The Centre for Development and the Environment is recruiting

Job description

The Centre for Development and the Environment is recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow (SKO 1352) with a specialization in rural transformations, food production and pandemics. The successful applicant will be part of the “Rural Transformations” research group. The appointment is for a fixed period of 4 years, with a 25% teaching requirement.

The “Rural Transformations” research group focuses on land and land resources that are at the heart of contemporary conflicts over livelihoods and environments, particularly as related to food production, food systems and food regimes, agro-industrial plantations, extractive industries, energy production, tourism and nature conservation. The “Rural Transformations” research group is headed by Professor Mariel Aguilar-Støen. The announced position will expand the portfolio of the research group and propose a project focusing on the “Pandemic Era” of increasing disease transmission between animals and humans – zoonoses – and between wild and domestic animals, as recently declared by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

We are looking for a project that unpacks the effects of pandemics (zoonotic or otherwise) on meat production in Norway. The successful postdoctoral research proposal will focus on research questions examining issues related to the impacts of the responses of the meat industry to ongoing or past pandemics (HPAI, Covid-19, etc.) in Norway. The postdoctoral project will have the main aim of contributing to illuminate the complexity of the Pandemic Era in meat production.

The focus can for instance be placed on one or several of the following issues:

• Labor and production practices
• Environmental consequences
• Land
• How key stakeholder groups make sense of their own and the responses of others, to ongoing or past pandemics
• How do past and ongoing pandemics reshape the entanglements of society, nature and interspecies relations in industrial poultry (or swine) production

Applicants must write a research proposal that lays out a promising research agenda, including a publication plan that can be fulfilled in the course of four years.

More about the position

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

The Postdoctoral Fellow is expected to actively contribute to the research agenda, the research environment and dissemination activities within the “Rural Transformations” research group.

The appointed postdoctoral fellow is expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency in the course of their fellowship period and to participate in teaching and Master student supervision at SUM.

Postdoctoral fellows who are appointed for a period of four years are expected to acquire basic pedagogical competency in the course of their fellowship period within the duty component of 25 %.

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Qualification requirements

A comprehensive assessment of the applicant's scientific qualifications forms the basis of appointment

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (Ph.D) in social sciences or humanities, before taking up the post.
• For applicants who have yet to receive their PhD degree, the Doctoral dissertation must have been submitted for evaluation before the application deadline (April 1, 2021). Such applicants should note the date of submission of their PhD in the cover letter. Appointment is dependent on successful completion of the public defence of the doctoral thesis.

Preferred qualification criteria

• Applicants must have a very good command of English (written and orally).
• A good command of Norwegian is an advantage.
• Previous research on, and familiarity with, one or more of the topics covered by the research group is preferable.
• Previous research dealing with food systems and/or food regimes is an advantage
• Demonstrated previous experience collaborating in publishing, writing research applications and teaching will be highly appreciated.

Personal skills

• Be able to work in an interdisciplinary environment
• Be able to work independently as well as part of a team
• Be able to effectively interact with students and faculty
• Be able to enrich the intellectual community of SUM through research and teaching activities

We offer

• Salary according to “SKO 1352 postdoktor”, pay grade 59-67, NOK 526 000 –608 200 per year (approx. 52 000 – 61 000 Euro)
• Budget for travel and research assistance (currently NOK 30 000 per year).
• An academically stimulating and international working environment
• A friendly and inclusive workplace
• A good pension scheme through the Norwegian Public Service Fund
• A good work-life balance and access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare (including the University’s kindergarden)
• Postdocs are included in career development activities of the Research School at SUM
• Postdocs are expected to acquire pedagogical competency
• Female postdocs can take part in the UiO Mentor program for female postdocs

How to apply

The online application must include the following items:

• A cover letter (max 2 pages, including statement of motivation, summarizing research interests and major contribution to their field of research, collaboration skills, and how the applicant will contribute to the Centre/Research Group)
• A research proposal (maximum 3000 words including references). The proposal should clarify the research theme, main research questions, how the research contributes to the existing literature, theoretical approach, methodology, and a publication plan
• A CV summarizing education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities
• A complete list of research outputs, including both peer reviewed and popular scientific dissemination, policy briefs, visual communication etc
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
• Upload a copy of (what you consider to be) your best publication to date (one publication only!), preferably a single-authored article. If a co-authored work is uploaded instead, the applicant's individual contribution must be clarified and confirmed by co-authors. Specify the theoretical, methodological or empirical contribution of your publication to your field of research.
• Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letter not needed.
• Applicants who have not yet defended their PhD dissertation, need to include a letter confirming that it is submitted for defense.
• The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system. Please follow the link “apply for this job”. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University’s grading system.
• The application deadline is April 1, 2021. The screening and evaluation of the candidates will begin immediately. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer is made, to take 8 weeks, depending on the number of applications. Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview.

The position will be awarded from July 2021 (or a mutually-agreed upon date).

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow 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.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this.

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

• Professor Mariel Støen (m.c.stoen@sum.uio.no)
• Head of office Gitte Egenberg (gitte.egenberg@sum.uio.no)

Apply for position