UiT The Arctic University of Norway

The Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway represents a newly created entity gathering almost all possible health study programs. This facilitates an unique interdisciplinarity and innovation in health education and research. We work closely with the services in the North to solve tomorrow's challenges.

Read more about us at uit.no/helsefak

Faculty of Health Sciences / Unit of Comparative Medicine

The position

The Unit of Comparative Medicine has 100% position as Head Engineer available.

Unit of Comparative Medicine (AKM) is a core facility organized under the Research, Education and Communication Section at the Faculty of Health Sciences (Helsefak). AKM deals with all aspects of activities concerning the use of laboratory animals in experimental biomedical research. The most commonly used animals are laboratory mice and rats, zebrafish and pigs. AKM has six permanent positions (the head of unit/chief veterinarian; one head engineer; two department engineers; and two research technicians). AKM has the latest years been significantly enlarged and modernized, and facilitate biomedical animal research in a safe environment with high animal welfare and scientific standards. A new breeding facility for transgenic mice are also under construction (estimated to be operating from 2021).

AKM is serving many research groups at Helsefak on preclinical research within fields as cancer, stem cell, aging, neuroscience, cardiovascular and metabolic disease. AKM also offers its services to biomedical research groups at other faculties at UiT, as well as to external partners like the university hospital (UNN), research institutes and biotechnology companies in the region.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time, within 6 months after receiving the offer.

Job description

The employee shall assume responsibilities for daily care of the research animals, technical assistance during experiments, journaling, protocol/work routines (SOP) development, and quality assurance. The employee will be part of the shift work of the technical staff (e.g. work in weekends and on-call telephone duty after regular working hours every 5th week).

The employee will have a special responsibility for breeding management of rodents, animal registrations and databases, as well as purchase/ordering of animals to the facility. In addition, the employee will have responsibilities related to practical training of students and users of AKM. The employee will also be a member of AKM´s Animal Welfare Committee.

The work involves exposure to animal and plant allergens, which is not recommended for persons with susceptibility to allergies/asthma.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact:

• Siri Knudsen, Associate professor/head of unit, Comparative Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences Phone: +47 776 45 379 / +47 93068982, email: siri.knudsen@uit.no

Qualifications

The candidate must have relevant education at a master level and competence in the field of work. The candidate must have education and training for carrying out procedures on laboratory animals (e.g. FELASA category B or EU function A, or equivalent). The candidate must have experience in working with laboratory animal research and master standard techniques in laboratory rodents (e.g. injections, euthanasia, anaesthesia).

The candidate must speak and write English fluently. Norwegian language skills are an advantage.

It is considered a strong advantage for the candidate to have experience with breeding management of laboratory rodents (including genotyping, PCR). Also, experience in more advanced experimental techniques in laboratory animals as well as SOPs/protocol development will be advantageous.

We are looking for a candidate who is accurate, independent, systematic, service minded and sociable. Good collaboration and communication skills, personal qualities and suitability for the position will be of great importance. The work task are versatile, but physically demanding, requiring normal physical health.

Especially qualified candidates may be considered for position "Senior Engineer code 1181".

We offer

• A good working environment with dedicated colleagues
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund

Remuneration of head engineer positions are in salary code 1087 on the pay scale for Norwegian state employees. Depending on qualifications salary code 1181, senior engineer, may be considered.

There is a 2% deduction for contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

Application

The application must be submitted electronically via www.jobbnorge.no, and shall include:

• CV and application letter
• Diplomas and transcripts
• Written references
• Contact information to 2-3 references

All documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

More information about moving to Norway and working at UiT: http://uit.no/mobility.

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background.

UiT will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability. Questions can be directed to the contact person for the position.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and 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.

Apply for position