Ledig stilling ved NUPI
Postdoc and PhD (European Research Council-funded LORAX project)
Deadline: 15.09.2019
Postdoc and PhD research team positions; LORAX project
The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) is seeking two research team members to join the European Research Council-funded LORAX project. These LORAX team positions are:
1) a candidate for a two-year postdoc position and
2) a candidate for a three-year PhD position, fully devoted to doctoral work.
We seek candidates with experience and ability to conduct empirical studies and field research on the politics of the Amazon Basin or the Caspian Sea region. We are hiring the PhD and postdoc simultaneously, as the LORAX research design is reliant on the new hires covering one regional specialization (Amazon or Caspian) each. We are flexible as to which new team member (postdoc or PhD) handles which regional case.
The postdoc would be responsible for researching and writing 3 articles (2 single-authored, and 1 co-authored with the PI Wilson Rowe), while the PhD candidate will produce an article-based PhD dissertation (3 single-authored articles minimum).
These new positions are expected to be based at NUPI in Oslo, Norway. However, as NUPI is not a degree-awarding institution, the successful doctoral applicant is responsible for securing admittance to a university PhD program. The doctoral candidate should indicate in the application letter where she/ he would like to enroll as a PhD candidate and assess their likelihood of acceptance to the program. Tuition fees are not covered (where applicable, PhD education is free in Norway contingent on acceptance to a doctoral program).
About the project
The LORAX project is a comparative effort to expand scholarly understanding of hitherto largely overlooked sites of politics – those located between global and national politics and built up around mutually acknowledged ‘shared ecosystems.’ While we have an extensive scholarship on security communities, in which technical, non-political cooperation is seen as having potential to eventually yield trust on broader security questions, we know little about the internal dynamics and broader consequences of other forms of cross-border communities, such as those that might grow up around repeated, patterned interactions around shared ecosystems.
The core question here is: Do regional politics around border-crossing ecosystems share important resemblances and differ in significant ways from global politics? To address this question, the Lorax project analyzes the networks of participation, hierarchies of actors and diplomatic norms of the governance fields that have grown up around efforts to ‘speak for’ border-crossing ecosystems in three locations – the Arctic, the Amazon Basin, and the Caspian Sea.
Qualifications for the positions
- PhD applicants: an M.A. in geography, political science/IR or related social science degree, completed by time of application with a grade of A or B
- Postdoc applicants: PhD in geography or political science/IR or related social science degree (PhD should be submitted by time of application for this postdoc position)
- Experience from empirical/field research
- Good communication and teamwork skills
- Experience in qualitative or quantitative methods (facility in both is an advantage)
- Fluency in English and proficiency in language(s) needed to conduct research on the politics of the Amazon Basin or the Caspian Sea
We offer:
- An exciting opportunity to be part of a comparative ERC-funded project and to work closely with project’s Principal Investigator (PI).
- The chance to be part of a vibrant research institute on international affairs
- Salary based on qualifications, reflecting NUPI's pay scale (salary scale 1109 for the postdoc (from 583, 500 NOK per year) and 1017 for the PhD (from 479,200 NOK per year)) and access to a bonus system for academic publications.
- Financial support for fieldwork, conference travel and publication support.
- Guidance and support systems in place for doctoral researchers.
- Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
How to apply
The application in the JobbNorge application portal requires:
- Cover letter (max 1 page). The application letter should specify whether you are applying for a postdoctoral and PhD position and give your motivation for doing so PhD applicants should indicate preferred PhD program/university.
- A proposed research plan, describing how you could apply previous experiences, scholarly concepts, and methods to research on one of the LORAX regional case studies (max 4 pages, including references or notes).
- CV with publication list (max 5 pages)
- Transcripts from bachelor’s degree and higher.
- Names of three references (at least one from academia/research), including phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked at a later date to submit publications (including PhD dissertation for the postdoc candidate, and master’s thesis for the PhD candidate)
Promising candidates will be invited for an interview, with an additional trial lecture for the postdoctoral candidate. The final decision about who to hire will be made based on both the written application, the interview, and the necessity of assembling a complementary team that can cover all research cases of the LORAX project.
The application deadline is 15 September 2019. Expected start date is January 2020.
We accept only applications via JobbNorge.
Questions regarding the positions can be directed to the LORAX project PI, Elana Wilson Rowe (or to NUPI’s Human Resources Office).
Generally
NUPI aims, to the greatest degree possible, to have a staff that reflects societal diversity. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, regardless of gender, cultural background, age, disability or previous periods of leave from the workforce. NUPI will accommodate specific needs relating to disability for new hires and as needed during the interview process.