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Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science in Politics/Political Economy of Green Transitions

Employer
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU
Location
Trondheim, Norway
Closing date
6 Jun 2023

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About the position

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

At the Department of Sociology and Political Science (ISS) there is a vacant temporary position as postdoctoral fellow in the politics/political economy of green energy transitions for a period of two years. The position may be ascribed teaching obligations and extended with one year. The position is connected to the research group “Energy, environment and sustainable development”.

The Paris and Glasgow targets on global warming are unattainable without a green energy transition. Thus, pursuing such a transition – arguably the greatest process of structural economic change in the energy sector for over a century  is of the utmost importance. First and foremost, we want someone with an independent mind and an interesting project. This is a position where the person who is hired will have great freedom to shape and pursue an independent project.

That said, we highlight two very broad themes that we are specifically – but not exclusively – interested in:

First; the politics/political economy of green energy transitions: How do we politically accelerate energy transitions? And how can large-scale changes to the energy system be accomplished without leading to strong political and popular backlashes and energy politics becoming polarized and toxic? Large-scale transitions typically imply major structural economic change and re-distribution of power and income. These are painful processes even in the most well-functioning of countries. The candidate does not need to have Norway as the field of research, but we see polarization and toxicity for instance in the Norwegian energy transition with the relatively recent spike in electricity prices. And we see it in the Norwegian discussion over how to politically accelerate the deployment of offshore wind power.

Second; we are also interested in developments in the intersection between energy transition and international relations/geopolitics: We are seeing a world with intensified geopolitical competition, both in terms of actual wars and more general great power rivalries, and we are seeing countries (especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine) shift the attention towards energy self-sufficiency and energy sovereignty. A renewable energy world is however arguably a world of interdependence, and of gridlines and interconnections. The impact of geopolitics on energy transitions are understudied and unclear. Is for instance a newfound emphasis on energy sovereignty impeding a green energy transition or is it stimulating it? Are we seeing a more interdependent world or a world where states go it more alone?

Your immediate leader is Head of Department

Duties of the position

  • The postdoctoral position is within ISS’ strategic research area “Energy, environment and sustainable development”. The objective of the postdoctoral project is to further develop and strengthen the research on green energy transitions.
  • The postdoctoral fellow is expected to participate in the research group “Energy, environment and sustainable development”.
  • The position may be ascribed obligation to work, with teaching and supervision activities, and extended with one year.  

Required selection criteria

  • You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in political science or sociology, or an equivalent foreign PhD approved as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD. 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
  • Good knowledge about qualitative and quantitative social science research methods
  • The ability to analyze data using theories and concepts from the social sciences, in particular political science or sociology
  • Fluency in written and spoken English

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 background in political science or sociology will be regarded as an advantage, but candidates from other social sciences and humanities will be evaluated
  • Experience in interdisciplinary work will be regarded as an advantage
  • Because teaching duties may be ascribed it is an advantage with good written and oral Norwegian/Scandinavian language skills

Personal characteristics

Importance is attached to personal skills such as being independent, well-organized, having initiative, a cooperative spirit, and motivation to contribute to a good working and social environment.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer 

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 2 years with the possibility of 1 year teaching duties.

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 or in a Scandinavian language.

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: 

  • CV and certificates
  • 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.
  • A project proposal of max. 5 pages, including a progress plan for the project.
  • A comprehensive overview of all academic work.
  • Relevant samples of publications (no more than five).
  • Name and contact information 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. 

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 Espen Moe, email: espen.moe@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR by Renate Lillian Johansen, e-mail: 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. 

Application deadline: 06.06.2023

Dragvoll oversiktsbilde Foto: Erik Børseth/NTNU

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 6th June 2023
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Fixed Term
Place of service Dragvoll

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