PhD Position at the Department of Clinical Science University of Bergen in Norway

PhD position in childhood obesity genetics at the University of Bergen

The Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen (UiB), offers a full-time PhD position for three years within the Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine (PRECISE-DIA). The project focuses on the genetic foundations of appetite and obesity in early life and on identifying factors affecting early growth to uncover biological mechanisms that may help prevent later obesity and diabetes.

The successful candidate will work on data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), combining genomics, phenotype, and questionnaire data from a very large pregnancy cohort with international collaborative datasets. The research aims to understand how common and rare genetic variation shapes weight gain, appetite, satiety regulation, body composition, eating behaviour, and long-term metabolic health from infancy through adolescence.

The project is based in Bergen, Norway, at the Mohn Research Center for Diabetes Precision Medicine located within the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital. The research environment is cross-disciplinary and includes medicine, genetics, statistics, epidemiology, cell biology, and informatics, with strong international collaboration and opportunities for research exchanges abroad.

Key tasks include identifying early-life trajectories linked to healthy and unhealthy growth, studying rare and common variants using NGS and GWAS data, exploring parent-of-origin effects, and contributing to collaborative and cross-disciplinary research. The position also includes participation in international early-life genetics projects and research exchange abroad.

Applicants should have a Master’s degree or equivalent in molecular genetics, medicine, genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, medical data science, or bioinformatics. The university asks candidates to submit a short text describing their research interests and motivation. Strong English skills are required. Relevant research experience, omics analysis, informatics skills, and experience with international collaboration are considered positive.

The position is funded by the University of Bergen, not by an EU Research Framework Programme. It is a fixed-term PhD appointment with salary from NOK 600,000 in the state salary scale, and higher salary levels may apply for eligible medical or dental applicants. The application deadline is 7 September 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Oslo).

Apply via the Jobbnorge website and include the requested documentation: motivation statement, diplomas and transcripts, language documentation, publications, and two references. Applicants whose education is from outside Norway may also need HK-dir recognition documentation and certified translations where applicable.