PhD Research Fellowship in “Educational Measurement”

Job Description

Applications are invited for a full-time (100%), three- to four-year position as a PhD Research Fellow at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway. 

The position is affiliated with the Centre for Educational Measurement at the University Oslo (CEMO) and will also be associated with the Centre for Research on Equality in Education (CREATE).

CEMO provides a stimulating research environment by bringing internationally renowned substantive and methodological experts together. Research at CEMO combines basic research and applications of advanced measurement techniques to solve core educational problems.

CEMO also contributes to the development of measurement competence through teaching and outreach and offers a Master of Science program in Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation. For more information about CEMO, please see this website.

More about the position 

More about the position

The successful candidate will combine methodological and substantive research. Potential methodological topics focus on meta-analyses and the analysis of large-scale assessment data:

• Methods and approaches to synthesize large data sets via meta-analyses (e.g., meta-analyses of large-scale assessment data, meta-analyses of meta-analyses)
• Methods and approaches to cumulative, living, and community-augmented meta-analyses
• Methods and approaches to include machine learning and artificial intelligence in meta-analyses

Potential substantive topics in which these methods and approaches could be applied and illustrated include but are not limited to issues related to educational equality:

• Digital divides and inequalities (e.g., inequalities in digital access and skills, links to social inequalities)
• Intersectionality, that is, overlapping social identities and their combined impact on educational outcomes

We welcome applications of candidates with a strong background in educational, sociological, economic, or psychological research, assessment, measurement, and evaluation.

The PhD fellow will be enrolled in the PhD program of the Faculty of Educational Sciences and is required to take 30 credits of coursework. The research fellow is expected to complete the PhD degree within the fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information about the PhD program, please see our web site.

If there is a good match between the candidate’s competence and the teaching needs at the Centre, the position may be extended to 4 years, 25% of which is devoted to required duties, usually in the form of teaching activities and supervision. For this position, the teaching activities will primarily be part of the Master’s program Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation.

Qualification requirements

• 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.
• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Psychology, Educational Measurement, Statistics or other relevant fields. 
• 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 thesis must have been graded with a minimum grade B.
• Applicants who have submitted their MA thesis for evaluation are eligible to apply even if they have not yet received their final grade and diploma. The thesis and a confirmation that the thesis has been submitted for evaluation should in this case be included with the application. Applicants will be fully considered for this position, once the Master thesis has been graded. The final diploma with the grades must be sent to the contact person no later than June 20th.
• Advanced quantitative research skills
• Familiarity with the statistical programming language R
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

The following qualifications are not required but will give applicants an advantage

• The quality of the project description and the research topic’s relevance to the above-described research areas
• Familiarity with analyzing large-scale assessment data, such as ICILS, PISA, or PIAAC data
• Familiarity with research syntheses, such as systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Personal skills

• A collaborative, friendly, and team-oriented style of work 
• Ability to join interdisciplinary academic communities
• Creativity and ability to work independently 
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position

We offer

• Salary NOK 537 000 – 580 000 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as a PhD Research fellow (position code 1017)
• An interdisciplinary and international work environment
• 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

How to apply

The application must include

• A cover letter, including a statement of motivation and research interests 
• A project description of 5-7 pages, including progress plan. Please see our guidelines 
  • Choose one of the two topics mentioned above and motivate your interest
  • Situate the research field in your chosen research topic by identifying what you consider to be three key references
  • Identify a potential research question and suggest a methodological approach and study design to pursue this question.
  • Include a tentative progress plan for the PhD including coursework you would benefit from.
• A curriculum vitae (summarizing education, positions, academic work, etc.)
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only). Applicants who have obtained their degree(s) outside of Norway must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system.
• A complete list of publications and academic work, if any
• Master’s thesis, and in case the thesis has not yet been graded a confirmation from the relevant university that it has been submitted for evaluation must be included
• Documentation of English proficiency (for information on required documentation, see information on this webpage)
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references, incl. the supervisor of the Master’s thesis (names, relations to the applicant, e-mail address, and phone number)

 

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link: “Apply for this job”. 

Incomplete applications will not be assessed. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language). Foreign applicants must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system.

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 may be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo. 

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

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

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.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

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

General information

The best qualified candidates will 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 can't, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

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