Job description

A position as PhD Research Fellow in Biologically inspired artificial intelligence is available at the Department of Physics. The position is affiliated with the research group of Professors Anders Malthe-Sørenssen and Marianne Fyhn at the Center for Integrative Neuroplasticity (CINPLA).

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

The fellowship will be for a period of 3 years, with starting date no later than May 1 2020.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

More about the position

The candidate for this position will work on a project funded by the Norwegian Research Council entitled “Bio-inspired neural networks for AI applications”. The project is a collaboration between computational physics, computational neuroscience and experimental neuroscience aiming to use insights from biological neural networks to improve methods and algorithms for artificial neural networks.

The PhD project will focus on developing bio-inspired artificial neural networks, in particular recurrent neural networks, study and analyze the emergent properties of these systems when trained on e.g. navigational tasks, and apply methods and representations from neuroscience to understand their behavior.

The project will open for research visits to collaborating groups at Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and University of California San Diego.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. 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.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in physics, mathematics/statistics, computational neuroscience or cybernetics.
• Demonstrated strong skills in developing codes for scientific computing or cybernetics.
• An interest for multidisciplinary research.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

We are seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic and hard-working candidate with the ambition to gain new insights and publish papers in leading, international journals. Applicants must show good interpersonal skills and be willing to work in close collaboration with the project PIs and other members of the project team, as well as have the ability to work independently.

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system

http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/application.html

Other desired qualifications include:

• Experience with statistical modelling approaches or modelling of artificial neural network
• Knowledge of Norwegian or other Scandinavian language

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD program at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD program must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see:

http://www.uio.no/english/research/phd/

http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

We offer

• Salary NOK 479 600 – 523 200 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter including a motivation for applying for the position (max. 1 page)
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of educational certificates, transcript of records and letters of recommendation
• Documentation of English proficiency if needed (please see admission criteria)
• 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). Note that applications with missing documents will not be considered further.

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications required for this project, as well as the candidates’ motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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 etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

• Professor Anders Malthe-Sørenssen, e-mail: malthe@fys.uio.no or
• Professor Marianne Fyhn, email: marianne.fyhn@ibv.uio.no

For technical questions regarding the application system, please contact HR Adviser Elin Thoresen, +47 22 85 71 96, e-mail: elin.thoresen@mn.uio.no

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