Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science

About the position

At the Department of Sociology and Political Science (ISS), NTNU Trondheim there is a vacant temporary position as Postdoctoral Fellow in political science for a period of three years, with 67% research and 33% teaching obligation. The position is connected to the research group Elections, Values, and Political Communication.

The postdoc is expected to conduct research at the intersection between political behaviour, political communication and European Union studies. EU institutions are acutely aware that their legitimacy is precarious. Many citizens are skeptical toward the EU and oppose membership. EU institutions therefore invest a lot of resources into communication. Through communicative authority exercise, they try to bolster the EU’s legitimacy in the eyes of its citizens. The EU sends out daily press releases, reports to specific sectoral stake holders, its officials travel to all member states to engage with citizens, and every major EU institution and official has their own social media accounts, to reach out to citizens directly. What is the effect of various forms of self-legitimation by the EU on citizen opinions?

The postdoctoral fellow will define the project within this broader theme of the effect of EU self-legitimation in collaboration with the project leader.

The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions.

Your immediate leader is the Head of Department.

Duties of the position

• Develop a personal project within the project scope, in collaboration with project leader Pieter de Wilde.
• Engage in ambitious internationally-oriented social science research.
• Contribute to the research group Elections, Values and Political Communication (EVPOC).
• Contribute to teaching within the department within the confines of the position.

Required selection criteria

• A Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in political science or another relevant field. Candidates who are in the final stages of their PhD project will be assessed but must attach a document that confirms that their doctoral thesis has been submitted or documentation from the institution that confirms when the defense is scheduled to take place. If you are offered the position, you need to provide documentation for completion of the PhD degree before starting the position.
• A demonstrable research interest through publications and/or course work in one or more of the most proximate research fields: European Union Politics, International Relations, Political Behaviour, Political Communication.
• Fluency in English, both written and oral.
• Solid proficiency in quantitative social science methodology.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

• A promising track-record in academic publications.
• Experience with experimental methods and/or survey methodology.

Personal characteristics

• Independence and initiative.
• Cooperative skills.
• Willingness to contribute to a good work environment.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

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

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 563 500 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

The period of employment is three years.

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 criteria 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.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application 

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English. 

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include: 

• A motivation letter.
• CV, including a comprehensive overview of all academic work.
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 5 items).
• A research plan of max. 5 pages, including a progress plan for the period of the postdoc.
• Name and email address of three referees.

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well.

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation. 

Applicants will be assessed based on:

• The relevance, quality and potential of their research project
• The relevance and quality of previous academic publications

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

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

General information 

Working at NTNU 

Inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.  

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Pieter de Wilde, email: pieter.dewilde@ntnu.no If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Senior Executive Officer HR Renate Lillian Johansen, email: renate.johansen@ntnu.no.

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

If you are invited for an interview you must provide certified copies of transcripts.

Application deadline: 31.01.2023 

NTNU

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.

Department of Sociology and Political Science

We conduct research, teaching and dissemination in sociology, political science, media, communication and information technology, and sport sciences. The Department offers five-year master’s programmes in teacher education (lektorutdanning) in social sciences as well as in physical education and sports. As a social science department we have a special obligation to contribute to the public debate on important social issues. The Department of Sociology and Political Science is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences.

Deadline 31st January 2023
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Fixed Term
Place of service Dragvoll