Job description

A Postdoctoral Fellowship is available at the PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo. PROMENTA is a newly established interdisciplinary research center at the Department of Psychology aiming to provide answers to three central questions in mental health, well-being, and drug use research: What processes lead to poor and good mental health, and how? How do social and geographic inequalities in mental health arise? How can we develop, tailor, and evaluate effective interventions in communities to promote good mental health? To address these questions, we examine sources of mental health on a variety of levels, such as genetic risk, neurocognitive development, the psychosocial environment, and the socio-cultural and political context. The center is financed by the Research Council of Norway and contributions from the Department of Psychology. the Department of Sociology and Human Geography, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and other participating partners. For more information about PROMENTA, please visit www.promenta.no.

More about the position

The Postdoctoral fellow will collaborate with colleagues at PROMENTA to examine how biological markers, genetic risks and early adversity influence developmental psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. This project focuses on developmental processes that lead to psychopathology, starting in pregnancy and continuing into childhood and adolescence. The project will aim to 1) examine potential biological markers linked to early adversity and later development; 2) examine early adversity, social gradients and genetic confounding in developmental psychopathology; and 3) examine gene-environment interplay in developmental psychopathology. The project will rely on state of the art methodology and data from large-scale cohort studies, such as the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study (MoBa). The Postdoctoral fellow will collaborate with researchers at the National Public Health Institute and with international researchers.

For more information and a detailed project description, please contact Assoc. Prof. Mona Bekkhus (mona.bekkhus@psykologi.uio.no).

The fellowship is for a period of three years. A 4th year can be considered with the addition of 25 % teaching requirement, depending on the competence of the applicant and the needs of the department.

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Qualification requirements

• A PhD degree or similar in relevant fields such as psychology, statistics, medicine, or related. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defence of the doctoral thesis being approved.
• Experience in research in the fields of developmental psychopathology is an advantage.
• Knowledge and experience with statistical tools such as Mplus or R is an advantage.
• Experience with molecular genetic methods is an advantage.
• Excellent English skills, orally and in writing are required.
• Plans for high-quality research within the project, as evidenced by the required three-page letter of application, explaining the motivation for applying and how own qualifications are suitable for the announced position.
• Personal suitability, motivation and interest to collaborate with an interdisciplinary research team.

We offer

• salary NOK 515 200 – 576 100 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352)
• a professionally stimulating working environment in a newly established research center at the Department of Psychology
• Opportunities for extensive collaboration with our international collaborators
• Favorable pension and social welfare benefits
• Attractive welfare arrangements

How to apply

The application must include:

• Letter of application, max. 3 pages, explaining the motivation for applying and how own qualifications are suitable for the announced postdoc position.
• Curriculum vitae summarizing education, positions and academic work.
• Copies of educational certificates
• publications/academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee.
• Names and contact details of at least two references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and telephone number).

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, the project description (whenever this is required in the call for applicants), and the quality of the project as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

Associate professor Mona Bekkhus, e-mail: mona.bekkhus@psykologi.uio.no

About the University of Oslo 

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.

The Department of Psychology is one of seven units of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and has 75 permanent and 70 temporary members of scientific staff. Degrees are offered at bachelor and master level, plus a clinical training programme, and the PhD programme has 140 students.