PhD Research Fellow: Universal Health Coverage and Democracy in India (HOPE Project)
Deadline: 28.08.2026
Publisert
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GLOBE builds on the University of Oslo's extensive portfolio of sustainability-relevant research across sciences, medicine, social sciences and humanities. The university seeks to further strengthen this by facilitating greater collaboration, with a centre structure that can accommodate both permanent and temporary research environments across various disciplines.
The Centre for Global Sustainability (Globe) invites applicants for a PhD position dedicated to conducting research on the interplay between democratic governance, development, and access to healthcare in India. The position is part of the research project Health, Opportunities, and Poverty Eradication: India’s Democracy-Healthcare Paradox and Global Impact (HOPE), funded by the Research Council of Norway. For more information about the project,
The HOPE project examines how India’s economic ambitions and global influence intersect with persistent domestic governance challenges and structural healthcare inequalities. The project is structured around three tracks: (1) it explores how democracy and electoral politics shape health policy in India; (2) assesses the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Programme (ABP), India’s flagship universal health coverage programme; and (3) analyses India’s healthcare diplomacy in South Africa and Malawi, contrasting it with China’s approach. The successful candidate will conduct research under the second track of the project.
About the PhD project
The PhD candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary and multinational team of researchers with backgrounds in development studies, international studies, political science, and medical anthropology. HOPE is a collaboration between the University of Oslo (UiO), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in India, University of Pretoria in South Africa, and the University of Malawi. The PhD position will be based at the University of Oslo, but the candidate will collaborate closely with the research team in India. The appointment is a full-time PhD position for a period of three years with no compulsory teaching or administrative duties. The candidate will be expected to complete the 30 ECTS coursework requirement of the Faculty of Social Sciences PhD Programme as part of the doctoral training.
The successful candidate will conduct ethnographic, qualitative or mixed-methods fieldwork in India and develop a PhD project in the second track of the HOPE project, with a focus on ABP’s implementation and access to healthcare, preferably in rural areas of India and/or among Adivasi communities (Scheduled Tribes). We are seeking a candidate with a master's degree in development studies, political science, area studies, sociology, anthropology or other relevant fields of study. We also welcome candidates with medical or health sciences degrees, if they can demonstrate experience with the use of qualitative social science methods at the master’s level. Previous experience from and knowledge of India is an advantage. Research questions may include: how ABP entitlements are interpreted and operationalised at the district and facility level; how marginalised populations (particularly Adivasi communities) navigate eligibility, enrolment, and care-seeking; and how state capacity, federalism, and electoral politics shape implementation outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to propose their own theoretical framing. The candidate will be supervised by Professor Dan Banik (UiO) with a co-supervisor at JNU or UiO and will conduct fieldwork in India for an extended period during the appointment.
To be employed as a PhD Research Fellow, admission to a doctoral program at UiO is required. The successful candidate will apply for admission to the PhD Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences at UiO.
More about the position
This position is intended to help the PhD candidate develop an individual research profile and a set of relevant skills. To this end, the focus of this position is to conduct research, including work on publications and dissemination. In addition, the candidate will be expected to actively contribute to the broader research agenda of the HOPE project, including project workshops, conference presentations, and regular project meetings.
The PhD candidate will be employed by the Centre for Global Sustainability at the University of Oslo and affiliated with the research group “Poverty Reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” directed by Professor Dan Banik.
Qualification requirements and assessment criteria
In this role, you must
Hold a master’s degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent in development studies, political science, area studies, sociology, anthropology or other relevant fields of study, including medical or health sciences degrees, provided that the applicant can demonstrate experience with qualitative social science methods at the master’s level.
Have a grade point average of A or B on the ECTS scale in your master's degree.
Have demonstrated experience with the use of qualitative social science methods (e.g. fieldwork, interviews, ethnography) in the master’s thesis or other research.
Have excellent written and oral proficiency in English. Non-native English speakers without a degree taught in English are expected to document proficiency at IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL iBT 100 or equivalent. Proficiency in Hindi or another Indian language is not required but is welcomed and may be considered an advantage.
Have excellent organisational and administrative skills.
Contribute to the production of high-quality academic outputs
In this role, it is an advantage if you have
Experience of conducting research in India
Demonstrated knowledge of working on human development and/or healthcare
Fluency in an Indian language
Experience in supporting academic events or seminars
Experience working in interdisciplinary settings and across cultures and regions
We are looking for a person who
Is committed to doing impactful research and eager to develop the necessary skills
Has the ability to work effectively both independently and as a member of a team
Is willing to contribute to a positive research community
Communicates openly about both progress and challenges in their work
Is engaged and wants to make a difference through research
Is organized and contributes substantially to the progress of the project as a whole
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.
How to apply
Your application should include:
A CV of up to four pages, covering education, research and fieldwork experience, publications, and language skills.
A full university transcript, showing the courses/modules taken and marks for individual courses and for a master thesis
Two references from academic staff who have direct experience of your work, including (if possible) your master’s thesis supervisor. Please provide the name, position, institutional affiliation, and email address of each referee. Referees will be contacted directly for shortlisted candidates.
A writing sample of approximately 5,000–8,000 words, preferably sole-authored (e.g. a coursework essay, journal article, or chapter or section of the master’s thesis). If submitting a longer piece, please indicate the specific section the panel should read.
A personal statement (up to one page) and a project proposal (up to 5pages, including references) that addresses the following questions and issues (in any format or order):
Why you are interested in this PhD project
Your relevant experience and training for this PhD project
How you would want to develop the PhD project in line with the overall objectives of HOPE, including any issues and questions you would want to explore
Areas of scholarship and literature you would be interested in engaging with and contributing to as part of the project
Methodological approaches and tools that you would look to bring to the project or develop as part of the project
Your longer-term career plans and how this project will help you to progress them, including any training that you would hope to receive as part of the project
Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".
When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation 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.
We offer
Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 to 595 800, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
For reference, this corresponds to approximately EUR 47,000–51,000 / USD 50,000–54,000 per year and is competitive among European PhD salaries.
Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours
Paid annual leave according to the Norwegian Act relating to Holidays and generous parental leave provisions
Comprehensive public healthcare coverage for the candidate and accompanying family
Relocation support and assistance with the residence permit application for non-EU/EEA candidates, including access to UiO’s International Staff Mobility Office
Dedicated funding for fieldwork in India
Opportunity to live in a vibrant, family-friendly city with strong public services, easy access to nature, and English as a widely used working language
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.
