Career
He was scientific assistant and university lecturer at Department of Limnology, University of Oslo, from 1960 to 1966. Research scientist at Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from 1966-1977. And professor of systematic zoology in the Museum of Zoology at the University of Bergen from 1977 to his retirement in 2006.He specialized in aquatic Diptera, especially Chironomidae and Chaoboridae.
The festschrift Contributions to the Systematics and Ecology of Aquatic Diptera: A Tribute to Ole A. Sæther was released for his seventieth birthday.
The genera Saetheria, Saetheriella, Saetheromyia, Saetherocladius, Saetherocryptus, Saetherops, Oleia, and Olecryptotendipes and the species Diamesa saetheri, Protanypus saetheri, Propsilocerus saetheri, Hydrobaenus saetheri, Limnophyes saetheri, Nanocladius saetheri, Orthocladius saetheri, Tanytarsus saetheri, and Tokunagaia oleantoni have been named after him. His contributions to Fauna Europaea, as an expert on Chironomidae, were much appreciated.
He resided in Ulriksdal 1, Bergen.