LEDIG STILLING VED UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN

Postdoctoral position in “Marine Values and Sustainability”

Deadline: 31.05.2021

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 four departments and four centres at Faculty of Humanities. Read more about the faculty and departments.

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow position

There is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities, SVT, University of Bergen. The position is for a period of 2 years and 9 months.

The Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities (SVT) is an interdisciplinary, interfaculty centre at the University of Bergen. The academic focus of the Centre is research on research with a view to its societal, normative, and epistemological implications, as well as teaching in these areas on all levels, and on disseminating its research in academic and non-academic settings.

The research community at SVT is multidisciplinary and the research activities are based on a broad understanding of philosophy of science, which includes both internal and external perspectives, and spans across descriptive and normative approaches to studying scientific research and its relationship to society and political decision-making.

For further information about the Centre, see here.

About the project/work tasks:

  • This position is part of the Norwegian Research Council-funded research project “Managing Ethical Norwegian Seascape Activities (MENSA). See MENSA project website.
  • The postdoctoral research fellow is expected to collaborate with the MENSA project team to design, implement, and analyse the results of a novel methodology to elicit societal values of seas and coasts and activities associated with marine resources in Norway. The fellow will have primary responsibility for the empirical investigation of the values and identities related to the sea of marine stakeholders and citizens in Norway. Tasks will include: to gather primary quantitative and qualitative data with surveys and questionnaires, to conduct one-on-one interviews, and to organize participatory focus group workshops, as well as to analyse, interpret, and communicate the results from the empirical data.
  • The postdoctoral research fellow is expected to be able to work both independently and collaboratively within an inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary research environment, notably with members of the MENSA project team and international advisory council, which include philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, biologists, ecologists, and oceanographers.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

  • The applicant must either hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent degree or have submitted his/her doctoral thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline, within a relevant discipline, e.g., environmental or social psychology, cultural geography, anthropology, sociology, political science, philosophy, history, human ecology, fisheries, and marine sustainability. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded before appointment to the position.
  • Applicants should have some prior experience with empirical and/or conceptual research into values and/or identities, preferably in the marine context.
  • Expertise in marine sustainability, with an emphasis on its human dimensions (e.g., policy, governance, and/or institutions), is desirable.
  • Experience or familiarity with mixed-methods and semi-quantitative methodologies (e.g., NVivo, cognitive mapping, discourse analysis, and/or modelling) is an asset.
  • Applicants should demonstrate affinity for inter-, multi-, and/or transdisciplinary research and originality in research.
  • Ability to work independently, to be self-motivated, and to cooperate with others.
  • Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
  • Proficiency in both written and oral English, as well as Norwegian

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:

The postdoctoral position is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for employment in top academic positions. This fixed-term position is for a period of 2 years and 9 months, with a possible extension of 3 months to the end date of the MENSA project. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

Upon appointment, applicants will coordinate with the project leader the specific work tasks, milestones, and deliverables, based upon the MENSA project objectives and goals. It is a requirement that the project is completed in the course of the period of employment.

We can offer:

  • A good and professionally challenging work environment
  • Salary at pay grade 61 (code 1352) according to the state salary scale upon appointment. This constitutes a gross annual salary of NOK 544 900.
  • Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
  • Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

The application must be sent electronically via the link «APPLY FOR THE JOB» on this page. The applicant must use the electronic CV form, and the application must contain the following enclosures (to be submitted as Word- or pdf-files):

  • A comprehensive 3 – 5 pages cover letter outlining: (i) your motivations for applying; (ii) your research qualifications and interests; and iii) what contributions you think can bring to the MENSA project. Contact Mimi E. Lam (mimi.lam@uib.no) for more information and/or go to the webpage.
  • Name and contact information for 2 reference persons, one of which should be the main supervisor from the PhD programme.
  • Detailed CV.
  • Transcripts and diplomas and official confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted.
  • Relevant certificates/references.
  • List of scientific work (publication list), including submission of the one or two most relevant to the position / project, if applicable.
  • Other relevant publications.

Copies of academic publications (if any), higher education certificates and diplomas must be accompanied by a translation into English or Scandinavian if not written in either of these languages. The translations must be sent together with copies of academic publications within the deadline of application

General information:

Detailed information about the position and the MENSA project can be obtained by contacting:

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 best qualified applicants will be invited to an interview before the final recommendation.

Any queries or problems concerning the electronic application procedure should be directed to The Faculty of Humanities by email: fakadm@hf.uib.no.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.

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