Postdoctoral position in the research project “Health, education and labour market integration in refugees (HEaL)"

We invite applications for a 3-year postdoctoral position at the “Section for Trauma, Disasters, and Forced Migration -- Adults" at the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS) based in Oslo, Norway. The position will be available from Fall 2025 (starting date based on agreement), and is a 100%, non-remote position (though with a possibility for home office on selected days).

NKVTS aims to assist those affected by violence and trauma. The center operates on an international level, developing knowledge and advancing academic research. Through our research efforts, we inform and report on best practices for practitioners and contribute to the academic field of violence and traumatic stress. Our goal is to prevent and mitigate the health and social consequences of violence and trauma.

The position is primarily linked to the “HEaL” (Health, education and labour market integration in refugees) project, funded by the Research Council of Norway. This project aims to study the long-term labour market integration of Syrian refugees arriving in Norway between 2015 and 2017. We have Norwegian registry data on the refugees’ demographic background, labour market participation and health service use available for the entire study group (N= 14,200) and a Norwegian control population (n= 10,000). Furthermore, we have collected detailed questionnaire data from a subsample of refugees (n= 902) on their pre- and peri-flight trauma exposures, post-migration stressors, health and well-being (conducted in 2018/2019). All data can be linked at the individual level. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to be a key contributor to a work package studying the effects of psychosocial stressors on refugees’ labour market outcomes. Furthermore, they will be expected to develop additional research papers based on their own research interests and to contribute to potential future grant applications.

Key tasks/Duties

• Collaborate on research; priorities will be set in communication with the project leader according to the HEaL grant aims and the candidates’ research interests.

• Curate and analyse administrative and questionnaire data.

• Write and publish papers in international, peer-reviewed journals.

• Contribute to planned research grant proposals.

Qualification requirements

Personal suitability will be given significant consideration in the selection process.

Essential qualifications

• Completed (or near-completed) Ph.D. in economics, statistics or a related quantitative discipline by the start of the position, preferably with a focus on health-related issues.

• Demonstrated training or experience with using econometric methods (e.g., differences-in-difference, regression discontinuity, instrumental variables, fixed effects for panel data, matching estimators, or machine learning) or other advanced statistical modelling.

• Advanced programming skills in Stata, R, Python or a similar software.

• Strong academic background with publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

Advantageous

• Experience working with large (administrative) datasets.

• Strong enthusiasm for conducting high-quality research. The candidate is expected to show a high level of initiative, motivation and independence for research and writing.

• International experience and networks are of strong advantage.

• Experience working in interdisciplinary teams.

• Experience with or openness to pre-registering planned analyses.

• Previous experience working with refugees or other vulnerable populations or unemployment data.

• Excellent command of both oral and written English. Openness to learning Norwegian is a plus.

What can we offer?

• Active participation in a young and dynamic research group with a good working environment and a unique dataset.

• Some freedom for the postdoc to develop their own research profile.

• An exciting research environment with a multidisciplinary profile, a strong international network and excellent opportunities for academic development.

• Potentially opportunities for international research visits through scholarships provided by the Research Council of Norway.

• Flexibility in how you structure your work tasks

• Employees are offered the opportunity to participate in physical exercise during working hours, as part of the company’s commitment to promoting health and well-being.

How to apply

We ask interested candidates to submit the following documents. Applications that do not include all the requested documents will not be considered.

• A concise application letter (1-2 pages) explaining why you are a suitable candidate for this position

• Curriculum vitae

• List of publications, including a brief description of up to 5 key publications

• Academic records for BSc, MSc and PhD degrees. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university’s grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

Step-by-Step Guide for Using the Application Portal (for non-Norwegian applicants):

Since the application platform is in Norwegian, please follow these step-by-step instructions to submit your application:

1. Click on the blue button labeled “Søk her” (meaning "Apply here") on the right-hand side of the advert, just below the listed contact persons.

2. Fill in your contact details: First name, last name, email address, and phone number.

3. Under the section “CV”, click “Last opp eget dokument” (which means "Upload your own document") to upload your CV.

4. Under “Søknadstekst” (application text), again click “Last opp eget dokument” to upload your letter of motivation.

Please note: Even though the field is marked as “valgfritt” (optional), the motivation letter is required for this position.

1. In the section “Andre dokumenter” (“other documents”), upload any additional required documents as specified in the job posting.

2. Once all documents are uploaded, click “Søk på stillingen” (“apply for the job”).

A confirmation message will appear --- please confirm to complete your submission.

If you experience any difficulties during the process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.