PhD in the Kavli Institute’s Aging Neuroscience Group

Ntnu; Trondheim; On-site; NOK 522,000 - 638,000; Full time

Job summary

NTNU invites applications for a three-year PhD position in the Kavli Institute’s Aging Neuroscience Group, starting early 2027. The project explores social-emotional brain networks in aging using multi-modal imaging including 7T MRI.

You will contribute to study design, data collection and analyses, with emphasis on late-life depression and emotional aging. You will pursue doctoral education while contributing to high-impact publications and international exchanges, under the leadership of

Qualifications

• Proficiency in analyses of imaging data such as structural MRI and functional MRI.
• Experience in programming (e.g. Matlab or Python).
• Proficiency in literature review and advanced statistical analyses.
• Excellent written communication skills in English.
• A statement of research interest that aligns with the lab’s goal.

Responsibilities

• Carry out research of excellent quality contributing to the project; design studies, collect data (fMRI and behavioral testing) and analyze data.
• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate.
• Publish academic work and disseminate science to the public.
• Participate in research group activities and international activities.
• Be prepared for changes to work duties after employment.

Skills

Imaging data analysis

Programming (Matlab/Python)

Literature review & statistics

English writing

Research interest statement

Education

Master's degree in psychology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences or equivalent

Job description

PhD in the Kavli Institute’s Aging Neuroscience Group

NTNU is a broad-based university with atechnical-scientific profile and a focusin professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the position and project

This three-year PhD position will be part of the Aging Neuroscience Group , which explores the structural and functional neural networks underlying social and emotional processing in aging.

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic candidate to join the lab early 2027, to help better understand the emotional and brain changes that occur in aging.

Dr Ziaei’s group aims to explore how individual differences in emotion perception can help us to better understand emotional aging brain. We are running a multi-modal study in which we examine social-emotional processes among individuals with late-life depression. We will examine the whole brain as well as regions that are critical for stress and emotional response, such as the locus coeruleus. The use of 7T MRI scanner will allow us to better characterize these deep structures and identify how their structural and functional integrity will change as a function of disease. For more information on the projects and papers we have published, please visit this website: Brain Health Platform | Maryam Ziaei OR Maryam Ziaei - NTNU .

As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in research.

Your immediate leader will be group leader Maryam Ziaei.

Duties of the position

• Carry out research of excellent quality, contributing to the research project outlined above
  • design of studies
  • data collection (fMRI and behavioral testing)
  • data analyses
    
• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the research group's activities
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• Proficiency in analyses of imaging data such as structural MRI and functional MRI
• Experience in programing (e.g. Matlab or Python)
• Proficiency in literature review and advanced statistical analyses
• Excellent written communication skills in English
• A statement of research interest that aligns with the lab’s goal
  

You must have a relevant Master's degree in psychology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences or equivalent. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis.

Master students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.

• You must have a strong and relevant academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale . If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works.
• Experience in working ultra-high field imaging data
• Experience in data collection and management of behavioral and imaging dataExperience of working with older adults and/or clinical populations
• Experience in machine learning and advanced analytical approaches

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Work independently in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback
• Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well-founded conclusions
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues

The working environment in KISN provide great opportunities for students to learn across discipline and have access to world leading groups in memory, space, and hippocampus in animal and human. This position is in close collaboration with geropsychiatry department at St.Olav's hospital and international collaborators.

As a student and employee, you will have access to cutting-edge science and infrastructure across KISN and NTNU. Additionally, we provide opportunities for PhD students to learn essential scientific skills for image analyses, and opportunities to attend relevant workshops and conferences in the field of imaging, neuroscience, and aging. We also encourage PhD students to upskill themselves with interpersonal skills crucial for the next stages of one’s career path. These include effective collaboration and communication, public speaking skills, preparing for job interviews and time management.

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is 3 years.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in neuroscience within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme through out the period of employment.

The position is conditional on external funding.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act , and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The application must include:

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted or is soon planning to submit your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Summary of two papers of your choice (max 1 page each)
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• Possibly publications or under-preparation publications or other relevant research work
• Possibly certificates
• Names and contact information of two referees who are familiar with your science and communication background

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, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here . If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) , please attach this as well.
Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.
NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt 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 exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Maryam Ziaei, email: [e-mail]

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Advisor Lisa Yvonne Mele, email: [e-mail]

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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 day-care 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.

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

NTNU - knowledge for a better world
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

The Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience is part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU. It was established as a Centre of Excellence in 2002 and designated as a Kavli Foundation Institute in 2007. The institute’s goal is to be world-leading within the field of systems neuroscience and to understand how brain circuits give rise rice to cognition, behavior, and mental function in the brain. This is achieved by integrating cutting-edge technologies with computational and translational approaches.

In 2014, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to two of the Institute’s professors, Edvard Moser and May-Britt Moser. The Institute is responsible for an international master's programme and is affiliated with a doctoral programme in medicine. Through our widespread network of international collaboration, we offer unique career opportunities.

The Institute’s slogan is: Excellent science, happy people, happy animals, and diversity.