PhD Research Fellow in the field of Special Needs Education

Job description

Applicants are invited for a three to four-year full-time position as PhD Research Fellow in Special Needs Education, based at the Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo.

The position is linked to the research project Co-creating Professional Development (CoDev), which aims to contribute to strengthening inclusive education in Norwegian kindergartens and/or schools. 

In this position, the candidate is expected to produce research on: 

• Professionals’ approaches to inclusive education, including their knowledge, skills and attitudes
• How different approaches to professional development can affect inclusive education and sustaining professional development

The project is anchored in the research group Communication and Inclusion (COIN) at the Department of Special Needs Education.  

CoDev is an interdisciplinary project with several partners. The University of Oslo has the main responsibility for the project. In addition, Østfold University College and Oslo Metropolitan University are core collaborators, along with a selection of municipalities, kindergartens, and schools.

As a PhD Research Fellow, you will write an article-based PhD thesis, and conduct both theoretical and empirical (mainly qualitative) research.

More about the position

The fellowship period is 3 years. A fourth year as a PhD Research Fellow may become relevant, and it will involve 25 percent of other career-promoting work. Other career-promoting work may consist of teaching, supervision, and/or research assistance. This will depend on the candidate's qualifications and the needs of the institute.

The research fellow must take part in the faculty’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research 
training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

For more information, please see our web site. 

Qualification requirements

Applicants must satisfy the requirements for admission to the faculty´s PhD program. This normally includes:

•  Applicants must hold a master’s degree or equivalent in education or special needs education 
• A master’s degree (120 ECTS) with a minimum grade B (ECTS grading scale) or equivalent. The master’s degree must include a thesis of at least 30 ECTS, with a minimum grade B 
• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade C (ECTS grading scale) 
• For 5-year studies, the average grade must be C or better for the first three years, and B or better for the last two years (ECTS grading scale). The master’s thesis must have been graded with a minimum grade of B 
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) 

In the assessment of applications, emphasis will also be placed on: 

Previous experience with practice-oriented research and/or relevant experience from special needs education in Norwegian kindergarten and/or schools

Personal skills 

We are looking for a motivated and engaged PhD fellow with strong potential for high-quality research. Personal suitability will be emphasized and assessed based on the following qualities:

• Is academically curious, proactive and able to work independently 
• Has good collaboration and communication skills, including the ability to collaborate and be a part of a cross-disciplinary academic community 
• Is structured and goal-oriented in their work  
• Is motivated to improve inclusive practices in Norwegian kindergartens and/or schools 

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

• Salary NOK 550 800 – NOK 594 000 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as PhD Research fellow (position code 1017). From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund 
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities 
• A friendly, interdisciplinary, and international research environment with dedicated colleagues at the Department of Special Needs Education 
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities 

How to apply and what to include in your application

The application must include:

• Cover letter, including statement of motivation and research interests 
• A project description (written in English), including progress plan (5-7 pages). Please see our guidelines 
• CV (summarising education, positions, and academic work) 
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only). Foreign applicants must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system 
• Documentation of English proficiency (for information on required documentation, see information on this webpage) 
• Master’s thesis 
• A complete list of publications and academic works 
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and phone number) 

Incomplete applications will not be assessed.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system Jobbnorge.  

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 documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the project description and the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. Applicants will be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships, Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

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.

The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.