PhD position at the Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities (SVT)

The Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities invites applicants for a PhD position, commencing 1st of August 2023, or as agreed. The position is for a fixed-term period of four years.

About the Centre

The SVT is an interdisciplinary, cross faculty centre at the University of Bergen, conducting research in and across the fields of philosophy of science (including social and human sciences), science and technology studies, research ethics, responsible research and innovation (RRI), political philosophy. Read more about the teaching and research at SVT here.

About the project

The call invites project proposals in one of the following research fields:

• Social, political, ethical questions of scientific knowledge.
• Foundational issues in the philosophy of the natural, social, or human sciences.
• Political philosophy related to research and higher education in the natural, social, or human sciences.
• Quality of research-based evidence for policy and practice.

Applicants with some background in philosophy, as well as in the natural, social, or human sciences, are welcome to apply. The project proposal is expected have a clear interdisciplinary profile, purely disciplinary projects will not be considered. Proposals with an empirical component will be given preference. 

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• The applicant must hold a Norwegian master’s degree or an equivalent foreign degree in a discipline that is relevant for the PhD project (as mentioned above). It is a condition for employment that the master’s degree has been awarded at the time of application. Applicants who document a foreign degree will be evaluated according to the regulations of the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT), and the Faculty of Humanities’ PhD Programme Plan.
• The applicants must be able to work independently in a well-structured way and have good collaboration skills.
• The applicant must be proficient in both written and oral English.

Applicants will be evaluated according to admission requirements in The Faculty of Humanities’ PhD Program pt. 2.1.

In assessing the applications, the academic quality and feasibility of the proposed PhD project and the academic qualifications of the candidate will be considered. Further emphasis is also placed on strategic considerations, motivation, and the applicant’s personal eligibility.

About the PhD position 

The main purpose of the PhD position is to complete a doctoral degree, which qualifies for a career in academia and for other forms of employment that requires high analytical skills. The duration of the PhD position is four years, of which 25 per cent of the time comprises obligatory duties associated with teaching, dissemination of results, and administration. The plan for this part of the position is developed in collaboration with the Centre at the very beginning of the employment period.

Applicants who have already held a PhD position at the University of Bergen, are not eligible to apply for this position.

The employment period may be reduced for candidates who have previously been employed in a recruitment position at other institutions.

The PhD position demands that the applicant has their regular workplace at the University of Bergen and comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.

About the research training:

As a PhD candidate you must participate in the Faculty of Humanities’ educational programme. The programme consists of completing a training component of 30 ECTS, annual progress reporting and an approved midway evaluation. Click here for additional details on the content and requirements of the PhD program at the Faculty of Humanities.

We can offer:

• A good and professionally challenging working environment.
• Salary at pay grade 54 (code 1017) in the state salary scale, currently NOK 501 200 gross p.a. following ordinary meriting regulations.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• A position in an inclusive workplace (IA enterprise).
• Good welfare benefits

How to apply for the job:

Apply electronically via the link “APPLY FOR THIS JOB”. Applicants are required to use the electronic CV form. The following information must be enclosed:

• A project proposal (up to five pages/12 000 characters including spacing. Bibliography not included). The project proposal should describe the research project, including research background, main research questions, theory, method, etc., and a timetable for implementation.
• The project outline must discuss how the proposed PhD project fits in with the research and teaching context at the SVT.
• A brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
• CV.
• Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This must contain information about the number of ECTS of the master’s degree, or be followed by an official and personalized confirmation with this information issued by the awarding institution.
• A short summary of the master’s thesis or equivalent thesis (up to three pages).
• Relevant certificates/references.
• Bibliography for the proposed project.
• A progress plan for the project.
• A list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list)
• Up to three publications in your name.
• The names and contact information for two referees. One of these must be the main advisor for the master’s thesis or equivalent thesis.

The application and attachments need to be in Norwegian, another Scandinavian language or English. Documents in other languages need to be uploaded together with a certified translation into English (or a Scandinavian language). Attachments can be in either in Word or PDF and must be uploaded to Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

General information:

Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting the Head of the Centre, Professor Rasmus Slaattelid, (tel. +47 482 24 658; email: rasmus.slaattelid@uib.no) or Tone Lund-Olsen, Head of Administration (tel. + 47 55583312; email: tone.lund-olsen@uib.no)

The public sector shall reflect the diversity of the 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.

Shortlisted candidates will be called in to an interview.

Questions or inquiries about the electronic application process can be directed to: fakadm@hf.uib.no.

For further information about the recruitment process, click here.

About UiB

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.