Job description

The University of Oslo, Department of Mathematics, Section for Statistics and Data Science, invites applications for a PhD fellowship within the research project “Statistical Methods for Online Detection of Anomalies” (SODA), newly funded by the Norwegian Research Council and affiliated with Integreat – the Norwegian Centre for Knowledge-driven Machine Learning. We are looking for a motivated candidate, who has interest in both theoretical, methodological and applied research in anomaly detection in sequential data settings, and who is excited to contribute to an active and collaborative research environment.

Starting date: as soon as possible and upon individual agreement.

The fellowship period is three years.

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 Mathematics/Integreat at Blindern, Oslo.

We welcome applicants with a strong background in mathematical statistics, who are eager to contribute to cutting-edge research in the field of online (real-time) anomaly detection in the setting of sequential data. The SODA project aims to produce rigorous, trustworthy and transparent methods with strong theoretical performance guarantees, addressing several pressing challenges in contemporary streaming data scenarios, such as evolving baselines and complex, data-intensive settings. The applicant must master theoretical work as well as having a strong interest in computational efficiency, which is fundamental in real time processing of streaming data.

The position is affiliated with both Integreat and the Statistics and Data Science research group at the Department of Mathematics. Integreat collects scientists from statistics and computer science and offers a flourishing machine learning community. The Statistics and Data Science group is active in a wide range of theoretical and applied areas of statistics and machine learning. The successful candidate will benefit from close collaboration across disciplines and access to diverse application areas through the joint environment of Integreat, the Statistics and Data Science group, and SODA partner the Norwegian Computing Centre. The SODA project also has close collaborations with Lancaster University.

What skills are important in this role?

Qualification requirements:

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.

Master’s degree, or equivalent, in statistics or a closely related field with a documented competence in statistical theory and methods. Such competence can be documented by graduate-level coursework in probability and statistical inference, a statistics-focused Master’s thesis, or relevant publications.
Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

Candidates without a master’s degree have time until June 30th 2026 to complete the final exam.

Desired qualifications:

The desired candidate demonstrates strong theoretical and methodological capacities as well as documented expertise in computational methods. Documented experience with R or Python programming is also very desirable.
Experience in one or more of the following is an advantage: finite-sample statistical theory, concentration inequalities, statistical optimality theory, sequential inference, computational complexity theory.

Language requirement:

English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements:
https://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/regulations/regulations.html#toc8

Grade requirements:
The norm is as follows:

the average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
the average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
the Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information see:
http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

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.

What are we looking for in you?

Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Ability to work in a structured manner and adapt to new tasks
Positive attitude and good communication and collaboration skills

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including skills.

We need different perspectives in our work

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 uio.no.

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 immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (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 Employer portal (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 here.

We hope you will apply for the position with us.

We can offer you

A unique research environment with multiple opportunities to develop research themes at the forefront of modern science
A friendly, inclusive, and collaborative international working environment at Integreat that values diverse perspectives
Access to a strong network of top-level national and international collaborators
Good welfare schemes
Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours
A workplace with good development and career opportunities
Career development programmes
Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes
Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
Salary in position as PhD Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK 550 800 – 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2% is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund

Application

The application must include:

Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests, max. 1 page
CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
Transcripts of records, copies of the original Bachelor’s and Master’s degree diploma (see below)
Documentation of English proficiency if applicable
List of publications and academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee, if relevant
Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". Foreign applicants should attach an official explanation of their University's grading system.

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. 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.

General information

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. 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 cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

Contact persons

For further information please contact: Ingrid K. Glad, e-mail: glad@math.uio.no

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact HR Adviser Ole Rustad, e-mail: ole.rustad@mn.uio.no

PhD Research Fellow in statistics with focus on anomaly detection