Open PhD Research Fellowship in Political Science

About the position

The Department of Political Science is recruiting a PhD Research Fellow (SKO 1017).

We invite applications from excellent candidates in all sub-fields of political science, including public policy and administration, comparative politics, political theory, international relations and research methods. 

The appointment is for a fixed, non-tenured term of 4 years, and has a 25% teaching component. The Department teaches in all the sub-fields mentioned above.

The successful candidate will be part of the Faculty’s PhD programme. The work is expected to lead to a PhD in political science.

Required qualifications

Formal qualifications

• Education equivalent to five years at university level in Norway, including a two years (120 ECTS) Master’s degree in a relevant field, with an MA thesis equivalent to at least half a year’s workload, i.e. 30 ECTS.
• The Master’s degree must include relevant education in research methods. 
• Successful candidates must document top grades and an MA thesis of very high quality.

Other qualifications 

• English language skills (written and oral)

The evaluation of applicants is based on documented, academic qualifications and the research plan. Personal suitability and motivation are also considered. The most promising candidates are invited to an interview.

We offer

• Salary according to “SKO 1017 PhD Fellow”, NOK 550 800 – 584 000 per year
• Personal research funds (currently NOK 35,000 per year)
• A stimulating and international research environment with multiple research groups and seminar series
• 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 kindergartens) 
• Norway’s capital with its rich cultural life and easy access to beautiful nature
• Financial and practical support for international staff moving to Norway (international staff may also benefit from tax cuts in their first years)
• PhD Fellows may acquire pedagogical competency upon agreement 

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 all references and footnotes (a word count must be provided on the front page). The proposal should clearly state the main research question(s) and explain how the research will contribute to existing literature. It should also be specified whether the applicant plans an article-based dissertation or a monograph, and outlines of articles/chapters should be provided. Further, the proposal must contain a detailed account of the theoretical approach and the methodology that will be applied, as well as a realistic timeline.
• 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
• 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

Note that the quality of the proposal will be an important part of the assessment of the shortlisted applicants in particular. The application deadline is 1 September 2025. The screening and evaluation of candidates will begin immediately. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer being made, to take 3 – 4 months, depending on the number of applications. The expected start date is January 2026, or a mutually-agreed upon date. 

Formal regulations

Please see the regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of postdoctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident - University of Oslo (uio.no)

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

The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for all employees, for the purpose of securing intellectual property rights to research results, etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

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 (Norwegian) 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 this job

Questions about the position

• Aksel Ørbeck (Seniorrådgiver HR), +4799625749, personalgruppen@sv.uio.no
• Robert Huseby (Professor), +4722855189, roberthu@stv.uio.no