Job description

Applications are invited for a position as Research fellow at the Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences within the subject area of Behavioral Emotional and Social Difficulties. The Department of Special Needs Education at the University of Oslo is one of three departments at the Faculty of Educational Sciences. It focuses on basic and applied research and education of bachelor-, master- and doctoral level candidates within the field of special needs education in Norway.

The main research goal of the position is to investigate what works for whom in adolescents with serious antisocial behavior studying tailoring strategies, investigating mechanisms of change, non-responders and treatment processes. The research will be conducted within the research group Behavioral, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD) and in association with The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (NUBU) and the Regional Center for Child and Adolescent mental health, Eastern and Southern Norway (RBup).

The project involves identifying of common elements of evidence-based interventions for adolescents with serious antisocial behavioral problems, and to utilize data collected as part of experimental studies of evidence-based interventions of conduct disorder and delinquency in adolescents to analyze what characterize non-responders, negative outcomes or/and differentials responds to treatment.

This is a great opportunity for candidates who are strong in analytical work and statistics, and who find it exciting to work on a clinically relevant topic that touches many disciplines.

More about the position

The fellowship period is 3 or 4 years. For Research fellows that are employed for a period of 4 years, the position entails a compulsory workload of 25% that consists of teaching and supervision duties and research assistance.

The research fellow must take part in the Faculty’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information, please see our website.

Qualification requirements

Applicants must satisfy the requirements for admission to the Faculty’s PhD program.

This normally includes:

• Documented successful completion of a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) or an equivalent qualification in Psychology, Education, Health Science, Special Education, Criminology, or related field. The Master’s degree must include a thesis of at least 30 ECTS. Minimum grade B or equivalent for the Master’s degree (ECTS grading scale)
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and Norwegian
• Strong interest in the study of evidence based treatment of serious antisocial behavior in adolescents

The following qualifications will also count in the assessment of applicants:

• Knowledge beyond the basics in the domains of antisocial behavior, evidence based treatment, implementation research, quantitative or mixed methodological approaches
• Statistical analysis skills and knowledge of statistical methods to analyze experimental and/or correlational studies of individual differences
• Experience in analyzing and reporting quantitative research
• Experience in working with adolescent/youth with serious antisocial behavioral problems
• Understanding of ethical research standards and open science practices
• Evidence of commitment to high quality work and high achievement
• Personal skills

Personal skills

In the assessment of applicants, emphasis will be put on:

• The applicant’s personal suitability and motivation for the post, including his/hers ability to collaborate and to form part of a cross-disciplinary academic community
• The applicant’s academic aptitude for completing the research training program
• The project description

We offer

• Salary NOK 479 600 – 523 200 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Research Fellow (position code 1017). Research fellows are normally allocate pay grade 54, NOK 479 600, on appointment
• A positive and stimulating work environment
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement in the Norwegian Public Service Pension fund, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include

• Cover letter, describing statement of motivation and research interests and clearly addressing the aforementioned required and desirable qualities and skills
• Project description (8-10 pages cf. guidance)
• Completed application form for admission to the doctoral degree program (see this page)
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work)
• Certified copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
• Master thesis and any other academic works that may be of relevance to the applications
• Documentation of English proficiency (for information on required documentation, see information on this webpage)
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

Incomplete applications will not be assessed.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. As a rule, interviews will be conducted as part of the appointment process.

Further information on admission requirements can be found on this web site.

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the supervisor (Prof. Bjørnebekk) to discuss possible project plans and objectives.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship 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.

The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Contact information

• Professor Gunnar Bjørnebekk
• Professor / Head of Department Ona Bø Wie

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