MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025 – Health and Technology

Oslo Metropolitan University - Externally funded research project 

OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University is Norway’s third largest university, with nearly 23,000 students and more than 2,500 employees from over 60 nationalities. OsloMet has a dynamic stimulating research-intensive academic environment and an attractive employment framework. OsloMet is a diverse and urban university with an international profile. Its main campus is in the city centre, providing a vibrant setting to study, conduct research, and work. 

Call for Expression of Interest to develop a joint application to the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action European Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme 

OsloMet invites interested researchers of any nationality, fulfilling the eligibility requirements for the fellowship, to express their interest in developing an application for a two-year project at OsloMet, funded by the Marie Skłodowska Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025 (Call: HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF-01-01). 

Eligibility requirements: 

• The applicant should have a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications, 10. September 2025.  
• The applicant must have a maximum of eight years’ experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the above maximum, nor will years of experience in research in third countries for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe. 
• The applicant should comply with mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline, 10. September 2025.  
• Candidates must be able to relocate to Norway. Teleworking will not be allowed. Applicants who are successful in getting their proposals funded by the EU, must relocate to work at OsloMet, Faculty of Health Sciences. 

Faculty of Health Sciences 

Faculty of Health Sciences offers Norway’s most comprehensive portfolio of study programs within health and social sciences. Our research contributes to develop knowledge-based health services and practice. Strategic priority areas for research are health and technology, inclusion of children and young people, and sustainable healthcare services. The faculty houses four departments: Department of Behavioural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences and Health, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, and Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology. We have a highly interdisciplinary academic staff counting nearly 500 members, supported by a dedicated team of administrative staff. 

Area of research for the project proposals 

Intelligent health is a strategic initiative established to strengthen research and development within health and technology, and foster collaboration internally at OsloMet, as well as with external stakeholders in academia, and the public and private sectors. Intelligent health is a collaboration between the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design. The focus areas of the initiative are: 

• Artificial intelligence in healthcare: development of algorithms and models using machine learning tailored towards applications in medical research that will help to solve the challenges in the healthcare sector. 
• Assistive technology: development and application of assistive technologies throughout the lifespan to improve quality of life and wellbeing for individuals. At system level, assistive technology is applied in health promotion, prevention, treatment, and (re)habilitation. 
• Biotechnology: development of methods and critical assessment of the usefulness of biomarkers in diagnostics and treatment, personalized medicine and large-scale analyses. 
• Omics technology: application of different omics-technologies to study the molecules of life, how their variation affects their functions, how they are generated and decay. 
• Sensor technology in healthcare: development and use of sensors to gather health related data, including devices that react and respond to various stimuli, such as biochemical, electrical, or mechanical signals. 

We welcome expressions of interest from postdoctoral researchers whose project ideas fit within one of the research areas indicated above (see links for further information) and that can be aligned with the interest areas of one of the following experienced faculty members available for supervision: 

1. Professor Niclas Karlsson 
Area of interest: Glycobiology and glycomics/glycoproteomics. The group currently has active programs in osteoarthritis, dry eye disease and cancer. The applicants are expected to develop their own line of research in translational health and glycobiology. Hence, we are expecting candidates interested in pursuing a career addressing glycobiology from various aspects. Professor Karlsson group consists of 5 researchers with expertise in glycosaminoglycans, microbiota, mucinomics and development/validation of glycobiological clinical assays. 

Desired qualifications 

• Interest in bioinformatics, glycobiology and AI, glycoanalytics (glycomics/glycoproteomics) and/or glyoconjugate modelling 
• Interested in pursuing a career addressing glycobiology from various aspects 

2. Professor Vibeke Telle-Hansen / Professor Mari Myhrstad / Pål Halvorsen
Area of interest: Precision prevention and treatment of diet-related diseases using high-throughput technology and bioinformatics/machine learning. The applicants are expected to develop a project on how individual response to diet and lifestyle affect metabolic regulation and risk of metabolic diseases. Furthermore, to better understand the underlying mechanisms driving cardiometabolic diseases.  

Desired qualifications 

• Interest and/or skills in both health/nutrition and bioinformatics/machine learning  
• Interest in pursuing a career within precision nutrition 

3. Professor Anne Lund
Area of interest: Assistive technology, digitalization, health promotion, rehabilitation and complex interventions in health and technology in a multidisciplinary context. We invite applicants to develop a project on how technology can assist individuals in achieving activity, participation, safety, dignity, and coping with everyday life. The area of interest is also on how technology can contribute to person-centred, cost-effective, evidence based and sustainable health and social services in both the public and private sectors.  Developing interventions requires broad interdisciplinary and interagency collaboration between private and public actors. 

