Postdoctoral Research Fellow
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow position
The Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion invites applications for a four-year postdoctoral position in the GOVMAT project, starting August 1st, 2023, or as agreed.
The position is part of our unit for the study of religions and the interdisciplinary research project The Governmateriality of Indigenous Religions (GOVMAT), which is funded partly by the Research Council of Norway. GOVMAT involves close collaboration between researchers in several countries. It investigates how concrete examples of indigeneities and religions or religiosities materialize and participate in the governing of particular relations or situations. Case studies from different places and moments, based on various qualitative methods, and attention directed especially towards the workings of material configurations, provide new insights into complex processes. In some circumstances, enactments of indigeneity and religion or religiosity may bring about special rights and protection, whereas in other contexts, similar manifestations may trigger discrimination and violence. GOVMAT carefully researches such consequential, material, religio-political events at both micro and macro levels.
About the postdoctoral position:
The position as postdoctoral research fellow is a fixed-term appointment for four years, with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The successful applicant shall prepare a plan for qualifying for top academic positions in cooperation with the Head of Department. It is a requirement that the postdoctoral project is completed during the period of employment.
25 per cent of the time comprises obligatory duties mostly associated with teaching, but also other tasks like dissemination of results and administration. A plan for the obligatory duties will be developed with the Department at the time of appointment.
The successful applicant’s research project will be a case study that addresses the main questions posed in the larger GOVMAT project, preferably from an intersection of ethnography and histories of Indigenous peoples, Christianities, colonialisms, and academic research. The case study must focus on specific events and artifacts or assemblages occurring today or as far back as the early modern period, advisably in Central America or Scandinavia, but case studies from other parts of the world may be considered if they are particularly relevant for GOVMAT and the Department. The study should contribute significantly to the exploration of the concepts, methods, and theoretical perspectives that are shared in the GOVMAT project. The successful applicant will also participate in many joint project activities and be entrusted with the job of organizing some parts of the internal collaborations of GOVMAT. Applicants are encouraged to contact the PI for more information about the framework of the project, expectations, and possibilities.
Candidates cannot be employed as a postdoctoral fellow for more than one fixed term period at the same institution. The successful applicant will be expected to conform to the regulations that apply to the position and must accept that their primary residence will be in Bergen for the full term of the appointment.
Qualifications and personal qualities:
- The applicant must hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent foreign degree in the Study of Religions or in an adjacent field like Anthropology, History, Cultural Studies, Art History, Museology, Indigenous Studies, or Science and Technology Studies. The doctoral dissertation must have been submitted for evaluation within the closing date of the application. The PhD degree must be obtained prior to appointment.
- The applicant must provide a project proposal, outlining a case study within the framework of the larger GOVMAT project, including a progress plan for this subproject’s main activities, and a plan for publishing results in recognized international channels.
- The applicant must be able to work independently in a well-structured way and have good cooperation skills.
- Applicants must have a good command of English and any other languages that are needed for the proposed case study.
In the assessment, the main emphasis will be placed upon the quality of the proposed project, the applicant’s academic qualifications and the feasibility of the project.
In cases where applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, motivation and the applicant’s personal eligibility will be taken into account.
We can offer:
- A thriving and professionally stimulating working environment.
- Salary NOK 573 500 gross p.a. (Code 1352), equal to pay grade 62 in the state salary scale, following ordinary meriting regulations. Further salary advancement will depend on seniority in the position.
- Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
- A position in an inclusive workplace (IA) enterprise.
- Good welfare benefits.
How to apply:
Applications must be sent electronically via the link on this site “APPLY FOR THIS JOB”. The applicant must use the electronic CV form.
The application must include:
- A brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
- A summary of the proposed project (up to five pages/12.000 characters, excluding the bibliography).
- A progress plan for the proposed project, and a plan for publishing results in recognized international channels.
- Bibliography for the proposed project.
- Full list of any scientific work (publication list).
- Up to five academic works (may include theses, monographs and articles) that are to be given special consideration in the assessment of your academic qualifications.
- A short summary of the PhD-thesis (up to three pages).
- CV.
- Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and diploma for the PhD or documentation showing that the thesis has been submitted for assessment.
- Relevant certificates/references.
- The names and contact information for two reference persons. One of these must be a supervisor for the PhD thesis.
The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge. Attachments can be either in a Word or a pdf-format.
General information:
Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting the Head of Department, Professor Teemu Ryymin, email: Teemu.Ryymin@uib.no, phone: +47 55 58 38 79, or the PI of the GOVMAT project and Academic Coordinator of the Department’s unit for the Study of Religions, Professor Bjørn Ola Tafjord, email: Bjorn.Tafjord@uib.no, phone: +47 55 58 22 93.
The public sector shall reflect the diversity of the Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.
Questions or queries about the electronic application process can be directed to fakadm@hf.uib.no.
The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions. Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.
The best qualified candidates for the position will be invited to an interview.
Further information about our employment process can be found here.
UiB ID: 23/2985
About The University of Bergen (UiB)
The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.
There are four departments and four centres at Faculty of Humanities. Read more about the faculty and departments.
Deadline: 2023-04-11 at 23:59
Unit: Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion
Read the job description at the university homepage or apply.
Post expires on Tuesday April 11th, 2023