PhD Research Fellows in Human Geography

Join a top research institute! The University of Oslo seeks PhD research fellows in human geography 

About the position

There are 1-2 vacant positions at the Department of Sociology and Human Geography for research fellows (SKO 1017) in human geography. The positions are for a period of three years without compulsory work or four years with 25% compulsory work (primarily teaching).

The department is ranked as the premier academic research institute in human geography in Norway, conducting top international research while offering high quality education for students. The department is renowned both for the breadth of topics and methodologies employed and for its highly qualified researchers.

More about the position 

We seek candidates with the potential to contribute to the development of human geography as a discipline at the department. The fellows are expected to pursue independent research under supervision, as outlined in their submitted project proposals. We value the contribution of young scholars to the academic environment and study programmes at the department and encourage candidates with a desire to participate actively in departmental life to apply. 

Applicants should have research interests that resonate with ongoing research at the department. We currently have strong research communities in the fields of urban studies, sustainable transformations, work, organisations and politics, social inequality, migration, integration and diversity, cultural and political participation, population dynamics. Human geographers are also engaged in economic and political geography. The call is not thematically limited to these topics, but preference can be given to candidates with projects that align with the department’s supervisory capacity. Applicants are expected to demonstrate through their application letter and project proposal how they will contribute to the development of human geography at the department. 

The position requires participation in the Faculty of Social Sciences' organised research education programme (PhD programme) and the completion of a doctorate in human geography. The candidates who are hired will automatically be admitted to the PhD programme. 

Residence in Norway is expected, but PhD fellows are also encouraged to spend time abroad during the fellowship period. The starting date will be negotiated with the successful candidates.

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria 

• Applicants will be assessed on the quality and relevance of the project proposal, the quality of the master’s thesis, their academic grades and their academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. The hiring process will include an interview. 
• Applicants must have a master’s degree in human geography or equivalent.
• Applicants must have prior education that corresponds to 5 years at the university level in Norway, with two years (120 ECTS) at the master’s level. 
• Applicants must have average grades of A or B in their master’s degree. 
• Applicants who have completed their education outside of the EU/EEA-area and who do not have English as a native language or who have not completed an English-language MA program must document English language skills:
  • TOEFL – with a minimum result of 550 on the Paper-based Test (PBT), or 80 on the Internet-Based Test (iBT) OR
  • IELTS – International English Language Testing Service, with the result 6.0 OR

We offer 

• A pleasant and academically stimulating work environment 
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.. 
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 551000 - 594000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

How to apply

• Application letter. Please state your motivation and research interests. Candidates from other disciplinary backgrounds than human geography must demonstrate that their educational background has prepared them for PhD level studies and that their project falls within the scope of the relevant discipline.
• A tentative project proposal (5-10 pages). The proposal must include the topic, relevant theory and methods and timeline. The proposal should include an explicit account of how the project contributes to the development of human geography at the department. Applicants are expected to be able to complete the project during the appointment period. The proposal must include a paragraph declaring if and how AI was used in the development of the proposal.
• CV with full summary of education, practice, academic work and any publications. The period of enrolment (admission-completion) in the master's study programme must be specified.
• Applicants with a one-year master’s degree must submit an appeal for an individual assessment (max 1 page) in which they demonstrate that they have completed research work equivalent to at least half a year’s relevant scientific workload.
• Academic transcripts (university degrees only).
• Copy of master's degree diploma.
• Applicants submitting transcripts from non-Norwegian/non-ECTS institutions are advised to include an explanation of their university's grading system. This may be uploaded as an “Attachment.”
• TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable. These may be uploaded as an “Attachment.”

Documents should be uploaded in the order presented above. Please submit documents individually and name them accordingly, e.g. Application letter, Project proposal, CV, etc. Do NOT submit supporting documents as a single, combined file.

The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”. Please note that all documents must be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

The final hiring decision is the responsibility of the department’s board and will be based on an evaluation of the overall qualifications of the shortlisted candidates and the department’s needs.

General information

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews. 

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to recruitment positions at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

Contact persons:

Please refer to our Q&A web page before making personal enquiries. Requests to review proposals or supporting documents prior to the closing deadline will not be accommodated. 

Head of PhD in Human Geography, Prof. Michael Gentile (unavailable in July)

Administrative Head of Department, Inger-Lise Schwab

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 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 14 administrative staff members. There are approximately 80 PhD. candidates and 1500 students enrolled in the Department.

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