Desired qualifications 

• Interest and/or skills in interdisciplinary collaboration in health and technology  
• Interest and/or skills in how technology can assist individuals in achieving activity, participation, safety, dignity, and coping with everyday life  

4. Professor Parisa Gazerani 
Area of interest: Intelligent digital twins for personalized care of migraine. The proposed research should focus on developing intelligent digital twins for individuals with migraines, integrating real-time data, simulations, and predictive analytics to create dynamic, self-learning systems. These intelligent digital twins go beyond static models by utilizing advanced machine learning and adaptive algorithms to enable tailored treatments. Key activities include designing real-time, patient-specific systems that integrate multi-modal data (e.g., genetic, lifestyle, clinical) and applying predictive and prescriptive tools.  

Desired qualifications 

• Expertise in health technology, computational modelling, AI/machine learning, neuroscience, or bioinformatics are prioritized, and contributions of innovative ideas

With this call for Expression of Interest, we invite researchers to submit: 

1. Application letter stating your motivation. The letter should state concisely why the proposed research project is solid, timely and innovative, why you are the best qualified person to carry it out, and also why OsloMet is the perfect place for you to carry it out.  
2. CV (including publication list) 
3. A one-page project description (excluding references), that will be the basis for candidates with whom we will collaborate for developing competitive MSCA-PF proposals.  

Starting Date of the fellowship 

Evaluation results for the MSCA-PF-2025 applications are expected to be communicated by the EU Commission in February 2026. Successful applicants may start the fellowship at the earliest in April 2026, given that they can move to Norway at that time, and are expected to start no later than the end 2026. 

Expected qualification of applicants  

We are primarily looking for experienced researchers who wish to use this period as an opportunity to further develop their research, and to develop longer term research collaborations with OsloMet and other organisations conducting research in the field. 

We are looking for applicants who have 

• A PhD-degree in a relevant subject, such as health and technology, health sciences, life sciences, bioinformatics etc. 
• A good track record in research and publications 
• Commitment to develop a competitive MSCA-PF grant application, and the necessary academic background to carry out the proposed project 
• An open and cooperation-oriented nature, with strong abilities for independent academic work 
• Excellent command / highly proficient spoken and written English 

Desired qualifications 

See description of area of interest for the supervisors for desired qualifications  

Assessment and selection of candidates 

Evaluation will be based on the applicant’s qualification and project idea, including its fit with the presented research areas and faculty members’ research profile. Short-listed candidates will be invited for a virtual interview to select candidates who will be invited to develop the full MSCA-PF application with deadline 10.09.2025.  

Selected candidates will be notified no later than 01.04.2025. Candidates who are invited to develop a full application will be expected to do so under the supervision of a faculty member and with the support of the professional research administration staff at OsloMet. Selected candidates must participate in a virtual masterclass on MSCA-PF, a two-day workshop organised by OsloMet on 28.-29. April 2025 to provide applicants with detailed information and explanation of the application template to complete their proposal in compliance with the EU Commission requirements. 

Original documents about your qualification must be presented if you are invited for an interview. OsloMet performs document inspections in order to give you as a candidate a proper evaluation and to ensure a fair competition. All documents that you hand in to OsloMet, including your proposal idea, will be handled in full confidentiality and in strict compliance with GDPR regulations. 

Employment at OsloMet 

Successful applicants who obtain a MSCA-PF grant will be offered a position at OsloMet to be hired as researchers to implement their proposed research projects, in conditions as explained below. 

We offer: 

• OsloMet assists in developing competitive MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship proposals. To successful applicants who are awarded the MSCA-PF grant, we offer: 
• Flexible working conditions 
• An inclusive and friendly work environment 
• Unique academic network with the possibility for the right candidate(s) to pursue his/her academic goals with guidance from an experienced supervisor. 
• Norwegian language classes 
• Onboarding assistance for relocation and other services 

Remuneration: 

• Type of employment: Temporary position 
• Contract type: Full time 
• Annual Salary: Approx. EUR 75-80,000. NOTE: Obligatory income tax and employer's national insurance contributions will be deducted from this amount. 
• Starting day of employment: (expected): Flexible between April and December 2026 
• Working hours: 37.5 hours/week

OsloMet has implemented the Charter for researchers and been granted the HR Excellence in Research (HRS4R) by the EU Commission and is part of the EU network for mobility of Researchers EURAXESS. OsloMet International Staff Services will assist you during your relocation to Norway and practical information can be found at our website Work for us and EURAXESS Norway.  

Contact  

Questions may be directed to individual supervisors listed above (follow the links for contact info), or to research adviser Nina Ånensen, ninaanen@oslomet.no  

Last day of application 

Call closes on February 7th, 2025 

Published: January 9th, 2025 

Reference number: 25/00558