Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nuclear Fission

Physical sciences/Math

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nuclear Fission

About the position

A four-year position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nuclear Fission is available at the Department of Physics. The position is funded through the Norwegian Nuclear Research Centre (NNRC).

NNRC is a cross-disciplinary collaboration between Norway’s leading institutions within nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry research: University of Oslo (UiO), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), and Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). The Centre addresses major research questions within the nuclear field spanning topics from nuclear properties and medical isotope production, to reactor simulations and modelling of spread of radioactivity in the environment. 

This Postdoc Research Fellow will be a part of NNRC’s Research Theme 2: Nuclear Fission. The position includes 25 % teaching. The starting date should be as soon as possible.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

Knowledge development in a changing world – Science and technology towards 2030.

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Job description / Project description / Development plan:

The Nuclear Fission Research Theme will provide fundamental research on the nuclear fission process, which is still not fully understood, as well as produce nuclear data for both nuclear reactor and nuclear safety applications. Obtaining experimental information about fission is also important to constrain and improve nuclear fission models. The Postdoc Research Fellow is expected to take a leading role within this Research Theme.

The current project aims at studying the gamma rays emitted in fission to understand excitation energy and angular momentum effects in nuclear fission. This includes measurements of prompt fission gamma rays (PFGs) as a function of excitation energy and angular momentum of the fissioning nucleus, which will be conducted at the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory (OCL) using the OSCAR array of 30 large volume LaBr detectors. As a part of the project, the experimental setup for fission experiments at OCL will be designed and tested. Another fission observable of interest is isomeric yield ratios (IYRs) of fission fragments, as they give insight to the configurations of the initial fission fragments and are thus excellent probes of the mechanisms behind angular momentum generation in fission. Measurements of these will be run abroad at for example IJC Lab and GANIL.

The successful applicant will be in charge of setting up the fission experiments and analyse the data obtained. Prior experience analysing fission data is therefore a huge advantage. The candidate is expected to help supervise students, and to help develop the nuclear fission Research Theme through international collaborations. The candidate is also expected to contribute to and partake in activities organised by the Centre.

In addition to the research, the candidate will be course responsible and lecturer of the course FYS4580 – “Introduction to reactor physics”, given each fall to B.Sc and M.Sc students.

Postdoctoral fellows who are appointed for a period of four years are expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency in the course of their fellowship period within the duty component of 25 %.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

Qualification requirements:

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Required qualifications:

  • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in physics, with specialisation in experimental nuclear physics. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defense are eligible for appointment.
  • A scientific profile relevant for the nuclear fission research program as outlined above
  • A solid background in scientific computing and data analysing, including proficiency in Python programming
  • Experience with teaching
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

In addition, several qualifications are considered strongly desirable and will be used in the ranking of the candidates, these are:

  • Experience with conducting fission experiments
  • Experience with relevant data analysis techniques
  • Experience with supervision of master students
  • Familiarity with data analysis tools such as ROOT and Python
  • Experience with international research collaboration
  • Speak Norwegian (or other Scandinavian language) fluently

Personal skills:

  • Good communication skills
  • Ability to work in an international research environment
  • Ability to work both in a team and independently

We offer:

  • Salary NOK 575 400 – 657 300 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352)
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
  • Professionally stimulating working environment
  • Vibrant international academic environment
  • Postdoctoral development programmes
  • Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

The application must include:

  • Cover letter with a statement of motivation and research interests
  • CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work – scientific publications)
  • Copies of educational certificates and academic transcript of records
  • List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
  • Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)                                                                        

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University’s grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

The research area for the position may include technologies referred to in the Ministry’s export control regulations and all candidates will be evaluated in accordance with these regulations.

Formal regulations:

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact persons:

For further information please contact: Professor Sunniva Siem, e-mail: sunniva.siem@fys.uio.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Elin Thoresen,  e-mail: elin.thoresen@mn.uio.no

About the University of Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society. 

The research at the Department of Physics covers a broad range of subfields within physics and technology: From space research to medical physics.

A good proportion of the research is interdisciplinary, and conducted in close cooperation with collaborators in Norway and abroad. Education and teaching are other essential activities. We offer a broad range of courses, and the Department is involved in several study programmes at bachelor’s and master’s level. Some of the best lecturers in Norway are amongst our employees, and we are proud of our prizewinning teaching and learning environment. The Department has 200 employees, of which 50 are permanent scientific positions. On a yearly basis 20 students complete their Ph.D. and 50 finish their M.Sc. degree.

Deadline: 2024-02-26 at 23:59
Unit: Physical sciences/Math

Read the job description at the university homepage or apply.