PhD Fellow in Sociology

The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. The PhD fellow position is for a period of three years and full time studies with the possibility of an extension of the appointment period. If the doctoral dissertation is submitted for appraisal within 3 years or within 3.5 years, the PhD candidate is qualified for a completion grant for either 12 or 6 months. The completion grant should be used to further qualification measures such as courses in teaching in higher education, lecturing and other relevant work at the faculty. More information about the completion grant scheme can be found here.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Teacher Education has approximately 630 full-time equivalents and approximately 3,000 students spread over several departments and centres. The faculty conducts research, teaching and external activities in a number of humanities and social science subjects/disciplines. In several subject areas, the faculty has the heaviest research environments in Norway and the region, and large parts of the teaching offer are also unique in Northern Norway context. The faculty runs social work professional education and has primary responsibility for the university’s overall portfolio within teacher training.

The Department of Social Sciences (ISV) has approximately 65 employees in permanent and temporary scientific positions. Teaching is offered at all levels; from bachelor’s degree level to PhD level (doctorate level). The institute conducts research, teaching and dissemination within sociology, political science, social anthropology and community planning. The department also offers subjects in lecturer training and has extensive activities within postgraduate and further education. Organization of the department’s research takes place through established research groups where most of the employees are largely members.

The project / The position’s field of research

This is an invitation for qualified candidates to apply for an open PhD position in sociology. The PhD candidate will be supervised by a member of the permanent staff, and applicants are encouraged to link their project to the research and expertise of staff in the sociology group to ensure sufficient supervision capacity and academic community.

Among the permanent staff: Stine W. Adrian works on sociological studies of medical technologies related to life and death in the Arctic. Daniel V. Rød focuses on geographical variation in health and care services and education, as well as prioritization in healthcare. Jeanette Skoglund’s research interests include family life, parenting, childhood, child welfare and foster care, social inequality, the welfare state, gender, and emotions. Marit Aure’s research interests include critical migration and integration studies, urban and rural development, coastal communities, volunteering, and creative, qualitative, and participatory methods. Truls T. Kristiansen focuses on communities and collective action, digitalization and society, document analysis, and digital methods. Gunnar Aakvaag works on freedom and constraints in the Norwegian model, sociological diagnoses of contemporary society, sociological theory, and positive sociology.

Applicants must submit a project proposal outlining the academic basis for the doctoral project. The proposal must not exceed 7 pages, including references, and must include a description of the topic, research questions, and justification of choices. The final proposal will be developed in collaboration with the supervisor. It is important that the applicant is motivated to work on the project. Template for project description can be found here.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Professor Marit Aure:

email: marit.aure@uit.no

or Deputy Head of Department Stine Willum Adrian:

email: stine.willum.adrian@uit.no

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• Master’s degree in sociology or a related social science discipline, with an average grade equivalent to B. In special cases, admission may be granted with a lower grade if the candidate can document scientific publications in addition to the master’s degree. Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.
• Applicants must document good English skills and be able to work in an international environment. Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.

Desired qualifications:

• Familiarity with Norwegian society is desirable

In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. The project description will also be considered. In addition, professional experience and other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme will be taken into consideration.

We will also emphasize motivation and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who have:

• Strong ability to work independently and manage their own time
• Good collaboration skills
• Ability to communicate and interact with colleagues and students
• Willingness to contribute to a positive working environment
• Willingness to engage with issues related to AI in research

As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position.

Admission to the PhD programme

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.

Admission normally requires:

• A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS.
• A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.

All applicants should have a grade point average of B (or equivalent) on their master’s degree in order to be admitted to the PhD programme. The grade point average also applies to 300 ECTS points integrated five-year master’s degrees, in which all courses are to be included in the grade point average. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.

If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.

Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

We offer

• You are given the opportunity to conduct your own self-defined research project
• Good career opportunities
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund
• PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 550 800 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase
• Opportunity to apply for a scholarship for an extended research stay abroad

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information about working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

Application

Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position.

Your application must include:

• Cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
• CV
• Official diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degree in the original language
• Official transcripts of grades/academic record for Bachelor's and Master's degree in the original language
• Official translation of diplomas and transcripts of records (ToR) to English or a Scandinavian language, if applicable
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• 2-3 references with contact information
• Master’s thesis, and any other academic works
• Project description (max 7 pages, including references)

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. If you are near completion of your master’s degree, you may still apply and submit a draft version of the thesis and a statement from your supervisor or institution indicating when the degree will be obtained. You must still submit your transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position.

Assessment

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants.

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.

We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence.

Eallju - Developing the High North

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is an internationally leading broad-based university. Our vision is to be a driving force in the North. The Northern Sami term eallju, which means diligence, sets the tone for UiT's drive. Together with students, staff, and society at large, we will utilize our location in Northern Norway and Sápmi, our academic breadth, and interdisciplinary advantages to shape the future.

UiT has approximately 18,000 students, more than 4,000 employees, and is established across four main campuses and seven additional study locations in Northern Norway and on Svalbard. Our largest campuses are Tromsø, Alta, Narvik, and Harstad. UiT has seven faculties, 40 departments and centers, and leading research environments in various fields. The university offers 269 study programs and focuses on educational quality.

Academic freedom, scientific principles, and research ethics form the foundation of all UiT's activities. Participation, co-determination, transparency, and sound processes will provide the basis for making wise and forward-looking decisions. Our students and staff will have the opportunity to develop their abilities and potential. Rooted in scientific integrity, we aim to be bold, engaged, and generous - closely connected to academia, people, and contemporary developments.

Read more about UiT's strategy towards 2030

Where to apply

Website: https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/300425/phd-fellow-in-sociology

Requirements

• Research Field: Sociology
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: Department of Social Sciences

Country: Norway

Contact

State/Province: Troms

City: Tromsø

Website: https://en.uit.no/startsida

Street: Hansine Hansens veg 18

Postal Code: 9019