Universitetet i Oslo

Oslo

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact HR Adviser Therese Ringvold

Andrea Pferscher

Postdoctoral Fellow

<h2>About the position</h2>Position as PhD Research Fellow in formal methods and knowledge representation available at Department of Informatics.The fellowship period is three years.Depending on the candidate and the teaching needs of the department, the fellowship period can be extended either for compulsory work consisting of e.g., teaching and supervision duties and research assistance up top four years.Starting date no later than October 1, 2026.No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.Place of work is the Department of Informatics at Blindern, Oslo. <h2>Job description</h2>Are you interested in a PhD in the field of formal methods and knowledge presentation? In this PhD position, you will conduct cutting-edge research in these areas. You will learn state-of-the-art techniques in formal methods and knowledge representation and apply them to high-impact use cases related to industry.  Potential candidates should have an interest in model-based design and analysis techniques. They will apply and develop formal methods and knowledge representation techniques for industrial systems. The candidate will acquire complex analysis skills for industrial problem scenarios. This will enable publications at prestigious conferences and in scientific journals. Therefore, this position opens up great opportunities for a future career in both academia and industry.This position is funded by the Department of Informatics and will be based in the Reliable Systems <a href="https://www.mn.uio.no/ifi/english/research/groups/psy/" rel="nofollow">(PSY) </a>group. PSY is a very active, internationally oriented research group at the Department of Informatics, which works on formal methods and knowledge representation. The group provides a vibrant and collaborative research environment with a strong commitment to research excellence. This position is ideal for applicants interested in logic, formal descriptions, software engineering, and programming. This PhD project focuses on developing a model-based and knowledge-driven framework for the analysis of complex manufacturing and intralogistics systems, such as highly automated factories and warehouses with autonomous components like automated guided vehicles (AGVs). It addresses a key gap in current industrial practice, namely the lack of formal system models that integrate structural specifications with spatial and temporal behavior. Building on the Information Modeling Framework (IMF) based on ISO 81346, the research proposes the extension of IMF with an explicit temporal aspect, enabling time-aware system modeling and the creation of a unified system knowledge graph that combines functional, structural, spatial, and temporal information. This enriched representation will support both static validation and dynamic analysis, including the automatic synthesis of timed and probabilistic behavioral models for verification, performance evaluation, and optimization using model-checking techniques, ultimately bridging static system design and dynamic operational analysis.We offer an attractive salary and benefits package as per University of Oslo standards. <h2>What skills are important in this role?</h2>The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. 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.Required qualifications:<ul><li>Master’s degree or equivalent in Computer Science and equivalent fields</li><li>Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system</li><li>Fluent oral and written communication skills in English</li><li>Documented excellent skills and experience in formal methods or theoretical computer science</li><li>Documented expertise on systems modeling languages</li><li>Documented expertise on ontologies</li><li>Basic understanding of industrial systems</li></ul>Candidates without a master’s degree have until June 30, 2026 to complete the final exam.Desired qualifications:<ul><li>Experience with formal specification and modelling</li><li>Experience with formal verification</li><li>Experience with software engineering and software technology</li><li>Experience with scientific publication and conducting research</li><li>Experience with teamwork</li><li>Interest in mathematics and natural science</li></ul>Language requirement:<ul><li>Good oral and written communication skills in English</li><li>English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements: <a href="https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/regulations/regulations.html#toc8" rel="nofollow">https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/regulations/regulations.html#toc8</a></li></ul>Grade requirements: The norm is as follows:<ul><li>The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system</li><li>The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system</li><li>The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system</li></ul>The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information see: <a href="https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/" rel="nofollow">http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/</a>All candidates and projects will have to undergo a check versus national export, sanctions and security regulations. Candidates may be excluded based on these checks. Primary checkpoints are the Export Control regulation, the Sanctions regulation, and the national security regulation. <h2>What are we looking for in you?</h2>Personal skills:<ul><li>Ability to work structured, creative, independently and in a team</li><li>Enthusiasm, readiness to learn new knowledge, and ability to take initiative</li><li>Flexibility, ability to handle pressure and meet deadlines</li><li>Enjoy the process of scientific communication and writing</li><li>The candidate should be highly self-driven and able to take responsibility for their own work, including troubleshooting and acquiring additional skills required to reach the project goals</li><li>You are a person who prefers being present at work and actively contributes to the professional and social environment you are a part of</li></ul>Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications. <h2>We can offer you</h2><ul><li>A pleasant and stimulating work environment</li><li>Good <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/welfare/index.html" rel="nofollow">welfare schemes</a></li><li>Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/welfare/exercise/" rel="nofollow">exercise during working hours</a></li><li>A workplace with good development and career opportunities</li><li><a href="https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/career-support/index.html" rel="nofollow">Career development programmes</a></li><li>Membership in the <a href="https://www.spk.no/en/" rel="nofollow">Statens Pensjonskasse,</a> which is one of Norway&#39;s best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes</li><li>Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities</li><li>Salary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 - 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund </li></ul> <h2>We need different perspectives in our work</h2>UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/about/strategy/gender-equality/index.html" rel="nofollow">uio.no</a>.We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues, could you be the next one?We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.If you have an <a href="https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2017-06-21-838/%C2%A74#%C2%A74" rel="nofollow">immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps</a> (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the <a href="https://arbeidsgiver.dfo.no/strategisk-hr/inkluderingsarbeid/bli-bedre-pa-rekruttering/hvordan-skrive-stillingsannonser-som-inkluderer/positiv-saerbehandling-nar-man-soker-jobb-i-staten" rel="nofollow">Employer portal</a> (Norwegian).The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/competence/gender-equality/index.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.  We hope you will apply for the position with us. <h2>How to apply</h2>The application must include:<ul><li>Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests</li><li>CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)</li><li>Transcripts of records, copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma (see below)</li><li>Documentation of English proficiency if applicable</li><li>List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee</li><li>Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)</li></ul>Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click &#34;Apply for this job&#34;. Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University&#39;s grading system.When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from <a href="https://www.vitnemalsportalen.no/english/" rel="nofollow">Vitnemålsportalen.no</a>. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. <h2>General information</h2>The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews. Applicant lists can be published in accordance with <a href="https://lovdata.no/dokument/NLE/lov/2006-05-19-16" rel="nofollow">Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25</a>. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we can&#39;t, you will hear from us. Please refer to <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/guidelines-appointment-postdoc-researcher.html" rel="nofollow">Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3</a> (Norwegian), <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/guidelines-appointment-postdoc-researcher.html" rel="nofollow">Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO</a> (Norwegian) and <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/research/doctoral-degree/phdforskreng.html" rel="nofollow">Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo</a>.  The University of Oslo has a <a href="https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/work-results/agreement-rights-to-work-results.html" rel="nofollow">transfer agreement</a> with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

PhD Research Fellow in Formal Methods for Industrial Engineering