PhD Fellow in Optics – Quantitative phase microscopy and Tomography

The position

A PhD position in optical tomography is available at the Department of Physics and Technology within the Ultrasound, Microwaves and Optics research group (UMO). The duration of the position is for 4 years, where 75 % of the position is linked to the Research Council of Norway (RCN) research project 5D-QUIP (development of a quantitative phase microscopy and tomography system), and 25% of the position is linked to teaching and related duties within the department.

The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD program is a prerequisite for employment, and the program period starts on commencement of the position.

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

The position’s field of research

The PhD student will be a part of the 5D-QUIP team, led by Dr. Azeem Ahmad, whose research focuses on advanced quantitative optical microscopy and tomography system development. He is the principal investigator of the RCN project. 

This project aims to develop a groundbreaking quantitative phase microscopy and tomography platform to tackle the challenging issue of multiple scattering within thick, scattering biological specimens, such as engineered heart tissues (EHT). Multiple scattering significantly impedes the acquisition of detailed and high-quality information from biological samples. When light passes through thick or dense specimens, it undergoes numerous scattering events, which degrade the clarity and resolution of the resulting images. This phenomenon complicates the ability to accurately visualize and analyze intricate structures within the sample, posing a substantial barrier to advancements in biological and medical research. Overcoming this challenge is crucial for enhancing imaging techniques and enabling precise, 3D visualization of complex biological tissues, such as EHTs. The system we develop will tackle the challenging issue of multiple scattering within these complex samples and enable high-speed, high-resolution, and deep 3D quantitative imaging. This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of imaging technology, advancing the limits of what is possible with state-of-the-art techniques in biological research.   

In collaboration with the Department of Clinical Medicine (UiT), this project will explore the feasibility and usefulness of the developed technology in EHT research, with a focus on capturing the dynamic phenomena of heartbeats in EHT samples.  

The PhD student will play a pivotal role in the project, focusing on the development of a novel optical phase tomography system that addresses the challenge of multiple scattering. This includes advancing both the reconstruction software and the control software for the system. Additionally, the student will be responsible for creating and optimizing analysis routines to effectively manage the large datasets produced during experiments. 

The PhD student will work towards his/her PhD degree with the following tasks:

• Development of the novel optical phase/refractive index tomography system
• Develop novel 3D tomographic reconstruction algorithms.
• Simulation and modeling of optical tomography setup utilizing optical system design software like Zemax, OSLO, etc.
• Characterization of the developed optical tomography system in terms of image quality, resolution, and penetration depth.
• Create procedural workflows for system control and develop image analysis routines using Python and Java.
• Work closely with team members and researchers in the cardiovascular research group to conduct live cell and tissue imaging experiments aimed at furthering research goals.
• Disseminate the findings through publication in scientific journals and active participation in conferences.
• Complete teaching responsibilities equivalent to 25% of the position within the physics bachelor/master program.

Qualifications

This position requires a master’s degree or equivalent in physics, a background in optics/optical engineering/computational optics and an interest in bio imaging. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must document completion of your degree before commencement in the position. You must still submit your transcripts for the master’s degree with your application. The suitable candidate must have:

The suitable candidate must have:

• Background in optics/ optical engineering/photonics. Experience in developing the experimental optical setups such as digital holographic microscopy, quantitative phase microscopy, optical phase/ refractive index tomography, digital light scanning microscopy, or light sheet microscopy setup etc. would be an advantage.  
• Background in computational optics  
• Experience in optical tomographic reconstruction and inverse scattering analysis algorithms.
• Background in image analysis, and optics simulations.
• Experience in optical microscopy and tomography.
• Proficiency in the English language is essential, with the ability to function effectively in an international setting. English proficiency must be documented.

A strong background in the development of optical phase tomography setup and tomographic reconstruction algorithms would be an advantage, likewise any previous experience related to fundamental optics/photonics and computational optics. 

In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. In addition, other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral program may be given consideration. 

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who have: 

• Independence and self-motivation 
• Creativity and ability to think innovatively
• Excellent work ethics and commitment to the job, with a preference for candidates with international experience.  Emphasis is also given to personal suitability.

As many as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

Admission to the PhD programme 

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Science and Technology  and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:

• A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree, or an integrated master's degree.

UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

In order to gain admission to the programme, the applicant must have a grade point average of C or better for the master’s degree and for relevant subjects of the bachelor’s degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here. 

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from NOKUT. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. 

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position. 

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project 
• Good career opportunities 
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues  
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement  
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund 
• PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 532 200 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

Application 

Your application must include: 

• Cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
• CV
• Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree
• Transcript of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• References with contact information
• Master’s thesis, and any other academic works

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. We only accept applications and documentation sent via Jobbnorge within the application deadline. 

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. 

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years. 

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.