UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT is a multi-campus research university in Norway and the northernmost university in the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future.

Credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment shall be hallmarks of the relationship between our employees, between our employees and our students and between UiT and our partners.

SDepartment of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology

The position

A position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the project "The Governmateriality of Indigenous Religion(s)" is available at the Department of Archaeology, History, Religious Studies and Theology.

The position is a fixed term position for a duration of 2 years. Appointment to the position of Postdoctoral Research Fellow is mainly intended to provide qualification for work in top academic positions. It is a prerequisite that the applicant is able to carry out the project over the full course of the employment period. No person may hold more than one fixed-term position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the same institution.

The appointed Postdoctoral Researcher must have her/his daily workplace at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø.

Preferred date of commencement: January 1, 2021.

The project/position's field of research

The postdoc position is part of the collaborative research project “The Governmateriality of Indigenous Religion(s)” (GOVMAT), which examines contemporary materializations of indigenous religion(s) and their political roles. Applicants must propose a case study and a research plan that fit in the thematic, methodological, and theoretical framework of GOVMAT.

A project description (max 5 pages) should describe: (1) a relevant local case that the applicant will study ethnographically; (2) how this case is entangled in international networks and how it might be represented at relevant international venues; (3) the methods the applicant will use to study this case; and (4) the applicant’s qualifications for studying this case and using these methods. A case study from somewhere in Sápmi will be preferred if there is one among the best proposals. The postdoc must be prepared to do both individual research (the case study) and joint research with other GOVMAT researchers (at select international venues and elsewhere). Up to 10 % of the position will consist of research coordination in the larger GOVMAT project.

Contact

For further information about the position and the GOVMAT project, please contact:

• Professor Bjørn Ola Tafjord, e-mail bjorn.tafjord@uit.no, telephone: +47 47 776 45 289 and
• John McNicol, e-mail john.mcnicol@uit.no, telephone: +47 47 776 44.361

Qualifications

This position requires a PhD or equivalent in religious studies. Qualification with a PhD is required before commencement in the position. If you’re at the final stages of your PhD, you may still apply if you have submitted your PhD thesis for evaluation before the application deadline. You must submit the the manuscript of your PhD thesis with your application. You should have successfully defended your thesis and obtained the doctoral degree before the start-up date of the postdoctoral position.

Applicants must be fluent in English and speak both the colonial and the indigenous languages relevant for the case study. Basic Norwegian language skills are also required.

During the assessment emphasis will be put on the candidates potential for research, motivation and personal suitability for the position.

At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

We offer

• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
• Good welfare arrangements for employees
• Good arrangements for pension, insurance and loans in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

If you receive a personal overseas research grant from The Research Council of Norway it is possible to apply for an extension of the fellowship period corresponding to the length of the stay abroad (minimum 3 months, maximum 12 months).

Application

The application must be submitted electronically via www.jobbnorge.no and shall include:

• Application letter
• CV
• Diplomas and transcripts (all degrees)
• Written references from former employers
• Contact information to 3 references
• Project proposal
• A list of your academic production

• Max 5 academic works (published or not) that you consider relevant for our assessment

The documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. We only accept applications sent via www.jobbnorge.no.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants. The successful candidate must be willing to get involved in the ongoing development of their department and the university as a whole.

The remuneration for Postdoctoral research fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1352. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. UiT will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability

According to the Norwegian Freedom and 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.

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence.

More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here: Welcome to UiT!

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