PhD research fellowship (SKO 1017) in Innovation studies

About the position 

One PhD research fellowship (SKO 1017) in Innovation studies is available at TIK Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture  at the University of Oslo.

 

 

The position forms a central part of the research project Capacities for Energy Transition Governance (CAPACITIES) funded by the Norwegian Research Council. The position is for three years, with a possibility of extension for teaching activities.

Project description

The CAPACITIES project investigates the capacities for effective governance of the ongoing energy transition in Norway. 

Existing institutions in the energy domain do not always have practices, processes and policies in place to tackle today’s wicked challenges associated with the energy transition. This includes the territorial and sectoral conflicts of interest and competition for power supply both domestically and internationally. This project will focus on the cross-sectoral nature of the energy transition and study the multi-level governance and the iterative policy processes needed across national and local levels. It will comprise case studies of challenges and dilemmas at a national level as well as local initiatives to promote energy transitions.

The cross-sectoral and multi-level nature of the dilemmas associated with the energy transition cause a need to understand a) whether and how current governance structures constitute barriers for the energy transition ahead, and b) how to unleash the energy transition by revising established governance structures. These questions constitute key research questions to be explored in the CAPACITIES project and in the announced PhD-position.  Within the frames of the project the PhD candidate is expected to accomplish selected case studies and contribute to reviewing existing literature and policy. The candidate must develop a project proposal to be submitted as part of the application where relevant cases are further developed and thus show how the candidate’s project will contribute to the overarching CAPACITIES project. See more about the requirements for the project proposal below.   

The CAPACITIES project description is available on request and should be consulted by the candidates.

The position encompasses possibilities for teaching tasks within TIK’s bachelor teaching and master programs, including supervision of students within these programs, according to the TIK Centre’s needs and the candidate’s profile or competencies. If such tasks are agreed upon, the contract will be extended accordingly for up to a year. 

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria

• Applicants must hold a two-year Master’s degree (or equivalent qualifications) and meet the formal requirements for admittance to the Faculty of Social Sciences’ PhD programme within relevant disciplines in the social sciences.
• The Master’s degree must be of high quality (grade A or B) and from a relevant social science discipline such as sustainability transitions studies, innovation studies, economic geography, political science or studies in science, technology and society (STS). The thesis should be within a specialisation of relevance to the project.
• Applicants must have fluent oral and written communication skills in English and speak a Scandinavian language fluently. The latter is because the data collection will be based on Norwegian materials and accomplished in close collaboration with the two national user partners in the project. 
• The successful candidate is expected to take active part in project-activities and in seminars and workshops at TIK. Residency in or close to Oslo is therefore a requirement.

Applicants will be assessed on the quality and relevance of the project proposal, their academic grades and their academic experience and personal skills of relevance for carrying out the project. 

Academic and personal potential of the applicant for fulfilling the project within the given timeframe as well as the applicant’s skills tied to communication, curiosity and cooperation will also be taken into consideration. 

Experience with and/or understanding of the Norwegian policy context and with qualitative empirical research will be seen as an advantage. The hiring process will include an interview with the most qualified candidates.

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.

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 (Norwegian), 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 (Norwegian).

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.

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

Why should you choose us?

• Salary NOK 550 800 - 595 000 per annum, depending on qualifications.
• An academically stimulating working environment.
• Attractive welfare benefits including excellent benefits for families (kindergarten, paid paternal/maternal leave etc) and a generous pension agreement.
• In addition, Oslo offers a family-friendly environment with rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities in its immediate surroundings.

Application

The application should be written in English and must include:

• Application letter describing motivation and experience of relevance to the research project (max two pages).
• Project proposal (in English, maximum 5 pages including references) describing how the applicant intends to develop a PhD project within the frame described in the call and the project description. All applicants should carefully read the Faculty guidelines for writing a project proposal.
• CV (max 3 pages) summarizing education, positions, research experience, and other activities. The period of enrolment (admission-completion) in the master's study program must be specified.
• A copy of the master thesis and, if applicable, a list of other scientific publications.
• Academic diplomas and grade transcripts (university degrees only). 
• 2-3 personal references including contact information and relation to the applicant. Please note that references will only be contacted for candidates invited to interview.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university's grading system. Please note that all documents must be in English (or a Scandinavian language in the case of transcripts; the application materials should be in English).

The final hiring decision is the responsibility of the centre’s board and will be based on an evaluation of the overall qualifications of the shortlisted candidates as well as the centre’s needs.

General information

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews. 

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.