The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.
UiB shall be among Europe's leading universities, internationally recognized for high quality in research and education. As a societal institution, we shall contribute to sustainable and democratic development and be an attractive and inclusive place to study and work.
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PhD positions
There is a vacancy for two PhD position at the Department of Comparative Politics. The positions are for a fixed-term period of 4 years, of which 25% will be dedicated to teaching, supervision and administrative tasks at the Department.
The Department of Comparative Politics is a research-intensive department offering an exciting place for research and education on political institutions, organizations, processes, and behaviour at local, national, and international levels. The Department offers bachelor's and master’s programmes in comparative politics, a bachelor's programme in European studies, and from the fall of 2027 the Department is part of a new bachelor's programme in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Research at the department is organized in research groups, and around research projects.
The positions are open to PhD projects within all fields within comparative politics. Since the Department starts up with a new bachelor's programme in PPE in the fall of 2027, we also welcome projects at the intersection of politics and economics or politics and philosophy/political theory.
Qualifications and personal qualities:
The applicant must hold a master's degree or the equivalent in comparative politics or political science and be able to demonstrate training in both qualitative and quantitative methods at the master’s level. The degree must be completed by the application deadline
The requirements are generally a grade B or better on the Master thesis and for the master's degree in total
Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner, demonstrate good collaborative skills, and have an enthusiasm for research
The applicant must be proficient in both written and oral English
Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Ambitions and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates
Good knowledge of one of the Scandinavian languages is an advantage, but not a requirement
The place of work for this position is Bergen, and the work requires that you are physically present at the Department of Comparative Politics on a daily basis
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the department for an interview.
The teaching language is usually Norwegian, but some of teaching is given in English.
About the PhD position:
About the PhD position: The duration of the PhD position is 4 years. of which 25 per cent of the time comprises career development work associated with teaching, supervision, and administrative tasks. The employment period for the successful candidate may be reduced if he or she previously has been employed in a PhD position.
About the PhD training: As a PhD research fellow, you will take part in the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB. The programme corresponds to a period of three years and leads to the PhD degree. To be eligible for admission you must normally have an educational background corresponding to a master’s degree with a scope of 120 ECTS credits, which builds on a bachelor’s degree with a scope of 180 ECTS credits (normally 2 + 3 years), or an integrated master’s degree with a scope of 300 ECTS credits (5 years). Master’s degrees must normally include an independent work of a minimum of 30 ECTS credits. It is expected that the topic of the master’s degree is connected to the academic field to which you are seeking admission.
We can offer:
Salary as PhD (code 1017) NOK 593 700, - per year. Automatic salary increases for up to 4 years with a 3% annual increase
A good and professionally challenging working environment
Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
A research proposal of 5-8 pages (including the reference list) must accompany the application. The proposal should present the topic, the research problem(s) and choice of theory and methods. The proposal should also include a progress plan for the different parts of the project. Admittance to the PhD programme will be based on the research proposal. The faculty has prepared a guide for writing project descriptions. Candidates called in for interview will be asked to present their proposal followed by questions and comments about the proposal by the interview committee.
Your application must include:
A short cover letter including a brief account of your research interests and motivation for applying for the position
The names and contact information for two reference persons. One of them must be the main advisor for the master's thesis or equivalent thesis
Project proposal
CV
Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees
Relevant certificates/references
A list of academic publications
Academic publications that you want to submit for assessment (including your master’s thesis or equivalent)
If you have a master's degree from an institution outside of the Nordic countries, or a 2-year discipline- based master's degree (or the equivalent) in a subject area other than the one associated with the application, you may later in the application process be asked to submit an overview of the syllabus for the degree you have completed
The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge following the link on this page marked “Apply for this job”.
Closing date: August 11, 2026.
Applications submitted without a project description or applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.
General information:
General information:
Additional information about the position is obtainable by contacting Head of department Leiv Marsteintredet, leiv.marsteintredet@uib.no.
Practical questions regarding the application procedures should be directed to Adviser – HR, Gudrun Horvei, gudrun.horvei@uib.no.
Appointed research fellows will be admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Questions about the programme may be directed to Senior Adviser Elina Troscenko, elina.troscenko@uib.no.
Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.
We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.
The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.
Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.
The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.
We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. For further information about the recruitment process, click here.
Life as a PhD candidate at UiB
Marion Claireaux tells about life and work as a PhD candidate at UiB.
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