Norway’s Institute of Marine Research (Havforskningsinstituttet, IMR) is hiring a quantitative research scientist to develop the statistical methods behind fish stock assessments — and the clock is short. Applications close on 8 November 2026, just ten days from today. If you hold a PhD in a quantitative discipline, code fluently in R and TMB, and have actually built or delivered stock assessments, this is one of the most specialised fisheries-science jobs open anywhere in Europe right now.
Note: the images in this post are illustrations created for this article, not photographs of the Institute of Marine Research or its staff.
The Vacancy at a Glance
| Item | Detail (verified 29 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Employer | Institute of Marine Research (Havforskningsinstituttet), Norway |
| Post | Quantitative research scientist for stock assessment method development |
| Norwegian title | Kvantitativ forsker innen metodeutvikling og bestandsvurdering |
| Workplace | Bergen, Norway (central Bergen facilities) |
| Employment type | Full-time, permanent |
| Application deadline | 8 November 2026 |
| How to apply | Electronically through Jobbnorge (listing ID 308381) |
| Salary | Government-regulated salary as research scientist, code 1109/1110/1183, depending on qualifications (no NOK figure is stated in the listing) |
| Contact | Research manager Guldborg Søvik — +47 948 60 985, guldborg.soevik@hi.no |
| Status on 29 October 2026 | OPEN — the listing is live on Jobbnorge with an active apply button |
What the Job Actually Is
This is not a sea-going observer post and not a routine assessment-production job. The role sits in method development: building, testing and improving the statistical models that turn survey data, catch data and biological samples into estimates of how many fish are in the sea — the numbers that ultimately underpin catch advice and quotas. The listing asks for documented experience with stock assessment, either operational or research-based, and proven experience developing and implementing statistical models using TMB or RTMB, applied to fisheries science or a closely related topic.
That distinction matters for applicants. A candidate who has only used assessment outputs, or only fitted generic statistical models outside fisheries, does not match what the listing describes. The strongest applicants will be able to point to specific deliverables — for example, first authorship of stock assessment deliverables, or co-authorship with a clear description of their own contribution — and to models they personally developed and implemented.
Essential Qualifications
| Requirement | What the listing asks for |
|---|---|
| Degree | PhD in mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, fisheries science, or a closely related quantitative discipline |
| Coursework | University-level coursework in both statistics and biology |
| Programming (prerequisite) | Demonstrated fluency in R and TMB (Template Model Builder) or RTMB |
| Assessment experience | Documented experience with stock assessment, operational or research-based |
| Modelling experience | Proven experience developing and implementing statistical models using TMB or RTMB, applied to fisheries science or a closely related topic |
| Communication | Excellent oral and written communication skills in English |
| Tools | Experience with version control systems (e.g. Git) |
Desired Competencies (Advantage, Not Requirement)
- Experience with stock assessment tools commonly used in Norway and within ICES — SAM, SPiCT or SS3. The listing is explicit that this is an advantage, not a requirement, so lacking one of these tools should not stop a strong quantitative candidate from applying.
- Experience developing and fitting spatio-temporal models.
- Experience with Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) — the simulation testing of harvest rules before they are adopted.
- Experience with project management.
- Personal qualities: the ability to work independently as well as in teams, and to deliver results — reports, analyses and papers — according to deadlines.
What IMR Offers
The listing promises work in one of Europe’s leading marine research institutes, a creative working environment, facilities in central Bergen, and flexible working hours. The employment package includes a public-sector occupational pension through the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK), plus access to company cabins, fitness facilities and other welfare benefits. Salary is set on the government scale for research scientists (codes 1109/1110/1183) depending on qualifications — the listing states no separate NOK figure, so treat any third-party salary number you see elsewhere as unverified unless it comes from IMR itself.
One condition deserves attention from international applicants: the working language at the Institute is Norwegian. The listing states that being able to communicate well in Norwegian is an important prerequisite, but it also states that non-Norwegian-speaking employees are expected to complete Norwegian language courses during their first two years of employment, with the Institute covering the cost of completed and passed courses. In other words, you do not need fluent Norwegian on day one — but you should plan to learn it.
