Two-year position as Researcher in interdisciplinary research project

About the postion 

A 2-year temporary fulltime position as Researcher (SKO 1109) is available at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. The position is linked to the Section of Methodology, Work and Organizational Psychology, Culture and Community Psychology, and Social Psychology (MAKS).

The assignment is situated within interdisciplinary climate research, emphasizing the connection between social and natural science perspectives. The position is part of the UiO:Democracy project DEMOCRISIS: Democracy and Climate Crisis. The project analyses the climate crisis from interdisciplinary perspectives and examines the link between democracy and potential strategies for responding to the crisis, based on the following four questions:

• What are the democratic obstacles to addressing the climate and nature crises? 
• What ideas, values, and beliefs are symptomatic of the growing crisis in democracy? 
• How can the responses to the climate crisis be analyzed from a social psychological perspective, with particular emphasis on resignation, apathy, and disengagement (e.g., cognitive dissonance)? 
• How can short-term solutions within the framework of democracy be changed in the direction of long-term ecological sustainability?

The person appointed to this position will conduct independent research in interdisciplinary social sciences. The position is open to applicants from various disciplinary backgrounds, from psychology and anthropology, to geography, sociology, political science, and the natural sciences. The researcher's project will be defined under one or more of the work packages (WP1-5) in the project. The researcher will also be assigned administrative tasks, as well as some teaching and supervision related to the project. 

More about the position 

The successful candidate will conduct research on the relationship between psychology, politics, democracy, and ecology within the DEMOCRISIS project. Particular emphasis will be placed on how the risk of rapid climate change (tipping points) can be met with the required societal changes, including political, economic, technological, and normative changes. 
 

For a more detailed description of DEMOCRISIS and requests for the research plan for 2024-2028, please contact Professor Ole Jacob Madsen (o.j.madsen@psykologi.uio.no), Professor Dag O. Hessen (d.o.hessen@mn.uio.no) or the research group leader, Professor Marius T. Mjaaland (marium@uio.no).

Qualifications and personal skills

• A PhD or equivalent degree in a field relevant to the project. Applicants who have not yet completed their PhD must have submitted their thesis for assessment before the application deadline. Approval of the doctoral thesis is a prerequisite for appointment to the research position. 
• The candidate's research project must be closely connected to the DEMOCRISIS-project.
• The candidate must be able to demonstrate an ability to conduct high quality research in areas relevant to the DEMOCRISIS-project 
• Very good written and oral communication skills in English and Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) are required, since the project explicitly relates to a Norwegian context. 
• Ability to collaborate and participate in an interdisciplinary project with participants from the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. 

The evaluation of applicants is based on documented academic qualifications and relevant experience. When assessing applications, emphasis will be placed on academic work from the last 3-5 years, as well as academic and personal qualities. Emphasis will also be placed on applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to contribute to the DEMOCRISIS-project and to carry out the project within the allotted time frame.

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

We offer

• An ambitious and exciting research environment with a strong multidisciplinary profile and excellent opportunities for academic development.
• Good welfare schemes.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Researcher, position code 1109 in salary range NOK from 630 000–730 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Application

Your application should include:

• Application letter.
• Project description of up to 5 pages. The project description must be connected to the DEMOCRISIS-project and present a feasible progress plan. It is expected that the applicant will be able to complete the project during the period of appointment
• CV (complete overview of education, work experience and professional work) 
• List of publications 
• Maximum of 5 professional works to be considered in the assessment of academic qualifications
• Copies of diplomas and certificates
• Reference list (2-3 references; name, title, email and telephone number, as well as a description of their relationship to the applicant). One of the references must be a current or former manager with personnel responsibility. 

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". 

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

General information

The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews.

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to  Rules for the use of research posts SKO 1108, 1109, 1110 and 1183 at UiO.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.