University of Bergen,
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
PhD Position at the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
A 3-year PhD position is available at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bergen, Geophysical Institute, from the 1st of April 2007. The workplace will be at the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (BCCR). BCCR has been awarded status as a Centre of excellence from the Research Council of Norway, and is affiliated with Unifob AS.
BCCR is the largest climate research group in Norway and has approximately 70 researchers and postgraduate students. The Centre has a strong emphasis on paleoclimate and on the role of ocean circulation in climate changes, both of which are essential for understanding past, present and future climate changes and for distinguishing natural from man made changes. Climate research is characterized by an international research environment and at BCCR we have excellent researchers from both Norway and abroad. A multi-disciplinary approach is a particular strength in BCCR research. Researchers are recruited mainly from meteorology, oceanography, geology and mathematics.
The PhD candidate will work on the project “Network for Ice sheet and Climate Evolution (NICE)” which is a Marie Curie Research Training Network financed by the European Union. This is a collaboration between the BCCR and the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environment (CEA-LSCE) in France, and the candidate is expected to spend 6 months of the PhD at CEA-LSCE in Paris. The main goal of the NICE project is to quantify past and future changes of the climate and ice sheets, using models and data over periods of large ice-sheet-climate instabilities.
The main focus of the PhD project will be to study the last warm interglacial and the glacial inception when Greenland and possibly west Antarctica were smaller than today. Simulations with coupled climate models will be constructed to investigate the cause of the partial melting of the Greenland ice sheet during the interglacial period and to understand the possible role of a reduced ice sheet at the onset of the glacial period.
Applicants must have achieved a master’s degree or equivalent in physics, applied mathematics, meteorology, oceanography, or have submitted the master thesis for assessment by the application deadline. It is prerequisite, however, that the examination results are announced within 4 weeks of the closing date for submitting the master thesis.
Applications are invited from candidates with an interest in paleoclimate, climate dynamics, and climate modelling.
As the position is funded through an EU RTN, candidates must be nationals of a Community Member State or an Associated State, or have resided in the Community for at least 4 years (in total) out of the last five years immediately prior to their appointment. They must not be nationals of the state in which the participant's research team appointing them is located and must not have carried out their normal activities in that state for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their appointment.
The successful candidate must take part in the University’s approved programme leading to a degree within a time limit of 3 years. Hence, applicants must meet the formal admission requirements for admission to the PhD programme.
Salaries start at level 41 (code 1017) upon employment, corresponding to NOK 310 700 per year, and follow ordinary meriting regulations (wage levels 41/46). From the gross wage a 2% law-enforced membership fee in the State Pension Fund (“Statens Pensjonskasse”) is deducted.
For more information about BCCR and UiB, please refer to http://www.bjerknes.uib.no/. Further information about the position can be obtained from Dr. Kerim Hestnes Nisancioglu, phone: +47555898 66, e-mail: .
Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. If several applicants are equally qualified for the scholarship, the rules in the Personnel Regulations for gender quotas for scientific positions will be applied.
State employment shall reflect the multiplicity of the population at large to the highest possible degree. We have therefore adopted a personnel policy objective to ensure that we achieve a balanced age and sex composition and the recruitment of persons of various ethnic backgrounds. Persons of different ethnic backgrounds are therefore encouraged to apply for the position.
The University of Bergen applies the principles of public access to information in connection with appointments to academic positions.
The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at any time. Applications, which shall include a full and complete overview of all education and previous experience (CV), with copies of diplomas and references, scientific works and a list of these (all documents in 3 copies/sorted in 3 identical bundles), should be sent to:
Connie E. Engstad
The Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
University of Bergen
Allégaten 55
NO-5007 Bergen, Norway.
The application should be marked: 07/784.
Closing date for applications: 1st of March 2007.