Ledig stilling på Universitetet i Oslo

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Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology or equivalent

Deadline: 02.01.2020

Job description

Universitetet i Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.


The Department of Sociology and Human Geography is Norway's leading department for both Sociology and Human Geography. The Department offers four Bachelor's and three Master's programmes. Research, teaching and dissemination activities within both fields are of the highest level. The Department is renowned both for the breadth of topics and methodologies employed and for its highly qualified researchers. Gender balance among the academic staff is an important distinguishing feature. The Department has 35 permanent academic staff, nearly 40 doctoral and post doctoral research fellows and 12 administrative staff members. There are approximately 80 PhD. candidates and 1500 students enrolled in the Department.

Flere stillinger fra Universitetet i Oslo

There is a vacant position at the Department of Sociology and Human Geography for a Postdoctoral Fellow (SKO 1352) in Sociology or related fields. The position is for a period of 2 years.

The position is in the research project ‘Policy, Expertise and Trust in Action (PEriTiA)’ funded by the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020. PEriTiA will carry out research to understand the factors and conditions that contribute to the enhancement or breakdown of trust in experts in the context of knowledge-based governance in democratic societies and from a multidisciplinary perspective. The core aim is to contribute to the improvements of measures of trust as a basis for sustainable and legitimate governance. Central to this aim is to reach a better understanding of both the empirical and normative conditions of trust in, and trustworthiness of, the type of expert opinion that has a crucial role in policy decisions.

Specifically, the Postdoctoral Fellow will work under and contribute to Work Package (WP) 3 ‘Trust and the Conditions for Successful Advice Mechanisms’. The overall objective of this work package is to provide knowledge to understand better the conditions for creating successful and hence trustworthy expert advice mechanisms. Special attention will be given to the Nordic systems of policy advice commissions. The WP will identify central features of and changes in these systems, based on previous research and new and more targeted investigations, and clarify how these characteristics and developments contribute to or are at odds with trust-making.

The Fellow will work closely with WP3 leader Professor Cathrine Holst and other members of the project staff in Oslo and at other partner institutions.

Residence in Norway is preferred.

Qualification requirements and personal skills

  • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Sociology or related fields with relevance for the job, such as Philosophy, Public Administration/Public Policy, or Science and Technology Studies. The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing application date. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.
  • Applicants must have the capacity for independent academic research at a high level, preferably documented through publications in international peer-reviewed journals or in books by international academic publishers.
  • Applicants must have excellent written and oral proficiency in English.

We offer

  • Salary NOK 523.200-605.500 per annum depending on qualifications
  • A professionally stimulating working environment
  • Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

  • Application letter (up to 3 pages). Please describe your motivation for applying for this position and explain how your background, research, and experience is relevant to the project
  • CV summarizing education, positions, research experience, and other qualifying activities
  • A complete list of publications
  • Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
  • Up to five academic works that the applicant wishes to have considered in the assessment process (a doctoral dissertation or a monograph will count as three publications)
  • A list of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing applications, particular emphasis will be placed upon the academic and personal capacity of the candidate to contribute to the project within the given timeframe, and to interact within national and international networks. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged. It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) 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 an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

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