Ledig stilling:

PhD Research Fellowship in the dark side of public innovation

Deadline: 09.04.2023

Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences

Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University) is home to over 16,000 students and 1,500 employees, and has campuses in Lillehammer, Hamar, Elverum, Rena, Evenstad and Blæstad.


INN University aspires to build strong and enduring academic and research environments that will spearhead regionally, nationally and internationally.
We are developing a new and better institution with high academic and pedagogical quality, aiming at achieving university accreditation.


Our vision is "Stronger Together".

Inland School of Business and Social Sciences invites candidates to apply for a PhD Research Fellowship in the dark side of public innovation

About the position

Inland School of Business and Social Sciences, The PhD programme Innovation in Services in the Public and Private Sectors (INSEPP), invites candidates to apply for a 4-year PhD research fellowship with 25% teaching duties, to work at the intersection of innovation studies and organizational theory, with particular focus on the dark side of public innovation. Depending on the faculty`s needs, and the candidate`s competence and desires, employment can be made for a 3-year position, 100% without teaching duties

The purpose of the PhD Research Fellowship for the admitted candidate is to undergo a research training programme that leads to the successful completion of a doctoral degree. The candidate has to apply to the PhD programme INSEPP and is expected to participate actively in INSEPP’s activities.

The candidate will be part of the Department of Organisation, Leadership and Management. In addition to INSEPP, this milieu represents a valuable resource to the PhD studies. There are also various research groups that the candidate can participate in.

The position's workplace is Campus Lillehammer or Campus Rena. This will be clarified in more detail with the person employed and the supervisors.Contact information:Associate professor Mats Persson, phone number +47 61 28 74 36, email: mats.persson@inn.noPhD-leader Martin Rønningen, phone number: +47 612 883 18, e-mail: martin.ronningen@inn.no

About the project

The PhD candidate will be a part of a team of researchers at INN University. The PhD candidate will be associated with the research group Public policy, organization and management. The PhD project will contribute to ongoing research on public innovation from a critical perspective. The notion of innovation and organizational change as an unquestioned good is challenged by studying the dark side of public innovation, defined as change initiatives undertaken for ethically questionable reasons, using ethically questionable means, or resulting in harmful or negative outcomes.

The objective of the PhD project is to learn more about organizational change processes of public innovation and what consequences these processes have on the organization of work and employees. This is relevant for two reasons. Firstly, the discourse on public innovation is to a large extent normatively positive. This means intended and/or unintended negative consequences are not addressed in the discourse on public innovation. By addressing these consequences, the project adds to the knowledge of public innovation. Secondly, by problematizing public innovation policymakers, managers and other decision makers can make informed decisions whether to support a given innovation or not.

We are seeking a candidate interested in organizational change and public innovation from a critical perspective. Possible research questions include, but are not limited to: What are the unintended and undesirable consequences of public innovation? How are working conditions affected by public innovation? How does public innovation affect power relations in organizations? How can we explain organizational misbehaviour in public innovation? How are public innovation processes managed? How are past decisions of change affecting future unexpected and undesired consequences?

The PhD candidate is encouraged to decide the exact focus of the project together with the supervisors. The applicant must submit a project proposal on the topic of the dark side of public innovation (see below under How to apply for details).

Qualifications and personal skills

  • The person to be appointed must have a 2 years master's degree, 120 ECTS, cf. the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education’s (NOKUT) requirements for admission to PhD-education at Norwegian universities. It must be underlined that HINN’s PhD regulation requires that the master's education includes a master’s thesis of 30 ECTS. As a rule, the average grade must be B.
  • Applicants with a master’s degree from universities abroad, have to attach “Recognition of foreign higher education” from NOKUT. Instructions on how to get this master’s degree assessed and approved are given by NOKUT, cf.
  • Master Thesis within the social sciences or relevant parts of the humanities
  • Expertise in the use of relevant ICT software in the PhD program and possibly in teaching.
  • Research experience acquired after completion of the master’s degree is a pro, but not a requirement.
  • Oral and written English is required. In addition, it is a merit to have command of a Scandinavian language.
  • Ability to work independently and purposefully but also have a command of co-operation on research tasks and publishing.

For information on PhD position in general, see Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, research fellow, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Evaluation of candidates for the position will be based on a total assessment of educational background, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation and other eligibility requirements, as defined in the advertisement. In addition, the following will be emphasized: quality of the project description, documented independent research and development work or experience relevant to the project.

How to apply

Relevant applications will be considered by an expert committee. The application and all attachments are to be submitted electronically and should include the following:

  • The applicant must submit a project proposal with a progress plan (in Norwegian or English, 5-7 pages) that explains how the research work will be carried out and addresses academic relevance, challenges and possibilities within the project. The PhD research fellow hired will, in collaboration with a supervisor, prepare a complete project proposal creating the basis for admission to the PhD program. The project proposal plays an important part in evaluating applicants and must show how the project will lead to a successful completion of a doctoral degree within four years.
  • Application letter
  • CV (summarizing education, job positions, and academic work)
  • Other work that is relevant for the application
  • Certified copies of transcripts and diplomas for the whole bachelor and master’s degree. An English translation of all education documents is required unless the documents are in Norwegian.
  • Names and contact information of at least 2 reference persons.
  • A copy of the master thesis (in PDF)

Attachments must be uploaded as separate files. If the attachments exceed 30 MB, they must be compressed prior to upload. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all attachments are uploaded. Documents submitted after expiry of the deadline will not be considered in the evaluation of your application.

We offer

  • An academically stimulating and supportive work environment at a developing institution.
  • Possibility of professional development in an exciting academic research environment.
  • Position is paid and placed in position code PhD candidate in the Government Salary Scale
  • Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension, with among other things, good pension and insurance schemes.

For more information about INN University as an employer, please see here.

General information

HINN believes that there is strength in inclusion and diversity. We desire employees with different competencies, professional combinations, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to an even better way of solving problems. We will facilitate for employees who need assistance to realise their goals. Relevant adaptations can be, for example, technical aids, adapting furniture or adjusting routines, work tasks and working hours.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in the CV or immigrant background, we shall call at least one applicant in each of these categories for an interview. In order to be considered as an applicant in these groups, the applicants must meet certain requirements. You can read more on this here.

We encourage applicants to tick in Jobbnorge if they have a disability, a gap in their CV or immigrant background. The ticks in the jobseeker portal form the basis for anonymised statistics that all state-owned enterprises report in their annual reports

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.

Apply for position

Powered by Labrador CMS