PhD Research Fellow in Criminology or Sociology of Law on the Shadow Fleet

Job description

A position as a PhD Research Fellow (SKO 1017) is available as part of the convergence environment CargoCrime: (Il)Licit Seaborne Transport and the Energy Transition (https://www.uio.no/english/research/strategic-research-areas/uio-energy-and-environment/research/cargo-crime/), led by Associate Professor Hege Høyer Leivestad and funded by UiO:Energy and Environment (2025-2030). The fellow will be responsible for their own PhD project and work closely with Professor Kjersti Lohne at the Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law as part of the Faculty of Law's responsibility for CargoCrime's second work package “Spotlighting the Shadow Fleet".

The appointment period lasts three years without teaching obligations, or four years with teaching duties making up 25% of the total workload. A four-year fellowship requires that the candidate can contribute to the Faculty of Law's current teaching needs. The expected start date is no later than 1 September 2026. The location of employment is Oslo.

PhD fellowships are recruitment positions intended to lead to a PhD degree at The Faculty of Law.  Applicants must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Law. Read more about the Doctoral Degree (https://www.jus.uio.no/english/research/phd/index.html).

More about the position 

CargoCrime focuses on the emerging issue of green maritime crime and is a collaboration between the Department of Social Anthropology, the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law and the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law at the University of Oslo. Maritime shipping of goods and raw materials is vital to the global economy, but the environmental repercussions of cross-border cargo crime remain significantly understudied. Illicit activities in shipping are often closely intertwined with legal trade, while law enforcement efforts at sea are limited and complex. See CargoCrime: (Il)Licit Seaborne Transport and the Energy Transition (https://www.uio.no/english/research/strategic-research-areas/uio-energy-and-environment/research/cargo-crime/) for more information. 

The doctoral candidate will conduct research connected to environmental security threats and global harms associated with the so-called shadow fleet. The phenomenon of the shadow fleet has garnered increasing attention by the revelation of Russia's illicit seaborne oil exports to evade international sanctions, but the shadow fleet has been a well-known global, significant, and complex problem within the shipping industry for decades, as it evades compliance with environmental and safety regulations, avoids insurance, and engages in a wide range of illicit activities. 

The applicant will independently design and pursue their own research project within CargoCrime's work package 2 as described here (https://www.uio.no/english/research/strategic-research-areas/uio-energy-and-environment/research/cargo-crime/).

The candidate is expected to join and actively participate in the research community at the Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law. In addition to their PhD project, they will participate in CargoCrime group activities with the core team, such as seminars and workshops. The doctoral candidate will also carry a responsibility for organizing workshops, team-based fieldwork trips, an online speaker series and other joint activities. The candidate will work closely with the other project researchers. They will jointly pursue publications and creative forms of public dissemination. 

The candidate is also expected to engage in international dissemination activities and collaborate with key scholars in the field outside the project group. 

Qualification requirements 

• The applicant must hold a Norwegian five-year Master's degree or an equivalent qualification in Criminology, Sociology of Law, Sociology, Anthropology, International Relations, or a related field.  
• Normally, the applicant should have grades that place them in the top tier. This requirement also applies to the master's thesis.
• The project's language is English, and applicants should have an excellent command of English, both written and spoken.
• Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary group work and commitment to shared efforts. Prior experience with teamwork and/or project management will be an advantage.
• An interest in dissemination of research results.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position

Preferred qualifications: 

• Knowledge of the shadow fleet and its environmental security threats is beneficial.
• Knowledge of global and/or green criminology, (critical) security studies, and/or sociology of the law of the seas is particularly relevant.
• Qualitative research skills and experience are desirable.

Personal skills

• A collaborative, friendly, and team-oriented style of work.
• Ability to join interdisciplinary academic communities.
• Creativity and ability to work independently.

Assessment of the applicants

In assessing applicants, priority will be given to their academic achievements, previous relevant publications, the project description, and their professional and personal qualifications, especially regarding their ability to complete the proposed project within the specified timeframe.

Applicants who progress through the selection process will be invited to interview for the position, either in person or via electronic means.

Applicants are assessed by an assessment committee that ranks them according to the above criteria and interviews the most suitable candidates. A separate interview committee may be used. The final decision is made by the faculty's appointment board.

The final PhD project description will be developed in consultation with the CargoCrime team and work package leader following the appointment.

We offer

• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours (https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/welfare/exercise/).  
• Committed colleagues and an inspiring, friendly, and inclusive working environment. Pension scheme in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (https://www.spk.no/en/).
• Good welfare schemes (https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/welfare/index.html).
• Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK 550 800 - 595 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

The application must include

• A cover letter describing the applicant's qualifications and motivation for the position.
• A CV providing a comprehensive overview of education, previous positions, teaching experience, list of publications, and other qualifying activities.
• A project description (https://www.jus.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/project-outline.html)of 4-5 pages (excluding the list of references), outlining how they would approach their research tasks within the project period. This includes a description of theoretical background, the aims, methodologies (including suggestions for informants or entry points for case studies), and reflections about potential ethical challenges. The proposal must clearly demonstrate how the research will contribute to the aims of the CargoCrime (https://www.uio.no/english/research/strategic-research-areas/uio-energy-and-environment/research/cargo-crime/)project and specifically the second work package on “Spotlighting the Shadow Fleet".
• Copies of diplomas with all grades included in the degree and certificates (if the original language of diplomas/certificates is not English or a Scandinavian language, an English language translation must be provided in addition to a copy of the original). Foreign diplomas must include official documentation about the grading system, together with the official grading scale.
• Up to three academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered should be submitted. If a publication has been authored by multiple individuals, the division of work must be documented with a declaration from the co-author(s).
• Names and contact details for at least two references.

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language. The application with attachments must be submitted through our electronic recruitment system; please follow the link “apply for this job". The tentative starting date is September 2026.

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO's work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no (https://www.uio.no/english/about/strategy/gender-equality/index.html).

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues - could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (https://arbeidsgiver.dfo.no/strategisk-hr/inkluderingsarbeid/bli-bedre-pa-rekruttering/hvordan-skrive-stillingsannonser-som-inkluderer/positiv-saerbehandling-nar-man-soker-jobb-i-staten).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. (https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/competence/gender-equality/index.html)

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/guidelines-appointment-postdoc-researcher.html)concerning appointment to recruitment positions at the University of Oslo. No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (https://lovdata.no/dokument/NLE/lov/2006-05-19-16)§25 information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement (https://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/work-results/agreement-rights-to-work-results.html)for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.

The Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law is located at the Faculty of Law. The Department is Norway's only institute for research and education in Criminology and Sociology of Law. Research, teaching and dissemination activities within both fields are conducted at the highest international level. The Department has about 40 staff members and 300 students.