PhD scholarship within plant molecular biology and the effect of temperature on plant development

About the position

The Department of Plant Sciences (IPV), Faculty of Biosciences (BIOVIT) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has a vacant 3-year PhD–position related to temperature effects on Plant Development.

Global warming has been causing a steady rise in average temperature and is considered one of the major threats to the productivity of crop systems. If temperature continues to rise as predicted, in a context of increasing demand, higher soil poverty and less water availability, a significant increase in plant productivity will be required to sustain an already strained food production chain. It is, therefore, urgent to identify the molecular mechanisms plants deploy to respond to changes in temperature, particularly in food and forage crop species.

The current project sets out to understand how grasses productivity is conditioned by ambient temperature during critical developmental periods.

The proposed research will generate data that can directly link temperature response with plant fitness and yield and provide a deeper understanding of the adaptative flexibility of plants to climate change. The project results will directly contribute to the plant research community efforts to identify temperature driven mechanisms (a current hot topic in the scientific community).

The PhD candidate will be working within a team from different scientific backgrounds.

The applicant is made aware that an application for a PhD position at NMBU is at the same time an application for admission to a PhD program at the institution. The documentation that is necessary to ensure that the admission requirements are met must be uploaded as an attachment.

Main tasks

• Identify temperature treatments that most affect grasses development. 
• Single out molecular mechanisms that control temperature response in grasses using state of the art techniques such as CRISPR, sugar or epigenetic profiling or high throughout put sequencing.

The successful candidate is expected to enter a plan for the progress of the work towards a PhD degree during the first months of the appointment, with a view to completing a doctorate within the PhD scholarship period.

Competence

The successful applicant must meet the conditions defined for admission to a PhD programme at NMBU. The applicant must have an academically relevant education corresponding to a five-year master’s degree or a cand.med.vet. degree, with a learning outcome corresponding to the descriptions in the Norwegian Qualification Framework, second cycle. The applicant must have a documented strong academic background relevant to the position and be able to document proficiency in both written and oral English. For more detailed information on the admission criteria please see the PhD Regulations and the relevant PhD programme description.

The applicant must document expertise and interest in the research subject.

Required Academic qualifications

• Master’s degree with emphasis on biochemistry, plant molecular biology or equivalent.
• Documented strong academic background.
• Documented proficiency in English, both written and oral.
• The candidate which finishes their education within the   spring/summer of 2024 can also apply but must provide documentation of their degree before employment.

The following experiences and skills will be emphasized:

• Experience with handling large sequencing datasets and using R and other relevant bioinformatics tools.
• Experience with lab work particularly molecular methods such as RNA and protein extraction or cloning.
• Experience with plant transformation using cell culture or other relevant methods.

Personal qualities required:

• High level of commitment and interest in groundbreaking scientific work.
• Ability to work independently, be structured and efficient.
• Strong communication and cooperation skills.
• Proactive attitude towards problem-solving.

Remuneration and further information

The position is placed in government pay scale position code 1017 PhD. Fellow. PhD. Fellows are normally placed in pay grade 54 (NOK 532.200,-) on the Norwegian Government salary scale upon employment and follow ordinary meriting regulations.

Employment is conducted according to national guidelines for University and Technical College PhD scholars.

For further information, please contact Doctor Romulo Sobral.

E-mail: romulo.sacramento.sobral@nmbu.no; phone +47 94454927

Information for PhD applicants and general information to applicants

Application

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply for this job' button above. This will route you to the University's Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Application deadline: 05.06.2024

Your CV must be entered in JobbNorge's CV form and not just included as an attachment. This is to be able to comply with the regulations of §15 of the Public Administration Act.

In the application, the candidate must confirm that information and documentation (in the form of attachments) submitted via the job application can also be used by NMBU in a possible admission process.

Applicants invited for an interview are expected to present original diplomas and certificates.

The following documents must be attached to the application:

• Motivation letter (maximum 1 page)
• Complete CV 
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and certificates. (i.e. Diploma, transcript. Diploma supplement for both bachelor and master). Diplomas, transcripts and diploma supplements that are not in Norwegian or English must be uploaded in the original language. An English translation of these documents must also be attached.
• Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement, or a similar document, which describes in detail the study program and grading system.
• Documentation of proficiency in written and oral English in accordance with NMBU PhD regulation section 5-2 (3). 
• Names and contact details for two references
• Additional relevant documentation of professional knowledge (for example, list of scientific works). If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution for publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

About The Faculty of Biosciences

The Faculty of Biosciences (BIOVIT) aims to help shape the future food- and bio-production through teaching and research within biology and sustainable production and use of plants, livestock and fish. The faculty has an annual turnover of approx. 250 million kroner. The faculty is organized into nine research sections: Genome Biology, Breeding and

Quantitative Genetics, Ruminant Nutrition and Physiology, Ethology and Animal Environment, Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Agroecology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Plant Protection and Food Crops, Plant Biology and Biotechnology. The faculty has seven large and small research centers and laboratories, including a Center for Outstanding Innovation  – Foods of Norway. The faculty is responsible for bachelor's and master's degrees in Aquaculture, Biology, Animal Science and Plant science as well as English-language master's degrees in Agroecology, Plant Sciences, Feed Manufacturing Technology and Genome Sciences.

The faculty is responsible for PhD degrees in animal science and plant science. The faculty currently has about 690 bachelor and master students and 90 PhD students. The faculty has about 240 employees and its own faculty administration.

DIVERSE INFO

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https://arbeidsplassen.nav.no/stillinger/stilling/6230d549-9c85-479e-b6b2-406d909e97d7
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https://www.jobbnorge.no/ledige-stillinger/stilling/262902