Job description

A 3-year full time position as researcher related to the project “The Medicalisation of Democratic Rights in the Debate about Abortion (MEDRA)” is available at The Sustainable Health Unit (SUSTAINIT), at the Faculty of Medicine, The University of Oslo, Norway.

SUSTAINIT is a new initiative and at the core is a multidisciplinary approach to the Sustainable Development goals, especially how these intersect with health. Three centres constitute the unit: Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education (SHE), Centre for Global Health, and the Pandemic Centre.

The position is funded by the new interdisciplinary initiative UiO:Democracy. For more information about the project, check here.

The researcher will join the academic staff at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education (SHE), a centre of excellence in education awarded by The Directorate for Higher Education and Skill (HKdir) For more information about SHE, visit here.

More about the position

The researcher will be part of the project “The Medicalisation of Democratic Rights in the Debate about Abortion (MEDRA): The US, Ireland and Argentina”, which explores the tensions between knowledge production and democratic governance in debates about abortion. The project will analyze ongoing debates about the curtailing or extension of rights to abortion, with a focus on Ireland, the US, and Argentina. The group will study how medical knowledge is utilized by states to control populations and restrict their freedom – but also how different grassroot movements use the same medical knowledge for a wide variety of purposes.

The group brings together scholars from the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Humanities, and includes senior researchers from four faculties at UiO and various disciplines, all experienced in using different forms of textual and narrative analysis.

We are looking for a motivated and competent candidate interested in reproductive health and governance, and with a particular interest in gender perspectives applicable to the controversy over abortion rights and disagreements about key democratic concepts such as rights, autonomy, privacy and freedom. The candidate is expected to help with data management, preparation and analysis, to conduct research and publish research articles, and to assist with dissemination activities. The candidate will be included in SHE’s academic staff and is expected to contribute to the Centre’s innovative educational activities. The selected candidate must be prepared to move to and live in Oslo for the duration of the project.

Qualification requirements

• PhD in health sciences, including anthropological perspectives on sexual and reproductive health
• Background from the medical field
• Insights about dilemmas related to abortion
• Documented competence in international community health, including gender-related issues
• Documented experience with deploying theoretical approaches in studies of social life
• Documented knowledge about critical discourse analysis, including textual and narrative analysis
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• High level of competence in Spanish
• Teaching qualifications, and proof of R&D efforts in education is preferrable

Personal skills

• Excellent communication and team working skills
• Organizational skills
• Flexibility
• Enthusiasm and willingness to learn

Personal suitability and motivation for the position will be emphasize

We offer

• Salary NOK 593 500 – 689 100 per annum, depending on qualifications, in a position as Researcher (position code 1109)
• A friendly, ambitious and international working environment
• Opportunities for national and international collaborations
• Favorable pension arrangements
• Attractive welfare arrangements

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position, and how his or her contribution to the UiO project can help realize the aims of the project as well as the overall ambitions of SHE.
• Curriculum Vitae (with details of education, positions occupied, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, published abstracts and presentations, including a list of publications)
• Educational certificates, theses and the like are not to be submitted with the application, but applicants may be asked to submit such information or works later.
• List of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)
• The application with attachments must be delivered through our electronic recruiting system, jobbnorge.no
• Qualified applicants may be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

Pursuant to section 25(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, information concerning the applicant may be made public, even if the applicant has requested not to appear on the list of applicants.

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

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contactinformation

Head of Unit Eivind Engebretsen, phone number: +47 22 84 53 52, e-mail: eivind.engebretsen@medisin.uio.no

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