Researcher in Paleogeography and Geodynamics

About the position

Position as Researcher in Paleogeography and Geodynamics is available at the Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB), Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo (UiO).

The position is a fulltime position for a period of 3 years.
Starting date 01.05.2026
Place of work is PHAB, the Department of Geosciences at Blindern, Oslo.

Project description

The position is associated with the Centre for Planetary Habitability and linked to a project entitled “The Great Oxygenation Event and Planetary Habitability” (GOEPHAB) funded by the Research Council of Norway. GOE-PHAB is part of an international initiative (17 partner countries) GOE-DEEP (Gabon and Oxygenation of Earth – Drilling Early Earth Project), which aims to obtain 11 drill cores from an
exceptional archive of Paleoproterozoic time, the Franceville Basin in Gabon, Africa. Drill targets span the time interval of key events in the early Proterozoic (2.5-2.0 Ga), including the potential to deliver new insights about the initial rise of atmospheric oxygen. The cores will form new geobiological, geochronological, geochemical, paleomagnetic and sedimentological knowledge to reconstruct the
environmental conditions and resolve fundamental questions that remain about the emergence of Earth´s aerobic biosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere system.

The prime objective for GOE-PHAB is to understand the environmental changes that enhanced planetary habitability during the early Proterozoic and the project will be carried out in close co-operation with project partners at the Geological Survey of
Norway (NGU, Trondheim), Tuffs University (USA), Helsinki University (Finland), Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK, Germany) and Carleton University (Canada). Eight GOE-DEEP cores have already been drilled and will be available for sub-sampling in early 2026 at the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU, Trondheim). The successful candidate will partly be involved in core sub-sampling
and paleomagnetic experiments to build a regional paleogeographic framework for the Franceville Basin (Congo Craton), but the main tasks are as follows:

• Developing apparent polar wander paths with statistical uncertainties for the
  major cratons between ~2.7 and 2.0 billion years (Ga)
• Testing/refining postulated Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic Supercraton
  configurations
• Building a global full plate paleogeographic model (2.7-2.0 Ga) with statistical uncertainties, serving as basis for climate modelling (in co-operation with PIK)
• Identifying the driver(s) for the Great Oxygenation Event and coeval Snowball Earth conditions (in co-operation with all project partners)

What skills are important in this role?

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 geosciences or 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.
• The candidate must have a strong background in scientific programming (e.g., Python)
• The candidate must have experience in developing reference frames for absolute plate motion and statistical methods for quantification of uncertainties
• The candidate must have experience with methods to discriminate between true polar wander and the motion of individual plates
• The candidate must have experience with global paleogeographic and geodynamic modelling
• The candidate must have experience with full-plate modelling and the GPlates reconstruction freeware
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

Desired qualifications:

• Experience with drill-core sub-sampling (e.g., ICDP, ODP, IODP) for paleomagnetic and rock magnetic experiments
• Experience working in large-scale multi-partner projects
• Experience in carbon-cycle modelling software development

All candidates and projects will have to undergo a check versus national export, sanctions and security regulations. Candidates may be excluded based on these checks. Primary checkpoints are the Export Control regulation, the Sanctions regulation, and the national security regulation.

What are we looking for in you?

Personal skills:

• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.

We can offer you

• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
• Committed colleagues in a good working environment. 
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.  A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Researcher, position code 1109 in salary range NOK from 646 000 to 745 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.