About the position

The University of Oslo, Department of Mathematics, Section for Statistics and Data Science invites applications for a postdoctoral position 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 researcher, who has experience with both theoretical, methodological and applied research in change and anomaly detection in sequential data settings, and who is excited to contribute to an active and collaborative research environment.

Starting date in autumn 2025 and upon individual agreement.

The appointment is a fulltime position at the Department of Mathematics and is for a period of four years (10% of the time is devoted to duties like teaching).

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

Postdoctoral fellows who are appointed for a period of four years are expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency within their fellowship period if the duty component increases to 25 %.

Project description

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 in the field of change and anomaly detection and estimation, as well as having a strong track record in relation to computational efficiency, which is fundamental in real time processing of streaming data.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

The position is also affiliated with the Statistics and Data Science research group at the Department of Mathematics. The Statistics and Data Science group is active in a wide range of theoretical and applied areas of statistics and machine learning and emphasizes general methodological development, often motivated by real-world challenges. The successful candidate will benefit from close collaboration across disciplines and access to diverse application areas through the joint environment of Integreat and the Statistics and Data Science group.

What skills are important in this role?

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.

Qualification requirements:

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Statistics or a closely related field with a documented competence in statistical theory and methods. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defence are eligible for appointment.
• Applicants must document a scientific profile in mathematical statistics with competence and experience in the field of change and anomaly detection. The candidate must demonstrate strong theoretical and methodological capacities as well as documented expertise in computational methods.
• Experience with high performance computing is strongly preferred.
• Experience from applied work in change and anomaly detection is an advantage.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
• High motivation for a research career, documented primarily via original publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

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?

Personal skills:

• Enjoys working both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team, contributing to a positive and inclusive research environment
• Approaches challenges with creativity, structure, and a focus on meaningful outcomes
• Communicates research clearly and confidently, both within the scientific community and to broader audiences

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

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 that 
  values diverse perspectives
• Access to a strong network of top-level national and international collaborators
• Research mobility funds supporting short research stays and international collaboration
• Mentoring and support structures tailored to early-career researchers
• 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.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK 595 000 - 690 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Inclusive work life and diversity at UiO

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

We hope that you will apply for the position.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
• Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
• A complete list of publications and up to 3 academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• 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".

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.

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years)

No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).

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 can't, you will hear from us.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.