Postdoctoral fellow on the ERC project “Contested frontiers of settler states” (ConFront)

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow position

There is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow position at the Department of Comparative Politics.

The position is for a period of 4 year. Of that period, at least 75% will be devoted to research and dissemination as an integral member of the exciting, ground-breaking ERC project “Contested Frontiers: Understanding the constitutional politics of settler-state peripheries” (ConFront). The other 25% may involve teaching, supervision, and administrative tasks at the department.

About the project/work tasks:

The project combines political theory, constitutional law, and comparative politics to understand competition – usually between Indigenous peoples and settlers/states – to (re)constitute frontier jurisdictions, especially in the North American Arctic, Fennoscandic north, U.S. Pacific, and Australian tropics. ConFront consists of five team members led by the department’s associate professor of Arctic governance, Aaron Spitzer.

The successful candidate will be based in Bergen, ideally beginning autumn 2024. They will actively collaborate with other team members, will help conduct fieldwork and research dissemination in frontier regions, and will  participate in the department’s Indigenous Peoples and Governance in the Arctic research group.

Candidates are expected to propose and execute a research plan contributing to ConFront’s objectives. A general overview of ConFront can be found here. More specific project details are available from the project leader.

The successful candidate will further be expected to teach and supervise at the bachelor and master levels, and to engage in other tasks at the Department.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• Applicants must hold a PhD or an equivalent degree in Political Science, Comparative Politics, Political Philosophy, Constitutional Law, or a related discipline relevant to the project, or must have submitted their doctoral thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded.
• Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and demonstrate good collaborative skills.
• Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English.
• Applicants will ideally have experience in – and commitment to – the study of Indigenous, Arctic, or related issues and challenges.
• Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Ambitions and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates.

An expert committee will perform a review of the applicants. Based on the expert committee’s report, top ranked candidates may be invited to Bergen for an interview and asked to hold a trial lecture on a given topic. 

The successfull candidate is expected to live and work in Bergen and participate in common activities at the Department.

Applicants are advised to familiarize themselves with the teaching and research profile at the Department.

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:

The position of postdoctoral research fellow is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The fixed-term period for this position is 4 years. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

A research proposal of 4-5 pages must accompany the application. The proposal should contain a progress plan for the different parts of the research work, as well as a plan regarding publishing.  It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

We can offer:

• A good and professionally challenging working environment.
• Gross annual salary as Postdoctoral research fellow, code 1352, of NOK 615700, -. Further increase in salary will depend on seniority. A higher salary may be considered for a particularly well qualified applicant.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• A brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
• Research proposal (4-5 pages)
• The names and contact information for two reference persons. One of these must be the main advisor from the PhD programme.
• CV
• Transcripts and diplomas and official confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted.
• Relevant certificates/references.
• List of any works of a scientific nature (publication list).
• Any publications in your name.

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge.

The closing date is February 29th, 2024. The application has to be marked with: 23/17259.

Applications sent by e-mail will not be evaluated.

General information:

Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting project leader Aaron Spitzer (aaron.spitzer@uib.no)

Practical questions about the application process should be directed to Gudrun Horvei (gudrun.horvei@uib.no)

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.

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 successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.

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 seven departments at Faculty of Social Sciences. Read more about the faculty and departments. 

Deadline: 2024-02-29 at 23:59
Unit: Social Sciences/Economics

Read the job description at the university homepage or apply.