Stipendiat i terrestrisk kvantitativ økologi

UiT- The Arctic University of Norway; Of; On-site; TRY 2,421,426 - 2,959,520; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Good career development opportunities

Flexible working hours

Pension scheme

Engagement in an international research project

Job summary

UiT - The Arctic University of Norway is inviting applications for a PhD position at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology. The role focuses on developing ecological forecasts integrating spatiotemporal models, working collaboratively across institutes. Applicants need a Master's degree in a relevant quantitative field, proven statistical experience, and fluent English.

The position offers a gross salary of NOK 565,000 and participation in an international research project with great data resources. Flexible working hours and a pension scheme are also included.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in statistical ecology or applied environmental statistics.
• Experience with forecasting models and spatio-temporal analysis.
• Strong quantitative skills and documented fluency in English.

Responsibilities

• Conduct interdisciplinary research using spatiotemporal models.
• Develop ecological forecasts linking single-species and ecosystem models.
• Engage with stakeholders and conduct field-based data collection.

Skills

Statistical methods for spatio-temporal modelling

Fluency in English

Experience with Bayesian methods

Working knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language

Education

Master's degree in statistical ecology or related field

Bachelor’s degree of 180 ECTS

Job description

Overview

A PhD position is available at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB), Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE) at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway. The role is part of the new Centre for Biodiversity Forecasting (CBF) and will be executed for a period of three years, beginning in late autumn 2026.

Position Summary

The successful candidate will conduct interdisciplinary research at the interface of terrestrial ecosystem ecology and quantitative forecasting models. The PhD will contribute to Work Packages 1.1 and 1.2 of CBF, focusing on developing process‑based spatiotemporal models and integrating multiple drivers to forecast Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) for Arctic terrestrial ecosystems.

Project Objectives

The core scientific challenge is to develop and assess near‑term, iterative ecological forecasts of EBVs by linking existing single‑species and ecosystem component models into a coherent framework. The work will involve:

• Statistical development of model linkages and handling spatial heterogeneity of tundra and birch forest ecosystems.
• Iterative model assessment and adaptive monitoring to improve forecast skill.
• Field‑based data collection and stakeholder engagement, especially with Finnmark Estate (FeFo).
• Collaboration with quantitative ecologists, statisticians, climate scientists and environment managers across UiT, NTNU, SINTEF, Nord University and other research institutes.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master's degree in statistical ecology, statistics with an applied environmental focus, or ecology with strong quantitative skills.
• Experience with statistical methods for spatio‑temporal modelling and forecasting.
• Documented fluency in English.

Desired:

• Experience with models integrating multiple information sources.
• Practical experience with Bayesian methods.
• Working knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language.

Applicants who already hold a PhD or an equivalent level of competence will not be considered for this position.

Admission to PhD Programme

To be eligible for the position, applicants must be admitted to the PhD programme at BFE. Requirements include:

• Bachelor’s degree of 180 ECTS and master’s degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master’s degree of 300 ECTS.
• Master’s thesis with a scope of at least 30 ECTS for a 120‑ECTS master’s or at least 20 ECTS for a 300‑ECTS integrated master’s.
• Minimum grade B on the master’s degree and average grade B on all master’s courses (or C for integrated master’s).
• Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.

Benefits

• Engagement in an international research project with world‑class data.
• Good career development opportunities within a research network.
• Flexible working hours under the state collective pay agreement.
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund.
• Annual salary of NOK 565 000 (gross) in accordance with State salary scale code 1017.

Inclusion and Diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway promotes equality, gender balance and diversity, and strives to create an inclusive and safe working environment. Those with disabilities, gaps in their CV, or immigrant backgrounds are encouraged to indicate this in their application. The university may adapt working conditions as required. All applicant information is used only for anonymous statistical purposes.