Do you want to research how crisis affect policy making in modern democracies?

About the position and the CRISPOL Project

The Department of Political Science is recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow (SKO 1352) with specialisation in public policy and administration or comparative politics. The successful applicant will be part of the research project “Systemic Effects of Crises on Policy-Making in Modern Democracies” (CRISPOL), which is funded by the European Research Council. Depending on how the candidate’s competence fits in with the Department’s teaching portfolio, the person appointed may be given either a three-year appointment with no teaching requirement or a four-year appointment with a 25 percent teaching requirement.

The primary aim of CRISPOL is to investigate how crises create systemic trade-offs that affect policy adaptation across various sectors. CRISPOL seeks to understand the complex dynamics of policy-making in times of crisis and beyond by exploring the following key questions:

• How do crisis events affect the government’s policy-making activities in different policy areas? Are there shifts in policy-making activities from one policy area to the other?
• Which political systems exhibit stronger capabilities to manage crises without neglecting policy issues in other areas, and what factors contribute to this resilience?

The ultimate goal of CRISPOL is to provide knowledge on how the political-administrative apparatus must be organized to be able to handle multiple ongoing crises while maintaining the state’s key governing function.

The project is co-organized between the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) and the University of Oslo (UiO). The LMU Munich team is led by Christoph Knill, who is also the Principal Investigator of the overall project. The University of Oslo team will be headed by Yves Steinebach and will form part of the department's research group on Policy, Bureaucracy, and Organisation (PBO). 

The main purpose of the fellowship is for researchers to qualify for work in higher academic positions. To this end, the main focus of this position is to conduct research, including publication and dissemination. In addition, the fellow is expected to actively contribute to the broader research agenda and environment of the CRISPOL project. If the position entails teaching obligations, the appointed postdoctoral fellow is expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency during the fellowship period.

Formal qualifications 

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) in Political Science or a closely related discipline before taking up the post. 
• For applicants who have yet to receive their PhD degree, the Doctoral dissertation must have been submitted for evaluation before the application deadline. 

Other qualifications

• Applicants must have a very good command of English (written and oral).
• Previous research into and familiarity with one or more of the topics covered by CRISPOL project is an advantage.
• Applicants are required to possess robust empirical research expertise within the realm of political science. They should be proficient in conducting quantitative or qualitative analyses.
• Alongside developing own research ideas, applicants should be capable of turning those ideas into well-structured and coherent scholarly papers. This involves possessing strong writing abilities and the capacity to see a writing project through from the planning stages to completion.
• The evaluation of applicants is based on documented, academic qualifications.
• Personal suitability, motivation, and compatibility with the rest of the project team are also considered. The most promising candidates are invited to an interview.

We offer

• Salary according to “SKO 1352 postdoktor”, NOK 594 500-657 300 per year
• Personal research funds that can be used for e.g. travel and research assistance (currently NOK 45,000 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 tvax cuts in their first years)
• The university’s mentoring programme for female postdocs 

How to apply

The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system. Please follow the link “Apply for this job”. All documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university’s grading system. 

The online application must include the following items, which are to be submitted before the deadline:

• A cover letter (max 2 pages), including a statement of motivation
• A CV summarising 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 production.
• A complete list of publications
• Copies of educational diplomas and academic transcripts (PhD, MA)
• A copy of what you consider to be your best academic work to date (only one). If this is a co-authored paper/publication, you must additionally submit a declaration of co-authorship specifying your individual contribution and signed by your co-author(s).
• Your PhD dissertation (any language)
• Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relationship to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letters are not needed
• Applicants who have not yet defended their PhD dissertation must include a letter formally confirming that the dissertation has been submitted for evaluation before the application deadline. The exact date it was submitted should be noted in the cover letter

The application deadline is September 10th, 2024. 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 12 to 16 weeks, depending on the number of applications. The expected start date is February 1st, 2025. We aim to increase diversity in our staff, and especially encourage women to apply. 

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

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.

Contact information

• Associate Professor Yves Steinebach 
• Head of Research, Professor Tobias Bach

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