Research assistant for the Horizon Europe Pro-Climate and Pro-Coast research projects

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Research assistant

There is a vacancy for a research assistant position at the Department of Sociology, University of Bergen, as part of the Horizon Europe funded research projects Pro-Climate and Pro-Coast. The position is a 50% position, with start date as soon as possible and end date on 31st December 2026. Total employment as a research assistant cannot exceed two years.

Research assistant is a recruitment position where the main task is to be a supporting entity to the academic staff in their instructional and research endeavors. The position will provide the opportunity to gain insight into scientific work and methodology.

About the projects/work tasks:

The Projects 

The successful candidate will focus on research, community engagement and dissemination activities for the Horizon Europe funded Pro-Climate (Proactive community adaptation to climate change) and Pro-Coast (A PROactive approach for Communities to enAble Societal Transformation) projects, which are entering their final year. Both projects aim to support communities to pro-actively respond through social transformation and behavioral change to a major environmental challenge – adaptation to climate change for Pro-Climate and biodiversity loss, especially in coastal communities, for Pro-Coast. We are particularly concerned about engaging with under-represented, minority and vulnerable groups, so applications from people with experience of this kind of work are especially welcome. Pro-Climate has developed an agent-based computer model of decision-making in social ecological systems, and part of the work be working with stakeholders to refine the tool and test out a range of uses for it.

The Research Assistant’s role will be (i) to work as part of a team gather, analyse and present in structured form to the consortium team data for two case studies/living labs, and (ii) to present and get feedback on project findings and work to engage, get feedback on and promote the use of the Pro-Climate computer model as an aid to land use planning activities. The first case/living lab is work to promote awareness of and reduce ‘ghost-fishing’ caused by lost and discarded fishing gear off the coast of Vestland, led by NMF (Norwegian Environmental Defence Association), while the second follows the course of a proposal by a local business consortium to build a new dock for cruise-ships and create a new transport hub at Eidsvika on the island of Askøy, which is opposed by the local conservationists affiliated to Friends of the Earth (Naturvernforbundet) Norway); it is this case which has been used to develop the agent based model for Pro-Climate. The research assistant will work with UiB’s project lead, Professor David Herbert, and a small team of researchers.

The successful candidate is expected to live and work in Bergen during the term of employment, and to take part in common activities at the Department of Sociology and in relevant interdisciplinary forums as applicable.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

Essential qualifications and personal qualities:

• Applicants must hold a Masters’ degree in Sociology, or another relevant social or behavioral sciences discipline, preferably with a thesis grade and grade average of B or above.
• Competence, experience, and research interests fitting to the Pro-Coast and Pro-Climate projects.
• Experience with relevant methods including interviews, focus groups, fieldwork, document analysis.
• Knowledge about and interest in relevant theoretical perspectives.
• Proficiency in Norwegian or another of the Scandinavian languages is a requirement since the data collection will be within the Norwegian context.
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English is a requirement to enable effective communication within the Pro-Coast team and in the project’s dissemination activities.
• Excellent cooperation and communication skills, and an ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work independently and systematically.

Desirable qualifications and personal qualities:

• Experience of pro-active community engagement and the running of awareness-raising campaigns.
• Experience of working with people from a wide range of backgrounds in Norwegian society.
• It would be an advantage to have a demonstrable interest and competence in using mixed methods to investigate socio-cultural phenomena (e.g. bachelors’ or masters’ dissertation).
• It would be an advantage to have a demonstrable interest in ecology/environmental issues.

In assessing the candidates, personal and relational qualities and organizational skills will be emphasized.

We can offer:

• A good and professionally challenging working environment.
• Gross annual salary as a research assistant code 1020, will be NOK 509 300, -. Further promotions are made according to length of service.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• A position in an inclusive workplace (IW).
• Good welfare benefits.

The application with CV, copies of diplomas, certificates of education and other relevant documents with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at JobbNorge. (by the link on this page marked “Apply for this job”.)

Closing date: January 6, 2026. The application must be marked 2025/15295.

Potential candidates will be invited for an interview.

Further information:

The Department of Sociology. 

The position will be based in the Department of Sociology, which is part of an extensive social science environment at The Faculty of Social Sciences, including CET, the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation, a cross-disciplinary research centre which aims to create knowledge about how we may achieve deep, rapid, and sustainable transformation of society in the face of climate change. The Department of Sociology has a long tradition of empirically based research on various societal problem areas, with special emphasis on issues related to social inequality. Research is currently organized into 3 research groups: Environment, Migration and Mobility (relates to Pro-Climate), Welfare, Inequality and the Life Course and Work, Knowledge, Economy and Education. For further information see: https://www.uib.no/en/sosio/143577/research-profile.)

General information:

For further details about the position, please contact Professor David Herbert, David.Herbert@uib.no

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. For further information about the recruitment process, click here.