Postdoctoral Researcher in Arctic Fish Movement Ecology

NORCE Research; Bergen; On-site; NOK 550,000 - 700,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

International collaborations

Leadership opportunities

Conference funding

Bergen office facilities

Competitive NORCE salary

Job summary

NORCE is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Ocean, Environment and Biotechnology division in Bergen, Norway. The role focuses on Arctic marine ecosystems within the ROPES project, leading data analyses, field planning, and publications over a fixed 3-year term.

You will work on development of analyses and models, collaborate with international partners, supervise students, and contribute to future funding initiatives while based in Bergen with fieldwork in Svalbard.

Qualifications

• PhD in Fisheries science, Marine ecology, Animal movement ecology, Marine biology, Environmental science, Quantitative ecology, or related field
• PhD completed before employment begins
• Strong publication record relative to career stage
• Experience with quantitative ecological analyses and statistical modelling
• Strong programming skills in R or similar analytical software
• Experience handling and analysing large ecological datasets
• Excellent written and oral English communication
• Ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary teams
• Category B driving license or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Lead analyses of fish movements and habitat use in Arctic fjord ecosystems.
• Analyze acoustic telemetry datasets for polar cod, Atlantic cod, haddock, and others.
• Develop habitat selection, movement ecology, and species distribution models.
• Investigate climate-driven changes in fish distribution and ecosystem reorganization.
• Integrate environmental, fisheries, and animal tracking data.
• Plan and implement field campaigns in Svalbard.
• Deploy and maintain acoustic telemetry infrastructure.
• Capture, handle, tag, and monitor marine fish species.
• Publish results in international peer-reviewed journals.
• Present findings at conferences and stakeholder workshops.
• Contribute to project reporting and communications.
• Supervise MSc and PhD students; assist with future funding proposals and collaborations.

Skills

R programming

English proficiency

Quantitative ecology

Fieldwork planning

Education

Fisheries science

Marine ecology

Animal movement ecology

Marine biology

Environmental science

Quantitative ecology

Or a related discipline

Tools

R

GIS

Job description

About The Position

We have a full-time 3-year Postdoctoral Researcher position at the Ocean, Environment and Biotechnology division of NORCE in Bergen, Norway.

The successful candidate will join the Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (LFI), an internationally recognized research group with expertise in fish ecology, animal tracking, telemetry, fisheries science, ecological modelling, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration. LFI hosts the Bergen Telemetry Network and collaborates extensively with national and international partners on aquatic ecology and environmental change research.

This candidate will play a leading scientific role within the project "Resilience of Polar Ecosystems to the Cumulative Effects of Physical and Biological Changes in Norway's High Arctic (ROPES)". The position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge Arctic research at a time when climate change is fundamentally reshaping ecosystems in the High North.

The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to project development, planning and coordination of field activities, data analysis, publication of scientific papers, stakeholder engagement, and supervision of students. The candidate will be expected to lead analyses and publications arising from the project and contribute to the development of future research initiatives related to Arctic marine ecosystems and climate change.

The position is for a fixed-term period of three years and will be based at NORCE in Bergen, Norway, with travel and fieldwork in Svalbard.

About The Project

The Arctic is experiencing some of the most rapid climatic changes on Earth. Warming waters, declining sea ice, increased freshwater input from glaciers, and growing human activities are transforming Arctic marine ecosystems. In western Svalbard, increasing inflow of Atlantic water has accelerated a process known as Atlantification, resulting in the expansion of boreal species such as Atlantic cod and haddock into ecosystems historically dominated by Arctic specialists such as polar cod.

The ROPES project aims to understand how Arctic marine ecosystems respond to cumulative pressures associated with climate change, species invasions, fisheries, shipping, and ecosystem reorganization. The project applies the Hierarchical Response Framework to investigate how physiological responses of Arctic species scale up to food-web restructuring and ultimately ecosystem transformation.

Using state-of-the-art acoustic telemetry infrastructure, ecological modelling, environmental monitoring, and international collaboration, the project will investigate:

• Physiological resilience of polar cod to environmental change.
• Reorganization of trophic interactions in Arctic food webs.
• Distribution and habitat use of Atlantic species expanding into Svalbard fjords.
• Ecological tipping points associated with climate-driven ecosystem change.
• Implications for fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and marine spatial planning in the Arctic.

The project is coordinated by NORCE and conducted in collaboration with Dalhousie University (Canada), Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany), Akvaplan-niva, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

Work Tasks

The postdoctoral researcher will take a leading role in Work Packages 2 and 3 of the ROPES project and will be responsible for:

• Leading scientific analyses of fish movements and habitat use in Arctic fjord ecosystems.
• Analysing acoustic telemetry datasets from polar cod, Atlantic cod, haddock, and other marine ecies.
• Developing habitat selection, movement ecology, and species distribution models.
• Investigating climate-driven changes in fish distribution and ecosystem reorganization.
• Integrating environmental data, fisheries data, and animal tracking data.
• Participating in planning and implementation of field campaigns in Svalbard.
• Deploying and maintaining acoustic telemetry infrastructure.
• Capturing, handling, tagging, and monitoring marine fish species.
• Publishing scientific results in international peer-reviewed journals.
• Presenting project findings at scientific conferences and stakeholder workshops.
• Supporting project reporting and communication activities.
• Contributing to supervision of MSc and PhD students.
• Assisting with development of future funding proposals and international collaborations.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree in one of these disciplines:

• Fisheries science
• Marine ecology
• Animal movement ecology
• Marine biology
• Environmental science
• Quantitative ecology
• Or a related discipline

The PhD degree must be completed before the commencement of employment.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• A strong scientific publication record relative to career stage.
• Experience with quantitative ecological analyses and statistical modelling.
• Strong programming skills in R or similar analytical software.
• Experience handling and analysing large ecological datasets.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to publish scientific research in international journals.
• Ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary research teams.

Applicants should hold a Category B driving license or equivalent.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with acoustic telemetry, biologging, or animal tracking technologies.
• Experience studying fish movement ecology or animal migration.
• Expertise in habitat-use modelling and species distribution modelling.
• Experience with generalized additive models, mixed-effects models, Bayesian methods, or state-space models.
• Experience working with fisheries survey data.
• Experience with Arctic or sub-Arctic ecosystems.
• Experience studying climate-driven species redistribution and range expansion.
• Experience handling and tagging fish.
• Experience conducting fieldwork from vessels in remote environments.
• Participation in international scientific collaborations.
• Experience contributing to ICES, advisory groups, or applied fisheries management processes.
• Familiarity with spatial analysis and GIS tools.

Knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is considered an advantage but is not a requirement.

Personal Qualities

• Has a strong interest in Arctic ecology and climate change.
• Demonstrates scientific creativity and curiosity.
• Is highly organized and capable of managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Has excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Enjoys working in interdisciplinary and international teams.
• Is capable of working independently while contributing positively to collaborative projects.
• Has a strong commitment to health, safety, and ethical research practices.
• Is motivated by both fundamental science and applied environmental management.

Fieldwork and Safety Considerations

The project includes fieldwork in remote Arctic environments where conditions may be challenging and potentially hazardous.

The successful candidate must be willing to participate in:

• Vessel-based field operations.
• Fish capture and tagging activities.
• Deployment and recovery of scientific equipment.
• Safety training relevant to Arctic fieldwork.

Training related to field safety, small vessel operations, polar bear safety, and remote field operations will be provided where necessary.

We can offer

• A unique opportunity to contribute to internationally recognized Arctic research.
• Access to one of the most extensive fish-tracking infrastructures currently operating in Svalbard.
• Participation in exciting field campaigns in the High Arctic.
• An excellent scientific environment with strong international collaborations.
• Close collaboration with leading researchers from Norway, Canada, Germany, and Sweden.
• Opportunities for scientific leadership and professional development.
• Support for conference participation and international networking.
• Modern office facilities in Bergen.
• Competitive salary according to NORCE salary regulations and based on qualifications.

Application deadline

1 November 2026

Contact information

Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting Research Professor Dr. Tormod Haraldstad, [e-mail]

The successful applicant must comply with all regulations, ethical guidelines, and safety procedures applicable to research activities in Norway and Svalbard.

At NORCE, we are committed to ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply for available positions regardless of gender, age, disability, or ethnic background.

Candidates are expected to openly offer relevant information about themselves during the recruitment process. Furthermore, one can expect background checks to be conducted on candidates in the final phase of the recruitment process. NORCE uses external actors to carry out such background checks.