The position

A PhD position has become available on the project “Endonucleases and neutrophil extracellular traps – future biomarkers and targets for treatment”. The position is affiliated with the RNA and molecular pathology research group (RAMP) at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Biology (IMB).

The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year and will consist of teaching and other duties. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The project

The successful candidate will engage in the research project titled “Endonucleases and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps – Future Biomarkers and Targets for Treatment” within the RNA and Molecular Pathology Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The project will be supervised and led by Associate Professor Hege Lynum Pedersen. 

Our research group specializes in the study of breast cancer and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organs throughout the body. The disease is characterized by a wide array of symptoms, which complicates both diagnosis and monitoring. Current therapeutic strategies primarily focus on sustaining remission and preventing disease relapse. Specific biomarkers for effective disease monitoring are currently insufficient, and despite progress in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying SLE, targeted therapeutic options remain scarce. This project seeks to bridge this gap by examining the therapeutic potential of targeting neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and DNases, investigating their regulatory pathways, and validating their efficacy as biomarkers to enhance disease management and treatment response. Given the association between NETs, autoimmunity, and cancer, and although our primary emphasis is on SLE, we are interested in incorporating both SLE and cancer into this research initiative.

The position is available for commencement from June 2025 for a period of four years and includes 25% teaching.

The candidate will collaborate with other researchers and be involved in supervision of master- and bachelor students in on-going projects. Relevant techniques include laboratory experiments utilizing mammalian cell cultivation, RNA isolation, western blotting, cloning, RT-qPCR, different histological methods including OPAL, ELISA, advanced imaging, and possibly animal experiments using mouse models.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Hege Lynum Pedersen:

• phone: +47 77 62 33 71
• email: hege.lynum.pedersen@uit.no

Qualifications

This postion requires:

• Completion of a master’s degree within life sciences, or other educations that have been approved as equivalent. Norwegian candidates of medicine or odontology degree may also apply. Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis. You must document completion of your degree before commencement in the position.
• The candidates must document proficiency in both written and oral English.
• Documented experience in molecular biology and/or immunology is required. 
• Applicants must document proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at a minimum of level A2. If the candidate does not document proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2, then the doctoral fellow must complete a language course equal to 15 ECTS before the end of the fixed-term period. UiT will facilitate this. 

It is considered an advantage if you have:

• FELASA – approval for work with research animals.
• Experience with mammalian cell work, RT-qPCR, histology, antibody-based techniques, and confocal microscopy.

We are seeking a candidate with a high degree of self-motivation and possesses the ability to work independently in a structured manner. Both a strong academic track record and a genuine interest in conducting research are essential to qualify for the position. The candidates master’s thesis, academic track record, and other application materials must demonstrate this. We will emphasize personal suitability in our assessment. Consequently, applicants are required to submit a statement detailing their motivation for joining the research project and group, how they intend to contribute to and enhance the research within the project and group, and their research ambitions. This statement should be confined to a maximum of one page.

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who:

• Have good collaboration skills
• Have good communication and interaction with colleagues and students
• Wants to contribute to a good working environment

As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

Admission to the PhD programme 

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:  

• A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. 
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS. 
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. 

Applicants must have a grade of C or better on the master's thesis and have a grade point average of C or better for the master's degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.  

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position. 

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will use the information for anonymous statistics.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project 
• Good career opportunities 
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues  
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement  
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund 
• PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 536 200 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

Application 

Your application must include: 

• A cover letter including qualifications, explaining your motivation and research interests
• CV containing a complete overview of education, experience, professional work and pedagogical qualifications
• Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree (in original language and translated to English or Scandinavian)
• Official transcripts of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English proficiency. See this link for how this shall be documented.
• If available: Documentation of proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish at a minimum of level A2 
• 2-3 references with contact information
• Any academic works, including the master’s thesis or a draft thereof
• A short text (max 400 words) stating the motivation for joining the research project and group

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. We only accept applications and documentation sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline. Applications sent to us via e-mail or by any other means will not be considered.

Assessment 

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants. 

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position. 

General information 

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants. 

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. 

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years. 

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.