PhD Candidate in Arctic Alien Plant Genomics (NTNU University Museum, Trondheim, Norway)
About the position:
The NTNU University Museum is seeking a highly qualified, ambitious, and motivated PhD candidate for a project focusing on genomics of Arctic alien plants. A warming climate, changes in soil properties, and rising human activity in the Arctic increase the probability of introduction and establishment of alien plant species. In high-Arctic Svalbard and other Arctic regions, the wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris) is an established alien species. Hypotheses for its success include multiple introductions from different genetic sources, enemy release advantage related to plant defense compounds, and shifts in adaptive traits.
The PhD project will develop genomic datasets, making use of field collections and herbarium resources, and have the possibility to develop experimental evidence to examine links between the genomic basis of successful establishment and potential invasiveness in the high-Arctic. The wintercress will be a primary focus of the project, but complementary research on parallel systems may be developed. The project will add an important evolutionary component to ongoing interdisciplinary research on Arctic greening.
The successful candidate will be employed at the NTNU University Museum’s Department of Natural History.
About the project:
The team of supervisors will consist of Ass. Prof. Kristine Bakke Westergaard (main supervisor), as well as co-supervisors Prof. Mike Martin and Dr. Simone Fior (ETH Zürich, Switzerland). The candidate will use the NTNU University Museum’s herbarium, genomics laboratory facilities and computational resources, and the work will be closely associated with a project on Arctic greening based at ETH Zürich. The work will also be part of the Nordic Borealization Network.
Duties of the position:
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Carry out research of excellent quality within the framework described above
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Academic publications and popular science dissemination
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Participate actively in research groups
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Participate in international activities such as networks and conferences
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Other career-promoting work
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Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment
Required selection criteria:
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Master's degree in biology or equivalent with specialization in biosystematics, population genetics, phylogeography, evolutionary biology, or closely related fields
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Experience with analyses of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data
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Strong academic background with average grade equal to B or better (NTNU scale)
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Meet requirements for admission to NTNU's Doctoral Programme in Natural Sciences
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Very good written and oral English language skills
Preferred selection criteria:
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Experience with modern statistical techniques and scripting languages (R, Python, Bash)
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Experience with genomic library preparation
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Experience working with degraded DNA samples
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Knowledge of invasion biology
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Experience with field work
Personal characteristics:
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Self-motivated, enthusiastic, goal- and solution-oriented
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Good cooperative skills
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Ability to work independently and in a structured way
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Ability to present and discuss research
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Ability to work under pressure and show curiosity
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Analytical skills and openness to project adjustments
We offer:
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Strong international research environment
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Exciting and stimulating tasks
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Scientific and technical support
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Career guidance and follow-up during PhD
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Open and inclusive working environment
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Access to working capital for project implementation
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Mentor programme
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Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
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Employee benefits and discounts
Salary and conditions:
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Gross salary: NOK 536,200 per annum
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2% contribution to the State Pension Fund
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Employment period: 3.5 years (3 years for doctoral work + 6 months for career promotion work)
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Admission to NTNU PhD programme in Biology required within three months of employment
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Daily physical presence at NTNU required
Application deadline:
09.05.2025
How to apply:
Full description and application instructions: https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/278168/phd-candidate-in-arctic-alien-plant-genomics
Contact details:
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Associate Professor Kristine Bakke Westergaard: kristine.b.westergaard@ntnu.no
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Professor Mike Martin: mike.martin@ntnu.no
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HR Adviser Aaste Line Strand: aaste.l.strand@ntnu.no
