PhD Research Fellowship in Political Science (3-4 years)
Deadline: 01.09.2026
Publisert
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28,000 students and 7,000 employees in a broad range of academic disciplines. UiO has shaped society for over 200 years. As a leading European university, it promotes independent and innovative research and offers outstanding education.
The Department of Political Science is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences. It is the largest political science department in Norway and covers all subfields of the discipline: international politics, public policy and administration, comparative politics, political theory, and research methods. The department offers a vibrant academic environment with a good mix of permanent staff, postdoctoral and PhD fellows. Around 1,400 students are currently enrolled at BA, MA, and PhD level. The department runs two large political science programmes at BA and MA level and a specialized programme in Peace and Conflict Studies at MA level. In addition, the department hosts interdisciplinary study programmes at the BA level in International Studies and Public Administration and Leadership. The department has several research groups, including Comparative Institutions and Regimes (CIR), Policy, Bureaucracy and Organisation (PBO), Oslo Political Theory (OPT), Political Data Science (PODS), and CITIZENS. The Department also hosts the interdisciplinary Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX).
About the position
We are offering 1 PhD position with specialisation in either comparative politics, or political data science. The successful applicant(s) will be part of the research project “Authoritarian Threats to Scientific Knowledge” (AutoKnow), which is funded by the European Research Council. The PhD fellowship period is three years and devoted to carrying out research and pursuing a PhD in the context of the AutoKnow project. The position may also include other career-enhancing activities: depending on the candidate’s competence and the teaching needs of the department, the fellowship period can be extended up to four years for qualification work consisting of e.g. teaching duties.
The primary aims of AutoKnow are to investigate how the production of scientific knowledge is affected by authoritarian regimes and politics. The project will look at how authoritarian rule affects the contents and research trajectories of scientific fields, and which fields are targeted for repression and co-optation by authoritarian rulers and movements. It will use computational text analysis to measure content-dimensions of published science and collect different data on attacks on academic freedom. It will study how authoritarian rule affects scientific progress, topic choice, political bias, idea novelty and other dimensions.
It will answer questions such as:
Which academic fields and institutions are repressed and which are supported by authoritarian leaders?
How does authoritarian rule shape the contents and political profile of academic work in different fields?
What is the impact of authoritarian rule on scientific progress?
The PhD Fellow is expected to develop a research project within the overarching thematic scope of the larger project, namely authoritarian threats to science. While the PhD project should align with the framework of the main project, the candidate has significant flexibility to pursue their own approach and research agenda. The project proposal should above all include a tentative overall thematic and theoretical framework, along with at least three ideas for academic articles (see below). The Fellow will be expected to contribute to data collection and measurement, and data analysis.
The successful candidate will be part of the Faculty’s PhD programme. The work is expected to lead to a PhD in political science.
To promote a strategic career path, all PhD fellows are expected to submit a career development plan, specifying career goals and the competencies that the PhD fellow should acquire, no later than one month after commencement of the fellowship period. The department is responsible for ensuring that the plan is followed up and that the PhD fellow has access to career guidance throughout the duration of the fellowship.
Qualification requirements
Formal qualifications
Education equivalent to five years at university level in Norway, with two years (120 credits) at Master’s level in a relevant field. The MA thesis must be equivalent to at least half a year’s workload, i.e. 30 ECTS.
The Master’s degree must include relevant education in research methods or game theory.
Other qualifications
Applicants must have a very good to excellent command of English (written and oral).
Applicants must be well-trained in conducting quantitative analyses.
Experience with large language models, machine learning, and/or programming in R or equivalent programs is an advantage but not a requirement.
The evaluation of applicants primarily hinges on their documented academic qualifications and the research proposal. During the initial screening phase, a strong emphasis is placed on formal qualifications and academic grades, where top-tier grades and a highly commendable MA thesis are generally prerequisites for shortlisting.
In the subsequent phase, the importance of the research proposal increases significantly. Additionally, factors such as academic suitability, motivation, and alignment with the project team are considered.
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues — could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.
We offer
Salary according to “SKO 1017 PhD fellow”, NOK 550 800 - 595 000 per year.
Personal research funds that can be used for e.g. travel and research assistance (currently NOK 35 000 per year).
A stimulating and international research environment with multiple research groups and seminar series.
Involvement in a large research project that provides opportunities to build a network with scholars researching political elites around the world, including an annual workshop on the topic.
A friendly and inclusive workplace allowing for a good work-life balance.
Access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare (including the University’s kindergarten).
Norway’s capital with its easy access to beautiful nature and rich cultural life.
Annual career development conversation based on the submitted career plan.
Various courses and workshops supporting career development (e.g., on dissemination and presentation skills, op-ed writing, and stress-management).
Financial and practical support for international staff moving to Norway (https://www.uio.no/english/about/jobs/ismo/) (international staff may also benefit from tax cuts in their first years)
How to apply
How to apply
The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system. Please follow the link “apply for this job”.
The online application must include the following items, which are to be submitted before the deadline (all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language):
A cover letter (maximum 2 pages), including a statement of motivation
A research proposal (maximum 3,000 words including references - a word count must be provided on the front page). The proposal should clarify the research theme, main research questions, how the research contributes to existing literature and the project, theoretical approach, methodology, article ideas, and a timeline. A final research proposal must be developed in cooperation with the project leader within three months of the start date.
A CV summarizing education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities. Career breaks, including parental leave, that are noted in the CV will be taken into consideration when evaluating applicants' academic record.
Copy of Master’s thesis (in English or in a Scandinavian language).
Copies of transcripts: All applicants must submit their Master’s degree diploma and transcript(s), preferably together with a class distribution of grades. The transcript must specify the grade achieved for the Master’s thesis.
Official explanation of the grading and credit system at your university (foreign applicants).
Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relationship to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letters are not needed.
The application deadline is September 1, 2026. The screening and evaluation of candidates will begin immediately. The most promising candidates will be invited for interviews. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer being made, to take 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the number of applications. The expected start date is January 2027 or earlier but is subject to negotiation.
Formal regulations
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.
