PhD Research Fellow in digitalisation of the public sector
Deadline: 05.10.2020
University of Agder
The University of Agder has more than 1400 employees and 13 000 students. This makes us one of the largest workplaces in Southern Norway. Our staff research, teach and disseminate knowledge from a variety of academic fields. Co-creation of knowledge is our common vision. We offer a broad range of study programmes in many fields. We are situated at two modern campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad respectively.
We are an open and inclusive university marked by a culture of cooperation. The aim of the university is to further develop education and research at a high international level.
About the position
The University of Agder, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Information Systems, invites applications for one full-time PhD Research Fellow in Information Systems for a period of three years, alternatively four years with 25% of the time assigned to tasks at the Faculty’s discretion. The position is located in Kristiansand, Norway.
This position is linked to the international SOS project (see more information below), focusing on digitalisation of the public sector. The project is funded by the Nordic Council and managed by the Centre for Digital Welfare at the IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Department of Information Systems provides teaching and research at the intersection of technology, organisation and business administration. With around 45 employees (Professors, Associate Professors, Post-docs, Research Fellows and administrative staff), the department is one of the largest information systems research groups in Norway. Research activities include work related to eHealth, Integrated Emergency Management and Digital Transformation. The candidate will be involved with activities both in the Center for eHealth and the Centre for Digital Transformation (CeDiT).
Responsibilities
The candidate will participate in an international research team in the SOS project together with Danish and Swedish researchers. The SOS project’s full title is: “Infrastructures for partially digital citizens: Supporting informal welfare work in the digitised state”. The Nordic countries have introduced digital solutions, including self-service solutions in many of the welfare areas such as social service, public schools, and health care. It is increasingly clear that there are still unmet needs related to this ongoing digitalisation. For instance, citizens who struggle with social, cognitive or health-related challenges may refrain from using the digital solutions put in place by the public authorities and may require additional support for accessing the welfare services. This support often requires informal and unpaid work, either by public service providers or by the user’s next-of-kin or community. The SOS project seeks to map such informal work in three welfare sectors across three Nordic countries and to propose and prototype socio-digital innovations that may offer solutions for an area that is currently invisible and unacknowledged, and help future-proofing digital welfare societies in the Nordic region. The Danish partner will focus particularly on the social services, the Swedish partner on public education and the Norwegian partner on health-related digital services.
Therefore, the Department of Information Systems invites applicants to develop research proposals that explore themes and questions relevant to the SOS project. (More information about the project is available upon request).
The applicants must qualify for admission to the faculty PhD Programme in the Faculty of Social Sciences, with a specialisation within Information Systems, and must hold a master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant area of study, with an average grade of B or better. Applicants who are in the process of finishing their master’s thesis are also welcome to apply for this position.
Applicants must submit a project proposal whose scope lies within the abovementioned areas of priority. The project proposal should comprise a maximum of ten pages in length, including the reference list. The proposal must contain a preliminary presentation of the problem area, theoretical foundation, methodological approach and planned progression for the doctoral project. The quality of the project proposal will receive a high level of consideration during the application assessment process. Fluency in written and oral English is a prerequisite.
The University, on its side, is committed to securing good supervision for the successful applicants.
Desired qualifications
Knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is an advantage.
Personal qualities
The appointee must have the ability to work in a goal-oriented, organised, focused and independent manner. During the assessment process, emphasis will be placed on the applicant’s examination results as well as any previous research and development work. Relevant practical experience, personal suitability and good teamwork skills will also be emphasised.
We offer
Professional development in a large, exciting and socially influential organisation
A positive, inclusive and diverse working environment
Modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare offers
The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.515, code 1017 PhD Research Fellow, NOK 479.600 gross salary per year. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions.
General information
UiA is an open and inclusive university. We believe that diversity enriches the workplace and makes us better. We, therefore, encourage qualified candidates to apply for the position independent of gender, age, cultural background, disability or an incomplete CV.
The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. The appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions.
Short-listed applicants will be invited for interviews. With the applicant’s permission, UiA will also conduct a reference check before appointment. Read more about the employment process.
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right.
Application
The application and any necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) are to be sent electronically. Use the link "Apply for the position".
The following documentation must be uploaded electronically:
Certificates with grades
Master’s thesis
References
Academic work and R&D projects, as well as a list of these
Project description with a maximum scope of 10 pages, including the reference list.
The applicant is fully responsible for submitting complete digital documentation before the closing date. All documentation must be available in a Scandinavian language or English.
Application deadline: 5 October 2020.
Contact
For questions about the position:
Professor Margunn Aanestad, Professor, Dept of Information Systems, phone (+47) 38 14 14 45, e-mail margunn.aanestad@uia.no
Professor Bjørn Erik Munkvold, Head of the PhD specialisation in information systems, phone (+47) 38 14 17 72, email bjorn.e.munkvold@uia.no
