University College of Southeast Norway was established 1 January 2016, and has about 16 000 students and about 1500 employees. The university college is temporarily organized in eight faculties, with instruction and R&D activities on eight campuses. The main profile of the university college is to provide socially relevant education, geared towards specific professions, and adapted to the requirements of the workplace, as well as to produce applied research and development.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences has a vacancy for a position as Postdoctoral Fellow in fish ecology with major focus on fish genetic and major environmental threats, preferably with experience from working with A. char and/or related salmonids, wild and farmed.

The position is associated with the Department of Environment and Health Studies and reports to the Head of Department. The place of employment is Bø in Telemark. However, other location might be accepted if strategically important.

QualificationsApplicants must have a Norwegian doctorate or equivalent education abroad in fish ecology, primarily within genetics and/or diseases related to freshwater salmonids. The applicant must have gained the degree within the application deadline.

As the position will be directly linked to a scientific project focusing on production of indigenous Arctic char, farmed in both open and closed systems, without a traditional breeding program, or use of antibiotics, several Norwegian institutions are involved, including the largest arctic char fish farm in Norway, Telemarkrøya AS. An important goal for this consortium is to establish an economical and ecological sustainable fish farming industry in southern Norway by use of indigenous Arctic char only, and apply near-natural production methods and locations. Some of the scientific important outputs from this project will likely be industrial secrets. Thus, good interpersonal skill and high loyalty is personal key qualification. Experience from environmental management will be emphasized.

Information about the positionArctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) aquaculture is a small industry in Norway, contributing with less than 0,1% of the production of farmed fish in Norway. There is a growing interest for A.char farming and Telemarkrøya AS, located in Fyresdal, with a licence of 320 tons per year, is at present by far the largest produser. The main goals for Telemarkrøya AS are to produce farmed fish only from indigenous A. char, without traditional breeding program, or use of antibiotics. If the concept proves to be both economically and ecologically sustainable, they intend to expand, first locally and thereafter regionally. To meet these ambitious goals, quality information and research are needed, both directly related to the fish farming, but also related to impacts on, and threats from, the surrounding aquatic environment. The University College of Southeast Norway (USN) apply for a postdoctoral fellowship, primarily related to genetic studies of indigenous A. char populations in lakes in Telemark county, with a concurrent focus on the extensiveness of the proliferative kidney disease (PKD) on A. char within the main watercourses. This parasitic disease may cause high mortality in both wild and farmed salmonids. The investigations are a collaboration project between the Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI) and USN.

The appointment is for a term of 2 years. The position does not include teaching duties.

For further information concerning the position please contact Professor Espen Lydersen (espen.lydersen (at) hit.no, phone: +47 411 73 146) or acting Head of Department Live Semb Vestgarden (live.s.vestgarden (at) hit.no, phone: +47 35 95 27 97) at Department of

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Arbeidsgiver Navn: Høgskolen i Sørøst-Norge

Arbeidsgiver adresse: Gullbringvegen 36 3800 BØ I TELEMARK

Job kort beskrivelse:
Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals

Land: Norge

Region: Telemark

Kilde til jobbtilbud: NAV, Offentlige arbeidsformidlinger, Norge

Lønn valuta: NOK

Lønn periode: Pr. år