The Department of Cultural Science at Tromsø University Museum has a PhD position vacant for applicants who wish to obtain the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD). The position is affiliated with the research group The Societal Dimensions of Sámi Research (SoDi-Sámi). For further information about the project and the project plan see:

https://en.uit.no/forskning/forskningsgrupper/gruppe?p_document_id=492164

The appointment is for a period of four years.

The PhD position is for a fixed term, with the objective of completion of research training to the level of a doctoral degree. The PhD Candidate shall participate in an organized research training, and the PhD project must be completed during the period of employment.

Further information about the position is available by contacting:

• Professor Trude Fonneland +47 776 46630 or + 47 40286355, e-mail trude.fonneland@uit.no or
• Project leader Jukka Nyyssönen + 4777645323 or +47 45221079. E-mail jukka.kalervo@uit.no

The position’s affiliation

Tromsø University Museum is a conglomerate consisting of Tromsø Museum, The Polar Museum, MS Polstjerna and the Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden.

Tromsø University Museum was founded in 1872 and is North Norway’s oldest research institution. The museum was incorporated in Tromsø University in 1976. Our main tasks are research, research communication, development and maintenance of research collections, outreach, management and teaching.

We have two research sections: Natural Sciences and Cultural Sciences. Each section has large research collections and archives.

The position’s field of research

The research group SoDi-Sámi’s point of departure is that the scholarly knowledge production and society share a complex interdependence. More closely, we are interested in how different institutional and societal contexts as well as discourses have impacted upon the production of knowledge regarding the Sámi across time, and how this academic knowledge actually impact upon Sámi communities and their standing within the Nordic societies? The exploration and understanding of such analytical dimensions generate a historically and internationally comparative understanding of the ways in which the relationship between academic knowledge and society has transformed itself in the context of academic knowledge concerning the Sámi.

One case to be explored within the project is museums as important arenas for production and dissemination of knowledge on Sámi cultures, societies and identities.The intention is to examine how the relationships between science and society have changed in the context of Nordic museums, and whether and how these changes have impacted upon the societal discourses surrounding the Sámi.

Nordic media is another case for negotiating scholarly knowledge on the Sámi. How is knowledge produced by scholars working with Sámi issues articulated, transformed or omitted through the channels of different media? How has media’s images and discourses affected researchers’ focus and results, and thus the professional and disseminated understandings of Sámi pasts and presents?

For closer information about each of the thematic fields and the methods employed in the project see project plan:

https://uit.no/Content/585340/cache=20180908104855/NFR%20Samisk%202016%20II%20final.pdf

The PhD-applicant is invited to develop a projects related to one of these fields and must present a project description outlining the academic basis of the PhD project (about 5-6 pages).

The PhD candidate will be appointed at least one tutor and will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers in the SoDi-Sámi group that work on related issues and projects, where the overall goal is to develop a novel approach to the study of the interconnections between academic knowledge and societal change.

Qualification requirements

The successful applicant must fulfil the requirements for admission to UiT’s PhD program, cf. Regulation for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway. Further information on the requirements and proficiency in English, see PhD regulations at UiT.

The successful applicant must hold a Master’s degree in cultural studies, museology, history, anthropology, history of science, indigenous studies or related fields. The Master’s degree should be recognized as equivalent to a 2-year Norwegian Master’s degree.

The candidate should show good academic performances (preferably with an average grade B or better), and a genuine interest and motivation for performing research.

Emphasis is also attached to personal suitability.

The candidate is expected to have good knowledge of English and one of the Scandinavian languages, both written and verbal. Foreign students must document proficiency in English language, see PhD regulations at UiT. Knowledge of one of the Sami languages is considered an additional merit.

Working conditions

The normal period of employment is four years. The nominal length of the PhD program is three years. The fourth year, distributed as 25 % of each year, shall be used for other duties for the museum and the university cf. Guidelines for the research fellow’s duties.

A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the research fellow has already completed parts of his/her research training program or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position (PhD Candidate, research assistant, or the like) in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.

Remuneration for the position of PhD Candidate is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

Assessment

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. During this assessment process, emphasis will be attached to the applicant’s potential for research as shown by

• Master’s thesis or equivalent

• any other academic works, and
• project description

In addition, consideration may be given to work experience or other activities of significance for the implementation of the PhD studies, and to any teaching qualifications. This includes museum-related work, as in curatorial work or work with archives and collections, teaching education, teaching experience, and experience in mediation of knowledge. Information and material to be considered during the assessment must be submitted by the stipulated deadline.

The applicants who are assessed as the best qualified can be called to an interview. The interview shall, among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s personal suitability for the position.

Application

The application must be submitted electronically via the application form available on www.jobbnorge.no.

The application must include:

• Letter of application
• Project description and project plan (5-6 pages)
• CV (containing a complete overview of education, supervised professional training
• and professional work)
• Diploma and transcript from your Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree, or
• equivalent degrees
• Diploma supplement for completed degrees
• List of 2-4 references with contact information.
• List of works and description of these (see below)

The list of works shall contain the following information:

• author(s), the work’s title for articles: the journal’s name and volume, the first and
• last page of the article, year of publication
• for publications: publisher, year of publication, number of pages
• The works (published or unpublished) which the applicant wishes to be taken into
• consideration during the assessment process must be submitted

All documentation that is to be evaluated must be certified and translated into English or a Scandinavian language.

All documents mentioned above are mandatory for evaluation.

Information and material to be considered during the assessment must be submitted by the stipulated deadline.

Applications submitted via email will not be evaluated.

General

Applicants shall also refer to the Supplementary regulations for appointment to postdoktor (Postdoctoral Fellow), stipendiat (PhD) and vitenskapelig assistent (Research Assistant) positions at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and to the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for posts of postdoktor (Postdoctoral Fellow), stipendiat (PhD), vitenskapelig assistent (Research Assistant) and spesialistkandidat (Resident). (In Norwegian only)

Questions concerning the organization of the working environment, such as the physical state of the place of employment, health service, possibility for flexible working hours, part time, etc. as well as questions about the PhD programme may be directed to the telephone reference in this announcement.

UiT has HR policy objectives that emphasize diversity, and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their gender, functional ability and national or ethnic background.

UiT is an IW (Inclusive Workplace) enterprise and will emphasize making the necessary adaptations to the working conditions for employees with reduced functional ability.

Personal data given in an application or CV will be processed in accordance with the Act relating to the processing of personal data (the Personal Data Act). In accordance with Section 25 subsection 2 of the Freedom of Information Act, the applicant may request not to be registered on the public list of applicants. However, the University may nevertheless decide that the name of the applicant will be made public. The applicant will receive advance notification in the event of such publication.

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