How to Apply — Step by Step
- Go to the official listing. Search Jobbnorge for listing 308381, “Kvantitativ forsker innen metodeutvikling og bestandsvurdering” (Institute of Marine Research). Apply through the listing’s own apply button — do not email your application to the contact address unless the listing tells you to.
- Prepare a full CV including a complete list of publications. Your publication and deliverable record is the evidence for the “documented experience” requirement, so make your assessment contributions explicit rather than burying them in a general publication list.
- Document your skills. State your R and TMB/RTMB fluency concretely — which models you built, what they were used for — and name your Git/version-control experience.
- Attach recommendations and academic transcripts, and give at least two references who can be contacted.
- Submit before 8 November 2026. The listing gives no separate time-of-day cutoff in the summary we verified, so do not leave submission to the final hours.
- Expect the formalities. The Institute notes that information about applicants may be made public even if an applicant requested exemption (applicants are notified in advance); that export-control regulations apply to processing applications; that applicants with education from abroad may be asked to provide NOKUT approval of their qualifications; and that you may be asked to approve a background check.
Why This Role Matters Beyond One Vacancy
Stock assessment is the quiet engine room of fisheries management. Every quota negotiation, every “how much can we catch next year” headline, rests on models that estimate stock size, fishing mortality and recruitment from imperfect data. Method development is where those models get better: handling spatial structure, accounting for changing survey catchability, or testing whether a harvest rule stays safe when the ocean warms. Norway’s assessments feed directly into advice for some of the world’s most valuable fish stocks, and IMR’s methods work is used within the ICES system that advises governments across the Northeast Atlantic. For a quantitative scientist, this post offers something rare — the chance to build methods that are actually used in management, not just published.
It is also a realistic window for Indian and other international quantitative graduates. The listing summary states no nationality restriction; it anticipates foreign-educated applicants explicitly through the NOKUT note. The realistic barriers are the PhD-plus-TMB bar and the Norwegian-language expectation over the first two years — both surmountable for a candidate who already works in assessment science.
Before You Apply: Five Checks
- Can you evidence TMB/RTMB fluency? Name the models, not just the languages.
- Is your assessment contribution documented? First-authored deliverables, or a precise co-author contribution statement, carry the requirement.
- Have you checked the live listing? Listings can change; confirm the deadline and requirements on Jobbnorge (ID 308381) on the day you apply.
- Do your transcripts and references travel? Foreign qualifications may need NOKUT approval — start that question early, not after shortlisting.
- Are you ready for Bergen? Central Bergen facilities, flexible hours and a public pension are real advantages — and two years of Norwegian courses are a real commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to speak Norwegian to apply?
The working language is Norwegian and good Norwegian communication is described as an important prerequisite, but non-Norwegian speakers are expected to complete Norwegian courses during their first two years, with the Institute covering the cost of completed and passed courses. You do not need to be fluent on day one.
Is this a permanent post?
Yes. The Jobbnorge listing states full-time, permanent employment (Heltid, Fast).
What salary will I get?
The listing gives no NOK figure. Salary is government-regulated as a research scientist under codes 1109/1110/1183, depending on qualifications, plus the SPK pension scheme.
Can I apply from outside Norway?
The listing summary states no nationality restriction and explicitly anticipates foreign-educated applicants (possible NOKUT approval requirement). Export-control regulations apply to the processing of applications.
Where exactly do I apply?
Electronically through Jobbnorge, listing 308381. For questions about the position itself, contact Research manager Guldborg Søvik (+47 948 60 985, guldborg.soevik@hi.no).
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Sources
- Institute of Marine Research vacancy, Jobbnorge listing 308381, “Kvantitativ forsker innen metodeutvikling og bestandsvurdering” — verified live 29 October 2026: deadline 8 November 2026, Bergen workplace, full-time permanent, salary codes 1109/1110/1183, contact Guldborg Søvik. Official Jobbnorge listing
- NF-POGO Alumni Network for the Ocean, vacancy republication dated 22 October 2026, “Quantitative research scientist for stock assessment method development — Deadline 08 November 2026” (full qualification, offer and application details cross-checked against the Jobbnorge listing). NF-POGO listing
- Institute of Marine Research official site: hi.no/en
Always confirm the live notification on Jobbnorge before applying — if any detail here differs from the live listing, the live listing governs.