The position The Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway has a PhD position vacant in application for biofloc microbiome research. The position is attached to the Microalgae & Microbiomes Research Group (M2RG) at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS). The position is for a period of three years. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. Biofloc technology uses dense, beneficial microbial communities to recycle waste in aquaculture tanks, keeping water clean and helping animals stay healthy while cutting inputs. SwitchFloc is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network that will fund and train a cohort of international doctoral candidates through coordinated research, expert mentoring, skills courses, and intersectoral secondments. At UiT, this PhD will focus on the microbiomes that make biofloc work: using metagenomics (DNA sequencing to reveal which microbes are present and what they can do) and metatranscriptomics (RNA sequencing to see which genes are active under different conditions) to understand how these communities function and respond. The project may also connect findings to metabolomics and lipidomics (smallmolecule and fat profiles) to link microbes and their activity to water quality, animal welfare, and system performance. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA DN) are elite, EU-funded training programmes that bring together universities, research institutes, and industry to recruit and train a cohort of doctoral candidates. Their aims are to deliver excellent, collaborative research while developing each fellow’s skills through international and intersectoral mobility, joint supervision, structured courses, and network-wide events and secondments. MSCA DN positions come with employment contracts, competitive funding, and rich professional development in open science, innovation, and entrepreneurship— making them a prestigious, highly competitive opportunity for specialized PhD training, mentorship, and career-building across a powerful European-wide network. The Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS) undertakes research and researchbased teaching of high national and international quality in an interdisciplinary environment. Research activities are provisionally organized into the groups of Living Marine Resources, Food science, Fish Health, Marine Drug Discovery, Marine Resource Management and Development, Environmental and Resource Economics. 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 successful candidate is expected to commence the position by October 2026 in accordance with the project timeline and funding requirements. The project / The position’s field of research This UiT PhD will probe the molecular ecology of biofloc—dense, beneficial microbial communities that recycle waste and stabilize water quality in aquaculture—so we can identify, promote, and manage the microbes and activities that best support animal welfare and system performance. Drawing on UiT’s lead roles in characterizing biofloc microbial communities and defining beneficial microorganisms within SwitchFloc’s Animal Welfare work package, the fellow will build and apply advanced bioinformatics pipelines for shotgun metagenomics to resolve community taxonomy, annotate functional genes, and interpret genome-encoded potential/architecture in biofloc (e.g., genome-resolved analyses) across experimental and farm conditions. The project will also deploy metatranscriptomics for multikingdom taxonomic profiling (bacteria, microalgae, etc.) and to infer which genome-encoded functions are actively expressed under different biofloc maintenance and aquaculture practices, enabling data-driven strategies to steer floc composition. Expected contributions include a network-wide BF Characterization database and a list of beneficial biofloc microbes derived from genome and transcriptional evidence, alongside training and secondments that integrate omics, aquaculture sampling, and data management across the consortium. Contact For further information about the position, please contact Professor Hans Christopher Bernstein: email: hans.c.bernstein@uit.no or Head of Department, Professor Bjørn-Petter Finstad: email: bjornpetter.finstad@uit.no Qualifications Eligibility (MSCA DN) You meet the mobility rule: you have not lived or had your main activity (work/studies) in Norway for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before your recruitment date Required qualifications Master’s degree (or equivalent) in microbiology, genetics, bioinformatics, biotechnology, or a closely related field which may include computational biology, computer science, data science, statistics, systems biology, biomedical engineering, or applied mathematics with a clear interest in bioinformatics. 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. Ability to demonstrate a foundation and/or a strong motivation to develop advanced bioinformatics skills for: Shotgun metagenomics (microbial taxonomy, functional gene annotation, and genome architecture/genome-resolved analyses in complex communities). Metatranscriptomics (multi-kingdom profiling and inference of expressed functions under different biofloc maintenance treatments). English proficiency (written and spoken). Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma. Desired qualifications Background in aquatic microbial ecology, marine microbiology, or environmental microbiology. Strong programming/computing skills (e.g., Python and/or R), Unix/Linux command line, and good practices with Git and reproducible research. Experience using or readiness to use high-performance computing (HPC) environments (e.g., SLURM), workflow tools (Snakemake/Nextflow), and containers (Docker/Singularity). Hands-on experience with microbiology sampling (water/floc collection, filtration), DNA/RNA extraction, and basic molecular biology. Familiarity with short- and long-read data (Illumina, ONT/PacBio), assembly/binning (MAGs), taxonomic/functional profiling, and differential expression analysis. Exposure to or interest in metabolomics/lipidomics and multi-omics integration. Strong quantitative skills (statistics/ML for microbiome data) and clean, welldocumented code. Excellent teamwork, openness to intersectoral and international secondments, and strong scientific communication. Language bonus: any level of Scandinavian language and/or Spanish 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, professional experience and other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme will be taken into consideration. We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who: Have good collaboration skills Have good communication and interaction with colleagues and students Wants to contribute to a good