Job description

One 3-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Psycholinguistics (SKO 1352), financed by the Research Council of Norway, is available at the Center for Multilingualism in Society across the Lifespan (MultiLing), a Center of Excellence at the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, University of Oslo.

The fellowship is connected to one of MultiLing’s research projects, which is entitled "Better attention, better communication? How ADHD and multilingualism influence children’s pragmatic development” (AttCom), project no. 315368.

About the project

The project explores the hypothesis that attention is not only a driving factor in early language development, but also key for understanding schoolchildren’s persistent pragmatic difficulties, e.g. with understanding figurative language. Studying children on a continuum of attention skills and multilingual language experience, the project aims to provide new insights into the cognitive and linguistic factors that influence children’s pragmatic development. A brief description of the AttCom project can be found here. A complete project description can be requested from the project manager.

More about the position

MultiLing seeks to recruit a postdoctoral candidate with excellent research qualifications who will work together closely with Franziska Köder (project manager, University of Oslo), Maria Garraffa (University of East Anglia/ University of Oslo), and other members of the international and interdisciplinary project team (see list of project members here). The project will conduct psycholinguistic studies with monolingual and multilingual typically developing children and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), using eye-tracking, cognitive and linguistic tests and behavioral paradigms.

The successful candidate is expected to actively contribute to the empirical studies at all stages, from design to data analysis, with the opportunity to lead sub-projects and develop own research ideas within the framework of the project. Applicants are expected to present a statement of research, summarizing their scientific work and research interests, and describe how their expertise, experience and ideas can strengthen the AttCom project.

The project group will have access to the Socio-Cognitive Laboratory of the Center for Multilingualism in Society across the Lifespan (MultiLing), located in the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies. MultiLing’s Socio-Cognitive Laboratory has an eye-tracker, an EEG system, and a video studio.

The position is available for a period of three years, with an expected start date in January 2022. There is a 10% duty component devoted to teaching or other qualifying work. The main purpose of postdoctoral research fellowships is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Qualification requirements

• The candidate must have a PhD degree or equivalent in Linguistics, Psychology, or some other relevant discipline related to the project.
• Experience with psycholinguistic research
• Solid background in statistics (e.g., in R)
• Ambitions for high-quality research within the project, as evidenced by the required research statement
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Appointment is dependent on the defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.

The following qualifications will be an advantage

• Experience in language acquisition research, experimental pragmatics, ADHD research, or multilingualism research
• Knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language

In the assessment of the applications, emphasis will be placed on:

• The applicant’s academic and personal qualifications to carry out the project within the allotted time frame
• The quality of the research statement and its relevance for the project
• The applicant’s international experience and network of relevance to the project
• Good cooperative skills, and the ability to successfully join in academic collaborations within and across disciplines
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position

We offer

• Salary NOK 534 400 – 615 800 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Fellow (position code 1352).
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Attractive welfare benefits

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
• Curriculum Vitae (complete list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, including a complete list of publications)
• Statement of research, summarizing scientific work and research interests, and describing how the applicant’s expertise, experience and research ideas can strengthen the AttCom project (3-5 pages)
• Up to 3 academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered (these can be dissertation chapters)
• Copies of educational certificates (PhD, MA)

The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system, Jobbnorge.no.

Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

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

Following the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) § 25, Chapter 2, information about the applicant may be used in the public list of applicants even if the applicant opts out from the entry in the public application list.

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

The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.

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

Contact information

For questions about the position:

• Project leader Franziska Köder, e-mail: f.m.koder@iln.no

For questions about MultiLing: Center Director Elizabeth Lanza

For questions on how to apply: HR-Officer Julie Bårdsen Tøllefsen

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