Introductory words

At the research group Regional Climate and Climate Services in NORCE, a PhD research fellow position is available. The position is for a fixed-term period of 3 years. The group's research areas center around regional climate and include understanding of physical processes in the climate system relevant on regional to local scale, climate changes and its impact on societies, and the opportunities for climate adaptation. The research group is part of the Climate Dynamics department in NORCE which employs more than 60 climate scientists and we are proud partner in Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research with more than 200 climate scientists affiliated.

The position is funded by the Centre for Mountains in Transition (CMT), a new interdisciplinary research centre based at the University of Bergen, dedicated to understanding and addressing the impacts of climate and environmental change in mountain regions. With a primary focus on the Scandinavian mountains, CMT brings together climate science, ecology, hydrology, geoscience, and social sciences to explore how mountain systems are changing—and how we can build resilience for the future. 

Mountains are sensitive to global change. Increasing temperatures, melting glaciers, shifting precipitation and snow patterns, changing biodiversity, and increasing human pressures are transforming these landscapes. CMT aims to generate cutting-edge knowledge and practical solutions to safeguard mountain ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Through four interconnected research themes—Trends, Seasonality, Extremes, and Resilience—CMT investigates long-term environmental changes, seasonal dynamics, extreme events, and strategies for sustainable mountain management. The centre collaborates closely with stakeholders, including national parks, local communities, and industry partners, ensuring that research is relevant, actionable, and impactful. The University of Bergen hosts CMT in collaboration with NORCE, NMBU, and other national and international partners.

Responsibilities and work area
The PhD project is centred around regional modelling of mountain climate and extremes with a particular focus on precipitation and elevation dependent climate change. The goal is to understand the key processes controlling the altitude-dependent precipitation changes in a warming climate, and how and why these vary on a regional scale. The candidate will design a comprehensive field campaign to measure precipitation transects with precipitation gauges to quantify processes. The data will be used to investigate the ability of the regional climate Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) to capture precipitation on local to regional scales in mountainous regions and investigate the processes in regional climate models responsible for orographic enhancement of precipitation and how accurate their representation in models are. The candidate is expected to explore the precipitation in various weather and climate situations today and in a future climate. The work will align with research work conducted in CMT and we expect the candidate to participate actively in transdisciplinary work with the additional 8 PhD’s within CMT. 

Qualifications and Attributes

• Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent education in Earth Science, Hydrology, Meteorology, Environmental Sciences, Climate Science, or a closely related field, with an average grade C or better. Master’s students may apply if they complete their degree by February 1, 2026. Employment is conditional on the degree being awarded.

• Demonstrated experience with running a regional climate model, preferably WRF, on a HPC system is a requirement.

• Proficiency in scientific coding and data analysis programming languages, such as Python is a requirement.

• Experience with shell scripting and C/Fortran will be an advantage.

• Experience with observational field campaigns will be an advantage.

• Applicants must be able to document how they previously have worked both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

• Applicants must have excellent communication skills in English, both written and oral.

Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Research experience, ambitions and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates. 

About the research training
As a PhD Research Fellow, you must participate in an approved educational programme for a PhD degree within 3 years. The deadline for applying for admission to the PhD programme at The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences is 2 months after you start your position or after the start of the research project that will lead to the PhD degree. It is a condition that you satisfy the enrolment requirements for the PhD programme at the University of Bergen.

We offer

• International environment with exciting and interdisciplinary projects

• Strong professional stimulating working environment with mentor opportunities

• Flexibility to organize your workday, including additional vacation days and other benefits to enable a good balance between work and private life.

• Salary as a PhD research fellow

How to apply

We hope that you are eager to be a driving force for a good and sustainable development! Apply for the position electronically by clicking "Apply for the position."

The application must include:

• A cover letter outlining your motivation for applying for the position and how your background makes you an excellent candidate. (2 pages max).

• The names and contact information for two referees. One of these should be the primary advisor for the master's thesis or its equivalent.

• CV

• Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees (In English). If you have not yet completed your master's degree, please submit a statement from your institution confirming the expected date of award of your master's degree. Your master's degree must be documented with transcripts and/or diploma before starting in the position.

• relevant certificates/references

• approved documentation of proficiency in English (if required, cf English language requirements for PhD admission)

• a list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list)

If you have questions about the position, please contact Research Director Marie Pontoppidan (mapo@norceresearch.no). If you have questions about the application process, please contact HR advisor Line Aarrestad (liaa@norceresearch.no).

At NORCE, we are committed to ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply for available positions regardless of gender, age, disability, or ethnic background.

Candidates are expected to openly provide all relevant information about themselves during the recruitment process. Furthermore, background checks may be conducted on all final candidates, who may be checked against relevant lists to ensure compliance with applicable export control and sanctions regulations. Candidates will be asked to provide information about any affiliations with high-risk countries for a security assessment. Final candidates should be prepared for background checks and evaluations of their affiliations with high-risk countries to ensure compliance with applicable export control and sanctions regulations.