About the Department

The Department of Physical Performance contributes through education, research, and dissemination, to an understanding of what determines physical performance with a focus on exercise physiology, biomechanics and technology.

The department is responsible for teaching and conducting research within areas of how physical performance is influenced by optimal training and technique in both a sport and health perspective as well as in rehabilitation of patients. 

The department's activities take place in "state of the art" laboratories, equipped for studying human motions. The department's target groups incorporate various populations; youth, elite-athletes, the elderly population and patients. 

We carry a specific responsibility for research within the sports of cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, swimming, orienteering, and track and field.

About the Position and the Research Project

The Department of Physical Performance at NIH offers a three-year PhD fellowship from September 2025. 

The fellowship is offered in Muscle Mechanics in a specific project with the title: 

Influence of mechanical constraints on muscle mechanics

The Department of Physical performance at NIH hosts several projects focused on the properties, functions, and adaptations of muscle-tendon units under various conditions. The aim of this research is to improve our understanding of muscle-tendon interactions, adaptations, and the mechanisms behind non-traumatic injuries.

The present PhD project will be conducted at NIH, in partnership with Nantes Université (France). The aim of the project will be to investigate the influence of pressure on muscle contractile dynamics and force production.

The PhD candidate will play a significant role in all aspects of the project and will be involved in planning the project, recruiting participants, collecting data (using e.g., ultrasonography, dynamometry, EMG), analyzing and disseminating results in close collaboration with researchers at NIH and Nantes Université in France.

The predefined project will be under the supervision of Professor Olivier Seynnes. 

The successful candidate will be requested to formally apply for enrolment as a PhD student at NIH. Employment as a PhD fellowship will be conditional on successful enrolment in the PhD program.

Job description

Your main tasks as a PhD fellow at NIH are to:

• Complete an independent research project under supervision.
• Complete PhD courses or other equivalent educational activities corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points.
• Actively participate in research environments, including collaboration with fellow researchers.
• Dissemination of results from your PhD project, both at international conferences and in scientific journals.
• Write a PhD thesis based on your project.
• Optional: The candidate may gain teaching experience, depending on the department's teaching needs and the candidate's competencies.

Qualification Requirements and Selection Process

The applicant must be eligible for admission to the doctoral program at NIH: PhD program – Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Applicants should hold a two-year master’s degree in Sport Sciences or equivalent with the grade B or better. It is the candidate responsibility to document and eventually transform the grade.

Selection Criteria

• Experience in human studies and experience in scientific writing, i.e. publications in scientific peer reviewed journals, are considered an advantage.
• Competence/experience and motivation to conduct independent research using advanced methods to study muscle mechanics.
• Programming skills, with experience or willingness to learn Python.
• Experience with image analysis and/or signal processing techniques.
• Quality of the master's thesis and the relevance of the master's thesis to the planned project, both academically and methodologically.
• Good collaboration skills, and ability to independently find innovative solutions.
• Good written and oral presentation skills in English.

The purpose of the recruitment position is for the candidate to achieve a doctoral degree during the fellowship period. Admission to the doctoral program is therefore a condition for employment as a research fellow. The candidate must be able to complete the project during the fellowship period. 

The employment period is three years. The fellow will have their workplace at the Department of Physical Performance, NIH, Oslo, Norway.

The candidate is required to submit an admission to the PhD program no later than six weeks after employment. A complete project description, including a proposal for the plan for the doctoral education/progress plan, will be developed in consultation with supervisors with the aim of formal admission to the doctoral program at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. The application will be processed in accordance with applicable guidelines for employment in fellowship positions, and employment is contingent upon admission to the PhD program. The study plan for all required coursework must be approved no later than three months after commencement.

The Application Should Include

The application should be written in English; all attachments must be written in a Scandinavian language or English. The application with attachments must be submitted via our electronic recruitment system, and comprise:

• A cover letter, stating your motivation and background for applying for the specific PhD project (max. one page)
• Full CV 
• Diploma and transcripts of records (BSc and MSc including grade transcripts)
• Other information to consider: Publications, if any and relevant references and recommendations

When assessing applicants, emphasis will be placed on the applicant's academic and personal qualifications to complete the project. Suitable candidates will be invited for an interview.

For education outside Scandinavia, we request an explanation of the grading system. Applicants with a foreign master's degree are encouraged to apply to HKDIR for recognition of foreign education: Apply for recognition of your foreign higher education | HK-dir.

We offer

• Salary as a research fellow in position code 1017 (starting salary gross annual salary NOK 536,200)
• A good and active working environment at the Department of Physical Performance at NIH. 
• Good arrangements for pension, loans, and insurance in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Excellent training facilities, corporate sports teams, and opportunities for exercise during working hours
• Immediate proximity to the metro and locked bicycle parking

Other Information

For more information about the PhD program at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, please refer to the following website: PhD program – Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

Employment is subject to the conditions applicable to state employees. NIH has mandatory membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

According to the Freedom of Information Act § 25, second paragraph, information about the applicant may be disclosed even if the applicant has requested not to be included on the applicant list.

Inclusion and diversity are strengths, and NIH has a personnel policy goal of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, NIH seeks employees with diverse skills, subject combinations, life experiences, and perspectives.

If you are a qualified applicant with a disability, a gap in your CV, or an immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box in the job applicant portal for this. NIH will invite at least one applicant for an interview if they are qualified, and if you get the job, we will accommodate any needs you may have. The ticking is used solely for anonymized statistics, apart from selecting the right candidate.

The Further Process

Selected applicants are called for interview and a final decision is expected end of September. 

Please note that the applicant will be contacted if the assessment committee requires further documentation.

Contacts and Questions

Interested applicants are advised to contact the academic community in preparing the application. 

Further details can be obtained by contacting: 

• Supervisor, Professor Olivier Seynnes, oliviers@nih.no
• Head of Department, Klavs Madsen, klavsm@nih.no

Contact administration: 

• HR Department: Senior Adviser Elisabeth Olsen, elisabethol@nih.no 
• PhD Program/Department of Academic Affaris: Senior Adviser Mari Corel, maric@nih.no