 2025

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The position is subject to external funding from an ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application 

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English. 

Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include: 

• CV and certificates
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your Ph.D, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, or have recently submitted your thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 10 items)
• Name and contact information of three referees 
• A specification of which position(s) you are applying for

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. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 
 
Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information 

Working at NTNU 

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation 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 daycare 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.  

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself 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 reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Trine Moholdt, telephone +47 97098594, email trine.moholdt@ntnu.no.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Helene Berri, e-mail: helene.b.berri@ntnu.no 

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 10.06.2024