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Paid Researcher: Researcher position in marine ecology/seabird ecology (Norway)

The Norwegian Polar Institute has a vacant researcher position in marine ecology with a focus on seabird and prey interaction. The position is part of the SEATRACK project, which aims to map the year-round distribution of 16 seabird species in the North Atlantic and understand how changes in environmental conditions affect their demography and population trajectories. Deadline to apply: April 7, 2025!

Agency/Organization: The Norwegian Polar Institute

The Norwegian Polar Institute is a directorate under the auspices of the Ministry of Climate and Environment and has approximately 160 employees located in Tromsø, Svalbard and Antarctica. The institute is the main strategic adviser for the Norwegian State in polar issues, represents Norway internationally with respect to polar sciences and management committees and processes, and is Norway’s environmental authority in Antarctica.

Location: Tromsø, Norway

Website: Click here

Job Description: Would you like to research seabird prey? We have a vacant researcher position in marine ecology with a focus on seabird and prey interaction. The position is part of the SEATRACK project, which aims to map the year-round distribution of 16 seabird species in the North Atlantic and understand how changes in environmental conditions affect their demography and population trajectories. The project uses different tracking technologies to map seabird movements outside the breeding season. It is funded by the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Norwegian Environmental Agency, the Ministry of Energy, the Norwegian Coastal Administration and Offshore Norway, as well as 15 energy companies. It is led by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and partners in 14 countries. For more information, see: https://seatrack.net.

This is a temporary position for 3 years in our section for terrestrial ecology and seabirds at NPI’s research department. The section carries out monitoring and research within the fields of terrestrial ecology and seabird ecology, with a focus on how changes in climate, environmental conditions and human activity affect plant, animal and bird populations in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Your workplace will be Tromsø, Norway. You will be part of a team of researchers from NPI and NINA and collaborate closely with other Norwegian and foreign researchers participating in SEATRACK. Some travel to meetings, workshops, and participation in fieldwork may be expected.

Work assignments 

As a researcher, your primary focus will be on the spatial and temporal interactions of North Atlantic seabirds, their potential prey species, and oceanographic conditions throughout the year. This research aims to investigate how changes in marine ecosystems could impact seabird communities. The main tasks for this position are:

  • identify the most important prey species for seabirds in the North Atlantic throughout the year, using a combination of literature review, observational data, tracking and stable isotope data, as well as model and simulation results
  • study the distribution of seabirds’ prey in relation to other ecosystem components and environmental parameters, and assess how these affect the distribution of seabirds 
  • develop scenarios predicting future prey distributions as a result of climate change and evaluate the subsequent impacts on seabird distribution
  • publish your findings in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals

This work will be focused on large-scale studies encompassing multiple species and locations outside the breeding period.

Qualifications: You must hold an MSc or PhD in ecology or marine biology. In addition, you must have a strong analytical background and experience in quantitative ecology, spatial analysis, handling large and complex datasets, and proficiency in programming (e.g., R or Python).

It is an advantage if you have:

  • Experience in marine system ecology, fish biology, and seabird ecology.
  • Experience using tracking technology for studies of area use, particularly in the analyses of light-level geolocator data.
  • Experience with models and simulations of marine species distribution, as well as familiarity with relevant data for these in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
  • Experience with the Norwegian high computation cluster (SIGMA 2).
  • Fieldwork experience in polar regions.
  • A strong publication record appropriate to your career level.

We are seeking applicants with good collaboration skills who are focused on problem-solving, while also being able to work in a structured and independent manner. The ideal candidate will excel at balancing autonomous work with seamless team integration, transforming challenges into opportunities through creative and systematic thinking. We place great emphasis on personal suitability.

Good oral and written knowledge of English is required. Our working language is Norwegian, so knowledge of Norwegian will carry weight in the assessment. If you do not speak Norwegian, you are expected to complete a Norwegian course during the first two years of your employment, as communication in Norwegian will be important for both you and the institute. We will pay for courses that are completed successfully.

Passing a health check in accordance with the institute’s guidelines is a prerequisite for participation in fieldwork.

Wage:

  • Interesting and exciting work tasks in a highly international research environment.
  • Salary according to the Norwegian State salary code 1108/1109 Researcher Scientist, depending on qualifications (2% is deducted to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund).
  • Field and cruise pay according to national and local agreements.
  • Membership of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. The membership includes many benefits, such as lifetime retirement pension, the right to financial support if you become ill or disabled, financial support for your family if something happens to you in our service, insurance against occupational injury/illness, as well as good mortgage terms.
  • Membership in our staff association, which among other things has its own cabin and facilitates various social gatherings.
  • We believe a diverse work force is a strength, and want employees with different skills, subject combinations, life experience and perspectives. If you are qualified for the position, you are welcome to apply regardless of your gender, age, cultural background, disabilities, or gaps in your CV. We also accommodate special needs in the workplace, if needed. There are special health requirements for this position that could limit our possibilities to accommodate special needs in the workplace.
  • Tromsø and the surrounding area have excellent conditions for experiencing the midnight sun, polar night, Northern lights, varied outdoor activities and a lively cultural and entertainment environment. Tromsø is situated at nearly 70°N with just about 75.000 residents. The city is an expanding centre for research, with numerous governmental and private research institutions and a major well-established university.

To apply: Your application must be submitted in Jobbnorge. The application should include details of your relevant qualifications and experience, attachments, CV, publications list, copies of your transcripts and names of three references. Please, do not include copies of publications or other works in the application, but note that this may be requested later in the process.

We collaborate with Semac (www.semac.no) on electronical reference interviews and background checks to ensure a good recruitment process. This helps ensure that we recruit the right expertise and contribute to a fair evaluation of the applicants. The background check often consists of verification of information provided in the application, CV, diploma, etc.

All applications are handled in confidentiality until the application deadline. Thereafter, a public list of applicants will be prepared. Applicants who wish to reserve their applications from the public list must give reasons for this in their applications. Information about an applicant can be made public even if the applicant has requested that they be excluded from the public list of applicants, cf. Freedom of Information Act, Section 25, 2nd paragraph.

Application Deadline: April 7, 2025

Start Date: N/A

Contact: Benjamin Merkel (Benjamin.Merkel@npolar.no)