LEDIG STILLING VED UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN

PhD at the Department of Sociology

Deadline: 31.08.2021

University of Bergen

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.


There are seven departments and three centres at Faculty of Social Sciences. Read more about the faculty and departments.

UiB - Knowledge that shapes society

Through robust and close interaction with the world around us – globally, nationally and locally – we shall be instrumental in building a society based on knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Do you want to take part in shaping the future?

PhD position

We are looking to recruit a PhD candidate on the research study “Admission Impossible? School Choice in European Cities” funded by the Norwegian Research Council, NFR, and University of Bergen, UiB, 2021-2025. The position is for a fixed-term period of 4 years, of which 25% will be dedicated to teaching, supervision, and administrative tasks at the Department of Sociology.

About the project/work tasks:

The research study is a pioneering development into school choice in Europe and consists of three integrated projects. The first project is a qualitative inter- and intra-national study of school choice politics in fourteen cities in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, and England. The second project uses a mixed-method approach to examine parents’ preferences for and experiences with choice in four cities in Norway, through a survey, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with parents from different socio-economic backgrounds. The third project is a quantitative study, which aims to examine the causal effects of school choice at the upper-secondary school level on academic achievement, ethnic segregation, and segregation based on socioeconomic background in Norway.

The successful PhD candidate will be responsible for a range of research duties including data collection, carrying out interviews, and contributing the drafting of publications. The PhD candidate will also prepare a PhD thesis within the topic of school choice in Europe. As part of the role, the candidate will visit UCL, Institute of Education, London, UK, for one term.

A research proposal of max 4000 words including a bibliography must be submitted with the application. The proposal should outline the aim of the research, research question(s), and choice of theory and method(s). A comparative approach is preferred.

The successful candidate will be expected to relocate to Bergen in order to participate in the scholarly activities of the university and to conform to the rules and regulations that apply to the position.

A full outline of the project can be obtained by contacting the principal investigators Susanne Wiborg (s.wiborg@ucl.ac.uk) or Thomas Lorentzen (thomas.lorentzen@uib.no).

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assist in collecting and analysing data from various sources.
  • Assist in interviewing politicians, policymakers, civil servants, and stakeholders in Norway.
  • Assist in holding focus groups.
  • Prepare a PhD thesis.
  • Undertake other duties commensurate with the level of this role as may reasonably be requested.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

Essential:

  • Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent education in social sciences, education policy, or a related field, or must have submitted his/her master's thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the master’s degree has been awarded.
  • Knowledge of education policy research areas
  • Advanced English proficiency level
  • Interpersonal skills, including the ability to work as part of a team.
  • Abilities to prioritise a varied workload and meet deadlines while maintaining quality.

Desirable:

  • Quantitative research skills and expertise, including use of statistical software.
  • Written and other communication skills, including reporting and contextualising research results.
  • Proficiency in Norwegian (or one of the other Scandinavian languages) German and/or French
  • Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the department or a ZOOM call for an interview.

The teaching language is Norwegian, but some classes are taught in English.

About the PhD position

The duration of the PhD position is 4 years, of which 25 per cent of the time comprises obligatory duties associated with research, teaching and dissemination of results. 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 candidate, 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 at pay grade 54 upon appointment (Code 1017) on the government salary scale (equivalent to NOK 491 200 per year). Further promotions are made according to length of service in the position
  • A good and professionally challenging working environment
  • Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
  • The city of Bergen – a unique mix of vibrant cultural life and extraordinary nature.
  • Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

Project proposal:

A research proposal of maximum 4000 words must accompany the application. The proposal should be linked to the research study and present 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.

  • A cover letter stating why you are interested in applying for the PhD position (one page)
  • A PhD project proposal (max 4000 words) including bibliography.
  • CV
  • Academic/professional publications (max two) that would like to submit for assessment (excluding your MA dissertation)
  • The names and contact information for two references. One of these must be the main supervisor of your MA dissertation.
  • Transcripts and diplomas of your BA and MA degrees and relevant certificates (e.g., language proficiency tests)
  • 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 on in the application process be requested 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 31, 2021.

The application has to be marked: 21/9399

Applications submitted without a project description or applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only correctly submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.

General information:

Additional information about the position is obtainable by contacting:

Practical questions regarding the application procedures should be directed to hanne.cappelen@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 Adviser-PhD: hanne.gravermoen@uib.no.

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

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.

For further information about the recruitment process, click here.

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