Job description

Depending on qualifications, one PhD/postdoctoral research fellowship (SKO 1017/SKO 1352) is available at the TIK Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, as part of the project “Convergence and cultural development in the life sciences”.

The position is for three years, with a possibility of an extension for teaching duties. The successful candidate is expected to be present and actively participate in research activities and events at the Centre. 

About the project

The research project “Convergence and cultural development in the life sciences” explores novel forms of research practices in the life sciences and efforts to enable new collaborative research cultures to increase competitiveness, sustainable development and innovation, as well as enable cutting-edge research, including that of supporting research careers and talented researchers. The project is financed by the University of Oslo’s strategic initiative UiO:Life Sciences, and the UiO:Life Sciences initiative is also the study object of the project. The PhD/postdoctoral research fellow will work closely with senior researchers forming the project core group. 

The PhD/postdoctoral research fellow is invited to develop a specific research focus related to the efforts to build novel forms of collaborations and research practices of the life sciences in a University of Oslo context. 

This interest may include, but is not limited to:

• Articulations and tensions between disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity
• Novel epistemic practices in the life sciences and their development
• University strategy and its relation to career development, talent development and interdisciplinary and collaborative practices
• The relation of interdisciplinary cooperation to societal challenges
• Value conflicts and tensions in the life sciences and its different epistemic cultures and evaluative principles and practices.

Applicants should read and relate to the more detailed project description available from the TIK administration.

More about the position

A postdoctoral position is a recruitment position which shall enable the candidate to build an individual research profile and develop competence so that he/she is qualified to apply for an associate professor position. 

A career plan shall be developed for the postdoctoral fellow, specifying the competencies the postdoctoral fellow should acquire. UiO is responsible for following up on the career plan and ensuring that the postdoctoral fellow has access to career guidance throughout the postdoctoral term.

A PhD position is a recruitment position where the candidate is expected to develop and conduct a dissertation according to the standards of the Faculty of Social Sciences at UiO. The candidate will be part of the PhD education and program at TIK and the Faculty and will be supported and supervised by the senior researchers in the project. 

For both the PhD and the postdoctoral research fellow:

The contract will commence in autumn 2025, run for 3 years full time, and the location of employment is Oslo, Norway.

The position encompasses possibilities for teaching tasks within TIK’s PhD, bachelor and master programs, including supervision of candidates and students within these programs, according to the TIK Centre’s needs and the candidate’s profile or competencies. If such tasks are agreed upon, the contract will be extended accordingly for up to a year.

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria

• Applicants must document a well-described interest in and experience from qualitative and empirical research.
• The applicant’s project proposal must show a clear relevance to the main research project “Convergence and cultural development in the life sciences” as outlined in the project description.
• Applicants to the PhD fellowship must hold a two-year Master’s degree (or equivalent qualifications) and meet the formal requirements for admittance to the Faculty of Social Sciences’ PhD programme within relevant disciplines in the social sciences or the humanities.
• The master’s degree must be of high quality (grade A or B) and within a specialisation of relevance to the project and with relevance to STS and/or related research in Innovation Studies. 
• Applicants to the postdoctoral fellowship must hold a PhD within STS, Innovation Studies or related fields with empirical orientation in social science and/or the humanities. Only candidates who have submitted their PhD before the closing date for this position can apply for the post-doctoral fellowship. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.
• Experience with qualitative social science or humanities research on the life sciences will be considered an advantage: 
  • Experience with key methods and approaches from STS and/or innovation studies such as valuation studies or care studies will be considered an advantage.
  • Experience with qualitative document-analysis, ethnography and/or interview studies will be considered an advantage. 
  • Experience with teaching and outreach activities in STS and/or innovation studies will be considered an advantage.
• Applicants must have native or near-native competence in English or a Scandinavian language. Applicants who have completed their education outside of the EU/EEA-area and who do not have English as a native language, must document 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, with the result 6.0.
  • Please see Admission requirements for exemptions from language criteria.

Applicants will be assessed on the quality of the project proposal and its relevance to the main project, their academic grades and their academic experience and qualifications as well as personal skills of relevance for carrying out the project. Academic and personal potential of the applicant for fulfilling the project within the given timeframe as well as the applicant’s communication skills and interest and experience with collaborative work, will also be taken into consideration. The hiring process will include an interview with the most qualified candidates.

We offer

• Salary NOK 551 000-594 000 per year for PhD fellows, for postdoctoral fellows NOK 595 000-668 000, depending on qualifications.
• An academically stimulating working environment.
• Attractive welfare benefits including excellent benefits for families (kindergarten, paid paternal/maternal leave etc) and a generous pension agreement.
• In addition, Oslo offers a family-friendly environment with rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities in its immediate surroundings.

How to apply

The application should be written in English and must include:

• An application letter (1-2 pages). Please describe your motivation for applying for a PhD/postdoctoral fellowship and explain how your background, research, and experience are relevant to the main research project. Indicate which of the qualification requirements you meet and how.
• A project proposal in English of maximum 5 pages including references. The project proposal with your research plan should describe how your project is linked to and will contribute to the overall project “Convergence and cultural development in the life sciences”. This should include an indication of the main analytical and theoretical approaches in the planned project, together with the more specific research questions and empirical data and materials that can potentially help answer them. Publishing goals can also be included.
• A 3-page CV summarizing education, positions, research experience, and other activities. The period of enrolment (admission-completion) in the master's study program must be specified.
• A complete list of publications (if relevant). For applicants to the PhD fellowship: a copy of the master thesis. For applicants to the postdoctoral fellowship: Up to three publications the applicant wishes to have considered in the assessment process. 
• Copy of education diploma (including explanation of degree system for education outside Scandinavia)
• List of 2 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Please note that references will only be contacted for candidates invited to an interview.

Applications with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university's grading system. Please note that all documents must be in English (or a Scandinavian language in the case of transcripts; the application materials should be in English).

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

Contact persons

• Head of department Kristin Asdal
• Associate Professor Tone Druglitrø
• Head of Administration Inger-Johanne Ullern

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

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.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

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

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 post doctoral and research posts 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.

Apply for the position