jeudi 15 novembre 2012

PhD position – Animal Welfare


At the Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences we are seeking a candidate for a full-time temporary PhD position running over a 3 year period in the field of animal welfare. The position is at The Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, at the Production Animal Research Laboratory and the Animal Welfare Research Group. Employment presupposes acceptance into the PhD program and the candidate must apply within 2 months of starting. The work must lead to the defense of a PhD thesis.    

Placement: The candidate will work on a large ongoing nationally funded research project: ‘Rearing of laying hens: Development of optimal methods that safeguard welfare and productivity’, which is funded by Norwegian poultry producers. The project is based on a consortium between The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, and the production, research and development organization Animalia. The project is also based on collaboration with researchers at Wageningen University and Bristol University.    

Advisory group: Andrew M. Janczak will be the PhD candidates’ main advisor. In addition to this a PhD committee will be set up on the basis of the candidates’ qualifications and interests. In addition to this the PhD candidate will work within a large national and international project group composed of researchers and stakeholders. Some of the materials for the PhD work have already been collected in order to ensure the progression of the candidate.    

Position: This full time position is temporary for a period of 3 years. Acceptance into the PhD program is a prerequisite for employment, and the candidate must apply within 2 months of starting. The work must lead to a doctoral degree.

Subject: The area of study is animal welfare which is a prioritized area of research and teaching at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science. In practice this is an interdisciplinary field that will be defined in the present context on the basis of the research project and the candidate’s strengths and interests. The goal of the project is to develop improved methods of enrichment and stress reduction for laying hens during the rearing period in order to improve their welfare and productivity. The project focuses testing effects of the early rearing environment on physiological and behavioral indicators related to animal welfare, stress, fear, positive emotions, cognition and health. Documentation of the mechanisms underlying observed effects will involve measurement of brain cell morphology, hormones, neurotransmitters and gene expression. The candidate will have his or her main focus on the basic scientific aspects of the project and related laboratory work. The candidate will also participate in international collaboration to ensure a high level of competence and must be willing to spend time working with collaborators outside of Norway. The PhD candidate will participate in a basic research project with high relevance for the poultry industry which will provide the opportunity to contribute to the further development of this area of science.          

Qualifications: The applicant must have a cand.med.vet, cand.scient., M.Sc., or a similar training within a field such as veterinary medicine, physiology, ethology, molecular biology, gene technology, analytical chemistry, or biochemistry. Knowledge about and experience with the following methods will be considered when evaluating the applicants: behavioural analysis, statistical analysis, histology, immunohistochemistry, HPLC, LC MS/MS, ELISA, xMAP technology, PCR and microarrays. We are looking for a motivated candidate who is willing and able to work both independently and as part of a large team. Personal characteristics will be emphasized when evaluating the applicants. The applicant should preferably be fluent in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, and English, and have a valid driver’s license.     

The research strategy at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science emphasizes recruitment of young scientifically promising candidates.

Norwegian government employees should to the largest possible degree reflect diversity in the population. Females and persons from a minority background may therefore be favored. Persons with a minority background are encouraged to apply for this position. The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science emphasizes inclusive work conditions for persons with disabilities.      

The employee must accept changes in the tasks and departmental placement resulting from possible changes in the future organization and scientific focus of the veterinary school.

The salary is NOK 416,600 / year. Questions can be directed to Andrew M. Janczak, tlf. 22 59 74 76/ 41 51 49 39 (andrew.janczak@nvh.no) or Randi Moe, tlf. 22 59 48 72 / 91 61 83 99 (randi.moe@nvh.no).  The electronic application portal will be open in December and the application deadline is January 4th 2013. Applicants must apply using the electronic form available on our web pages http://www.veths.no/en/Home/About-NVH/Employment/
Applicants should provide their diplomas, grade cards and publication list. The successful candidate should start work august 1st 2013. It may however be possible to start earlier in another independent short-term research assistant position.    


Andrew M. Janczak

Associate Professor
Research leader, Production Animal Research Laboratory
Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences,
The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science,
P.O. Box 8146, Dep N-0033 Oslo, Norway