The ethos of innovation and the institutionalisation of RRI in research

About the position and the research environment

This position is a fixed term, full time (100 %) position for 3 years, starting in May 2020.

This researcher position is at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies (IFR) at the Dragvoll campus, NTNU Trondheim. The position offers challenging and varied tasks in a research group engaged in fundamental as well as applied questions in bioethics and theory of science.

The research group members have been and are currently part of various multidisciplinary research projects. The researcher will work in close collaboration with Associate Professor Rune Nydal and Associate Professor Lars Ursin.

The project

The research tasks of this position comprise of (1) the ethics and RRI work package of the multidisciplinary research project Bio-engineered palladium nanoparticles (BEDPAN), and (2) the work package on state of the art review and benchmarking in the Horizon 2020 project Ethics Governance System for grounding good practices in RRI (ETHNA System).

The BEDPAN project deals with palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) that have a wide range of applications in chemical catalysis, fuel cells, antimicrobial textile coatings, and targeted cancer treatments. Flaws of current production modes prevent its innovation potential, however, and the BEDPAN project aims to develop a more efficient and environmentally friendly production process involving microbe modification to release that potential. In this development process, BEDPAN will interact with relevant industry as the fine-tuning of the Pd NPs physical size and shape ultimately need to be validated in relevant application contexts. In order to succeed, the BEDPAN project thus needs to identify and be responsive to the current needs of relevant industry, preference of consumers, and governmental policy and regulation.

Central to the BEDPAN project is engineering bacterial strains to make Pd NPs with tailored properties, by fine-tuning their size and shape in a systems biology approach. This novel production mode might open up for novel qualities of Pd NPs to be explored in new products and product use contexts. Such novel uses need to be handled in terms of risk assessments, commercial use, and IPR protection. Such novel uses should also be analyzed in terms of broader requirements of social responsibility involving work of anticipation and reflection on possible societal and environmental challenges and impacts.

The successful applicant will research the ethos of the BEDPAN project. Researching the ethos means exploring the normative good that drive innovation processes. The aim is to analyze to what extent the involved technologies reinforce the intended ideas of a good practice. The BEDPAN ethos engage questions of how basic researchers, stakeholders and industry partners understand their role in solving global environmental and societal grand challenges, which visions of global development and good societies motivate the research, characteristics of the dynamic in the interaction between innovation and social acceptability, etc.

The Objective of the ETHNA System project is to develop and implement an Ethics Governance System for grounding good practices of RRI in Higher Education, Funding and Research Centres (HEFRCs). The Project will implement and validate a new formal organizational structure – the ETHNA System – within the management of 6 different HEFRCs in 6 countries and 3 types of contexts: 2 universities, 2 funding research centres and 2 technological parks in ES, NO, EE, BG, AT and PT. The ETHNA System is composed by an ETHNA office (integrity office) and 4 tools and work methodologies for RRI (ethical code, ethics committee, ethical hotline and process indicators to report).

Within the ETHNA project, the specific objectives of the NTNU work package on state-of-the-art review and benchmarking are to: A. Provide a knowledge base of the state of the art based on a scan of relevant national and European initiatives and projects on management or governance systems for HEFRC RRI. B. Review and compare relevant documents and reports related to the RRI best practices and policies to inform the ETHNA System. C. Perform and analyse interviews with RRI experts and practitioners in projects and institutions to provide ideas and foresight analyses relevant for ETHNA System implementation.

Qualification requirements

• We require a PhD in philosophy, ethics, bioethics, RRI, or equivalent
• Competence and interest in normative bioethics and/or theory of science
• High motivation for both disciplinary and multidisciplinary research cooperation
• Ability to work and write both independently and in a team
• Eagerness to present work in progress in research group meetings and at workshops and conferences
• Written and oral fluency in English

Emphasis will also be placed on:

• Prior academic output
• Prior relevant job experience
• Fluency in one of the Scandinavian languages
• Communication abilities
• Motivation and personal aptitude

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

Salary and conditions

The gross salary for the position of researcher code 1109 is normally remunerated at gross from NOK 504.700 – 615.900 before tax per year, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2 % is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criterias in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

More informatiom

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. Under the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova), information about the applicant may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to have their name entered on the list of applicants.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

How to apply:
Please submit your application electronically using the appropriate link in http://www.jobbnorge.no Applicants will only be assessed based on the information submitted. The applicant is responsible to ensure that everything is submitted by the deadline of 29.01.20

Please complete the online application form. In addition, the following PDFs must be attached:

• A 1-page cover letter explaining your motivation for this position, and how your skills and experience relate to the research project
• A 2-page draft research proposal outlining a possible approach
• A 3-page description of your previous work and academic interests
• A list of publications, and if applicable English language test scores, and other supporting documents (like proof of the candidates’ study and language abilities)
• Contact information of 1-2 persons of reference, preferably academic supervisor(s)

Female scholars are strongly encouraged to apply.

Chosen applicants will be invited to undergo an interview. 

Candidates from universities outside Norway are requested to send a Diploma Supplement or similar official document, which describes in detail the study and grade system and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree: 
https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/european-skills-passport/diploma-supplement.

Candidates from non-English speaking countries outside the Nordic countries must provide official documentation of their English competence. Approved tests and results are:

• TOEFL: 600 / writing 4.5 (paper-based test), 92 / writing 22 (internet- based test)
• IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic IELTS tests accepted)
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): grade A or B

For further information about the position: 
Associate Professor Lars Ursin, email: lars.ursin@ntnu.no, telephone: +47 73 59 75 58 

For enquires regarding the application procedure: HR Adviser Hege T. Kissten, email: hege.kissten@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 29.01.2020

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Faculty of Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities offers a wide range of study programmes in the humanities, and is Norway’s second largest faculty of humanities measured in the number of students. We develop leading academic groups in the action-oriented humanities, as well as innovative and inquiry-based teaching and learning. The Faculty consists of six departments as well as a Faculty administration.

Deadline 29th January 2020
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary