Doctoral Research Fellow in Philosophy and Politics 

Humanities

Doctoral Research Fellow in Philosophy and Politics 

Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas 

Job description

A Doctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1017) in philosophy and politics is available at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo.

The doctoral position is part of the research project The influence of experts on public policy (INFLUEX), which is funded by the Research Council of Norway. INFLUEX aims to map, analyze and assess the influence of experts on public policy and debate. This will be done through empirical studies of expert bureaucracies, advisory commissions, international expert bodies and citizen experts. The research project also examines the question of how much influence experts ought to have in a democracy. INFLUEX is a multidisciplinary project, which combines perspectives from the social sciences and philosophy.

A more detailed project description can be found here: INFLUEX: The influence of experts on public policy – Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas (uio.no)

The doctoral fellow will be part of a research team led by Professor Cathrine Holst at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo, and Assistant Professor Johan Christensen at the Institute of Public Administration, Leiden University. The fellow will work closely together with the project directors and the other members of the research team.

The doctoral fellow will be responsible for building and developing quantitative data sets within the INFLUEX project and analyzing the influence of experts based on these data. This will be done under the supervision of the project directors. The doctoral fellow will develop a doctoral project based on these analyses and that fits with the overarching approaches and questions raised under INFLUEX. The specific focus and design of the doctoral project will be determined by the doctoral fellow in collaboration with the project directors.

The proposed starting date for the position is September 1 2023.  

More about the position

The person appointed will be affiliated with the Faculty’s organized research training. The academic work is to result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at the Faculty with a view to obtaining the degree of PhD. The successful candidates are expected to join a existing research milieu or network and contribute to its development. Read more about the doctoral degree.

The appointment is for a duration of 3 years. All PhD Candidates who submit their doctoral dissertation for assessment with a written recommendation from their supervisor within 3 years or 3 ½ years after the start of their PhD position, will be offered, respectively, a 12 or 6 month Completion Grant.

Qualification requirements

  • A Master’s degree or equivalent in public administration, philosophy, politics and economics; (PPE), political science, philosophy, sociology or another relevant field. The Master’s degree must have been obtained and the final evaluation must be available by the application deadline.
  • Advanced quantitative analysis skills and experience with carrying out such analyses. Knowledge about public policy and administration is desirable.
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English, see Language requirements. The ability to read Norwegian is desirable.
  • Personal suitability and motivation for the position.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Oslo, applicants must, as a minimum, have completed a five-year graduation course (Master’s degree or equivalent), including a Master’s thesis of at least 30 ECTS. In special cases, the Faculty may grant admission on the basis of a one-year Master course following an assessment of the study programme’s scope and quality.

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on:

  • The project’s scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation, and relevance for the INFLUEX project
  • The applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to complete the project within the time frame
  • The applicant’s ability to complete research training
  • Good collaboration skills and an ability to join interdisciplinary academic communities

Applicants who have recently graduated with excellent results may be given preference.

We offer

How to apply

The application must include:

  • Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
  • Curriculum Vitae (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, including a complete list of publications)
  • Transcript of records of your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Applicants with education from a foreign university must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system
  • Documentation of Language requirements (if applicable)
  • Project description, including a detailed progress plan for the project (3 – 5 pages, maximum 14,000 characters). The description should include a proposal for the specific thematic and analytical focus of the dissertation within the framework of INFLUEX. See also Template for project descriptions)

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Educational certificates, master theses and the like are not to be submitted with the application, but applicants may be asked to submit such information or works later.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, jobbnorge.no.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

See also regulations as well as guidelines for the application assessment process and appointments to research fellowships.

Following the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) § 25, Chapter 2, demographic information about the applicant may be used in the
public list of applicants even if the applicant opts out from the entry in the public application list.

The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.

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

Contact information

For questions about the position:

Professor and Project Leader Cathrine Holst 

For questions about how to apply:

HR Officer Anders Rykke 

About the University of 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 embraces four disciplines: Philosophy, Classical Languages (Greek and Latin), History of Ideas and Art History. The Department is also responsible for the introductory philosophy courses, obligatory for all students attending study programmes at the University of Oslo. The Department has about 110 employees.

Deadline: 15 May 2023
Unit: Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas
Campus:
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Post expires on Monday May 15th, 2023