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At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

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About the position

NTNU, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture (KULT, www.ntnu.no/kult), is announcing two 3-year PhD positions within Science and Technology Studies focused on the relationship between democratic participation and energy transitions. The candidate will work within the VISTA center for Norwegian Transformative Energy Policy Development – NOTRAP (https://www.ntnu.edu/notrap). NOTRAP is a cooperation between eight departments from four different NTNU faculties. It will house eight PhD students to be recruited in 2025, in the fields of design, psychology, sociology, political science, social anthropology, economics and science and technology studies. The research centre will run from 2025 to 2029 and aims to establish Energy Policy Incubators (EPIs), which co-construct transformative, contextualised energy policies with citizens, policymakers, industry, scientists, and other stakeholders.

This vacancy concerns two PhD positions that will be employed at KULT. Thematically the positions will focus on understanding the socio-political context and effects of citizen participation in energy transitions. The energy transition is unprecedented with respect to the speed, depth, and impact on energy systems and markets, not to mention its vast influence on societies, citizens, and policymakers. While the transition has barely begun, we already see how it contributes to social unrest and resistance, polarisation, and populism, with significant implications for democratic practices that are important to understand. On the other hand, the transition is affected by social and political developments locally, nationally and globally. Energy transition policies will inevitably lead to the re-distribution of power and income and thus strong, well-organized opposition from actors seeking to preserve the status quo can only be expected. For these positions, we are looking for candidates who are interested in exploring the social and political issues that are intertwined with energy decisions, and that unfold as energy systems transform.

As part of this effort, examples of areas of research for the PhD projects to study include

A mapping of assumptions, knowledge claims and requirements about citizen participation in Norwegian energy and climate policymaking (policy analysis, document analysis, expert interviews)
Comparative case studies of on-going and planned energy related projects in Norway focusing on strategies for citizen participation
Political feasibility of energy transition strategies
How to maintain the legitimacy and preserve popular support for an accelerated energy transition against a backdrop of major re-distributional change, political polarisation, climate-skepticism, anti-globalisation, nuclear romanticism, etc.
How an energy transition can be accelerated in a geopolitically conflictual world where security/energy security (including increased gas production) now often has a higher priority than fighting global warming

The PhD will closely collaborate with other PhD candidates and researchers within NOTRAP. The final research design and thematic focus of the PhD projects will be developed in conjunction with NOTRAP, depending on research needs and the candidate’s particular interests and skills.

Main duties and responsibilities

The successful applicant must

Conduct empirical data collection through qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation and focus groups, or other methods relevant to the research design
Analyse such data through theories and concepts from Science and Technology Studies (STS) or other relevant disciplines
Complete the obligatory coursework in the Ph.D.-program for Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture.
Produce a PhD thesis, preferably based on peer reviewed articles published in key international journals.
Participate in NOTRAP activities.
Present, communicate and disseminate work at relevant national and international venues.
Be an active participant in the day-to-day activities at the department, the Centre for Technology and Society, and the research group on Energy , climate and environment.

Required selection criteria

The qualification requirement is completion of a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 ECTS) with a strong academic background in Science and Technology studies (STS) or equivalent education. Examples of other relevant backgrounds that may be considered are political science, sociology, anthropology, or human geography. Candidates with a different academic background might be considered if they can document relevant research experience from related research activities. The master’s thesis needs to have received a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. In addition:

Applicants should have knowledge of Social Science and Humanities studies of energy, sustainability transitions, controversies, participation, public engagement and inclusion, and/or interdisciplinarity.
The applicant should have experience with qualitative research methods.
Applicants should have excellent English skills (written and oral).

When evaluating relevant candidates:

We emphasise the ability to collaborate with others as well as the ability to conduct independent research.
We will emphasise completion of the Master’s thesis on time.
Fluency in a Scandinavian language will be considered an advantage.

Applicants with no letter grades from previous studies must have an equally good academic foundation. Applicants who are unable to meet these criteria may be considered only if they can document that they are particularly suitable candidates for education leading to a PhD degree.

The employee must complete the PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture within three years. The appointment period is divided with ½ year for compulsory course work and 2 ½ years for completion of the PhD project.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor

(PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant

We offer

An exciting job with an important mission in society
Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
Working capital that can be used to implement the project
Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts.

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality. (delete if not applicable)

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 536 200,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is 3 years. If learning Norwegian (level A2 corresponding to at least 15 credits) is to be completed before the end of the employment period, the employment period can be extended by 10 weeks after completed and documented the Norwegian course.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to The PhD programme in Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control(legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technologyand services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates The application must include:

CV
A maximum 3-5 page statement and motivational letter containing an outline of a project description.
3 references.
A list of publications, if available
Relevant documentation and transcripts

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, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.

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

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt 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 exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

More information can be obtained by contacting Senior researcher Gisle Solbu, email: gisle.solbu@ntnu.no, Professor Tomas Moe Skjølsvold, email: tomas.skjolsvold@ntnu.no, or HR Adviser Elisabeth Leite for administrative questions: elisabeth.leite@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: 06.06.2025

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For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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.

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