Associate Professor/Professor in molecular and cell biology

About the position

The Faculty of Biosciences at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) invites applications for a full-time, permanent position as Associate Professor or Professor within functional genomics and cell biology.

The successful candidate will strengthen and expand BIOVIT’s research in molecular and cell biology, with emphasis on gene-editing technologies and advanced in vitro animal model systems.

You are expected to demonstrate strong collaborative skills and the ability to develop and lead research projects. You must have a proven track record of securing competitive external funding and be able to collaborate effectively with industry, academia, public authorities, and relevant organizations.

You will contribute to teaching in molecular biology, cell biology, and genetics, including course development and delivery at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, as well as supervision of MSc and PhD students.

The position also includes administrative responsibilities at the department, faculty, and university levels.

Further information about NMBU is available at www.nmbu.no

Main tasks

• Research at a high, international level
• Network and collaborate within and outside NMBU
• Publish regularly in peer-reviewed international journals
• Contribute to profiling the research group as a prominent player within the discipline
• Teach courses in our study portfolio at BA, MA and PhD level
• Development of new courses and study programs, including online courses for the continuing education market
• Supervision of PhD, master and bachelor students
• Administrative tasks and other joint tasks at the faculty in collaboration with colleagues and students

Competence

Required qualifications:

Common requirements (basis for appointment as Associate Professor)

• PhD degree in genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, or similar
• Strong record of peer-reviewed publication and independent research in functional genomics, molecular biology, cell biology or related areas of research
• Comprehensive lab experience within modern functional genomics, molecular biology, and cell biology techniques.
• Excellent communication skills both to the scientific community and to a broader audience.
• Good written and oral communication skills in Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) and English is a prerequisite for performing the duties of the position. 
• Basic course in university pedagogy (minimum 200 hours), or a commitment to obtain such competence within two years of employment (this exception does not apply to positions as professor). 

Additional requirements for Professor

• Significant scientific production beyond what is required for a doctoral degree. 
• Substantial contributions to research at the highest level within the field. 
• High-quality research demonstrating both breadth and depth. 
• The body of work should reflect an independent research profile and the ability to address new challenges 
• Sustained research activity. 
• Documented ability to initiate and lead research projects and research activities. 
• Documented ability to secure external funding for research projects. 
• Documented national and international collaboration and network building. 
• Extensive and broad experience in academic supervision at an advanced level. 
• A broad range of skills in planning, implementation, and evaluation of teaching. 
• A broad range of skills in systematic development work related to teaching and supervision. 
• Contribution, leadership, and collaboration within academic communities related to educational quality. 
• Knowledge utilization in society, dissemination, and innovation. 
• Leadership roles and positions of responsibility – experience from administrative or academic-strategic work in academia.

Desired qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following areas will be an advantage:

• Experience with writing successful grant applications, and proven record in managing research projects.
• Teaching experience at the university level, and a track-record showing the successful supervision of postgraduate students.

• Practical experience with gene editing and in-vitro cell biology techniques.

Personal qualities

• Outstanding collaborative and communicative skills.
• Strong, professional commitment to excellence in teaching
• Ability to realize scientific synergies between individual researchers and research groups
• Strong potential for independent thinking displaying initiative and careful creative thought.
• Experience with building and maintaining a productive and energized research group.

Remuneration and further information

The position is placed in position code 1011 Associate Professor (NOK 720.000-1.100.000) or code 1013 Professor (NOK 900.000-1.220.400) depending on qualifications. Seniority promotion in the position. 

Interested in learning more about the position? Contact Professor Sigbjørn Lien, tel: +47 913 53 715, (e-mail: sigbjorn.lien@nmbu.no). General information for applicants

NMBU wants more women in permanent academic positions. Women are therefore encouraged to apply.

Application

Send application electronically via the link "Apply for this job" at the top of this page. 

Application Deadline: 10.08.2026

Your CV must be entered in Jobbnorge's CV form and not just included as an attachment. This is in order to be able to comply with the regulations in the Public Administration Act §15.

NMBU has developed a matrix for assessing qualifications, which provides examples of results/competence, documentation, and reflection for all areas of the competence profile. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the matrix and use it when applying for the position. See this page for more information on how to document your qualifications and write a reflection note. 

The following must be included in the application:

• Short application text about your motivation
• Reflection note (3-6 pages) that deals with your reflections on the position's requirements 1-5 (see advertisement text)
• Academic CV, diplomas and certificates
• Completed template for documentation of competence, link to template here.
• List of publications. Attach up to 15 scientific works that, according to assessment, are central to the production. If it is difficult to identify personal efforts in joint work, a brief account of your part of the work must be attached.

Documents that cannot be sent electronically are sent in triplicate by ordinary mail marked position number 26/05666 to NMBU, Faculty of Names, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, within 10.082026. 

Please note that the report from the expert committee will be sent to all applicants.

About The Faculty of Biosciences

The Faculty of Biosciences (BIOVIT) is dedicated to generating knowledge that supports a sustainable future for food systems and bioproduction, with a strong focus on biology, animal- and plant sciences and aquaculture. We have a large portfolio of basic and applied research projects supported by state-of-the-art facilities and research infrastructure. Our 200 staff members and 600 students, including 80 PhDs, undertake a range of projects and courses that are closely integrated with our research. In this thriving environment, we educate and train the next generation experts to solve current and future societal challenges connected to food production and climate change

The Research Group

The successful candidate will join the Genome Biology research group possessing expertise in genetics, evolutionary and comparative genomics, bioinformatics and systems biology. Located within the Department of Animal- and Aquacultural Sciences, this group includes 4 full-time professors, 11 researchers, 2 postdocs and 2 PhD students and 7 research technicians. 

The research group (www.cigene.no) has a strong track record in both basic and applied research. Our applied research focuses on aquatic and agricultural species, utilizing genetics, ‘omics’, cell biology, and gene editing technologies to understand how genomic variation is linked to trait variation.

The group’s basic research portfolio addresses fundamental principles of genome function and evolution, including karyotype evolution, gene regulation, three-dimensional genome organization, and the consequences of polyploidy. The Genome Biology research group is also closely linked with the CIGENE lab, which offers excellent wet lab facilities for automated high-throughput omics technologies and experimental cell biology