About the position

NORCE Climate & Environment in Bergen, Norway, has a full-time PhD position available. The position is affiliated with the national research program “Arctic Ocean 2050” (https://uit.no/arcticocean2050). The position is available from early September 2026 and for a fixed-term period of 3 years. The position will be located at NORCE, and you will be enrolled as a PhD student at the University of Bergen.

The program “Arctic Ocean 2050” brings together 18 Norwegian research institutions in a major interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at strengthening Norway’s knowledge base and strategic capacity in a rapidly changing Arctic Ocean. Its goals are to improve our understanding of the past and present-day Arctic Ocean and how it may change towards 2050, and develop the knowledge needed for future management, sustainable use, and for maintaining safety and security in the region. The ten-year program (2026–2035) offers unique opportunities for professional development and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“Arctic Ocean 2050” focuses on processes within the central Arctic Ocean, its interactions with the surrounding seas, and how these dynamics connect to broader climatic and political systems. Field activities will primarily take place in the Eurasian Basin, between the Fram Strait and the North Pole, as well as including the adjacent continental slopes. Pan-Arctic perspectives will be ensured through remote sensing, research on broader sociopolitical drivers, and modelling tools that cover the entire Arctic Ocean, and extensive international research collaboration.

As part of “Arctic Ocean 2050”, you will join an ambitious research environment with high societal relevance and the opportunity to contribute to new knowledge on some of the world’s most remote and important ocean regions.

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate to perform cross-disciplinary research supported by and contributing to, the Ocean Observations and the Molecular Ecology and Paleogenomics Research groups at NORCE. See specific project suggestions, relevant specific qualifications and supervisor contacts here:

• https://www.norceresearch.no/en/late-quaternary-sea-ice-evolution-in-the-arctic

• https://www.norceresearch.no/en/predicting-the-future-plankton-community-in-the-high-arctic

• https://www.norceresearch.no/en/recent-warming-and-holocene-thermal-maximum-effects-on-a-pristine-arctic-ecosystem

About NORCE and the Climate and Environment Division

NORCE is a research institute that delivers research and innovation in energy, health care, climate, environment, society, and technology. The Climate & Environment division investigates how the climate is changing, what consequences climate change will have, how we can best adapt to the change and contribute to research and development into the sustainable use and management of the environment and natural resources.

About the research groups Ocean Observations and Molecular Ecology and Paleogenomics

The Ocean Observations group aims at understanding natural climate variability by extending instrumental data sets with climate reconstructions, studies of warm periods and climate shifts/tipping points. We assess historical and present ocean circulation, dynamics, and sea-level changes, and how these have changed over the instrumental record, and investigate and assess the magnitude and variability of the oceanic uptake, fluxes, and accumulation of natural and anthropogenic CO2.

The Molecular Ecology and Paleogenomics - MEP group develops and applies molecular tools to address questions spanning the continuum from basic (microbial community ecology, paleoceanography) to applied ecological research (monitoring the impacts of marine industry). The group comprises expertise in modern pelagic and benthic ecosystems as well as in past biodiversity reconstructions from the sediment record.

Education and personal skills

Applicants must hold a MSc degree or equivalent education within a relevant field (see the specific project suggestions). As a PhD Research Fellow, you must participate in an approved educational program for a PhD degree within a period of 3 years. The deadline for applying for admission to the PhD program at The Faculty of Science and Technology is 2 months after the start of your research project that will lead to the PhD degree. It is necessary that you satisfy the enrollment requirements for the PhD program at the University of Bergen (GEO, GFI or BIO). Please see the individual project suggestions for specific skill requirements.

We offer

• A unique opportunity to join an enthusiastic research environment working across disciplines

• A stimulating and professionally challenging working environment in an internationally leading and recognized professional environment.

• Involvement in the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, one of the leading climate research centres in Europe with around 200 scientists from 37 countries.

• Starting annual salary of NOK 570,000 before taxes.

• Flexible working hour arrangements and good pension and insurance schemes.

How to apply

Please apply electronically by clicking "Apply for the position".

Your application must include:

• Curriculum vitae

• A cover letter outlining your motivation for applying for this position and how your profile and interests fit with one of the suggested projects (max. 1 page).

• We encourage the candidate to get in touch with supervisors for the suggested problems aligning with their interests

• A summary/abstract of your MSc thesis (max. 1 page)

• Names and contact information of at least two references. One of these should be the main advisor for the master's thesis or equivalent thesis.

• Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not yet completed your master's degree, please submit a statement from your institution confirming that the master's thesis has been submitted. It is a condition of employment that the master's degree has been awarded to start the position.

• Relevant certificates/references.

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at our recruitment portal Teamtailor.

Application deadline: 25 April 2026

Position available from: Early September 2026

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Dr. Emil Jeansson (+47 56 10 75 27, emje@norceresearch.no or Dr. Aud Larsen (+47 56 10 74 24, aula@norceresearch.no) or the supervisors as given in the project descriptions. For more information about NORCE and BCCR, please refer to www.norceresearch.no and www.bjerknes.uib.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 offer relevant information about themselves during the recruitment process. Furthermore, one can expect background checks to be conducted on candidates in the final phase of the recruitment process. NORCE uses external actors to carry out such background checks or security interviews.