PhD Research Fellowship in governance and crisis preparedness

About the position

Inland School of Business and Social Sciences, The PhD programme Innovation in Services in the Public and Private Sectors (INSEPP),
invites candidates to apply for a 3-year PhD research fellowship, to work with the broad field of crisis preparedness and crisis
management within a framework of governance and organizational innovation. Depending on the department`s needs, and the
candidate`s competence and preferences, the position may be transformed into a four-year position with 25% teaching duties.

The purpose of the PhD Research Fellowship for the admitted candidate is to undergo a research training programme that leads to the
successful completion of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment. The candidate is
expected to participate actively in INSEPP’s activities. After commencement, the candidate must apply for admission to the PhD
programme within three months. An agreement for admission to the PhD programme must be in place within six months after
commencement.

The candidate will be part of the Department of Organisation, Leadership and Management and relevant research groups. In addition
to INSEPP, these environments represent a valuable resource for PhD studies.
The workplace is Campus Lillehammer or Campus Rena.

Contact information:
Associate Professor, Martin S. Time, phone number: +47 400 13 495, e-mail: martin.time@inn.no
Head of PhD programme Marit Engen, phone number: +47 61 28 81 07, e-mail: marit.engen@inn.no

About the project

The topic of this PhD project is the management of cyber resilience and vulnerability towards hybrid threats during prolonged crises and
heightened geopolitical tensions. Illustrations of such vulnerabilities are, but not limited to, telecommunications networks and state-level
digital platforms, which have potentially far-reaching consequences for governance, national security, and public service continuity. The
project is placed within a broader context of innovation, with a particular emphasis on organizational and institutional innovative change
based on the concept of total preparedness. A basic assumption of the project is that crisis conditions can be critical drivers of such
innovation. Empirically, the project employs a comparative case study design, examining Norway’s highly digitized (but) peacetime
context with other more volatile contexts. One relevant context in particular is the Ukraine’s experience of sustained cyber-attacks
related to the war with Russia. Ukraine’s experience since 2022 provides a unique setting for studying cyber resilience under prolonged
crisis, where continuity has been sustained through innovative state practices, expanded roles for private actors, international
partnerships, and reliance on multinational technology providers. The case study will moreover take into account the multi-level
governance aspects of total preparedness, including NATO, the EU, the Nordics, in addition to national levels of governance. The
project is interdisciplinary and opens for a variety of scientific methods being used, such as interviews, surveys, fieldwork and document
analysis.

We are seeking a candidate both with interests in and being highly motivated for doing research related to governance, organization,
international relations and security policies, and for contributing to a collegium of researchers focusing on crisis preparedness and crisis
management.

Qualifications

The appointed candidate must qualify for admission to the university's PhD programme Innovation in Services in the Public and Private
Sectors (INSEPP).

• A master's degree or equivalent education in political science, international relations, comparative politics, public administration and
  public policy or other disciplines relevant to the position.
• The master's degree must normally constitute 120 ECTS credits, including a master's thesis of at least 30 ECTS credits.
• A strong academic background from your previous studies. The average grade should normally be B or better from the master's
  program or equivalent education.

If you have an education from abroad, please attach documentation of recognition of foreign higher education from the Norwegian
Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. If the requested documentation is not possible to obtain within the application deadline, an
equivalent assessment can be made by INN University in connection with the recruitment process.

Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on the applicant's:

• Academic and personal qualifications to complete doctoral education within the employment period.
• Ability to work independently and purposefully, as well as to collaborate on research, publishing and, potentially, teaching
  tasks.
• Being structured and having a high work capacity.
• Demonstrating solid theoretical insight and interest.

In the evaluation and ranking of qualified applicants, emphasis will be placed on:

• The quality of the project proposal
• Documented independent research and development work or experience relevant to the project

It is mandatory to attach a project proposal of 2000 words (see the section on "How to Apply" below).

The assessment of which candidate is best qualified will be a comprehensive evaluation of education, experience, and personal
suitability, as well as motivation and other qualification requirements as formulated in the job advertisement.

The position and associated tasks must be carried out in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations for government employees, including also the Act on Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology, etc. Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, come into conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to take up the position at University of Inland Norway. Necessary approvals must be maintained throughout the employment relationship.

We offer

• An academically stimulating and supportive work environment at a developing institution.
• Possibility of professional development in an exciting academic research environment.
• The position’s salary follows position code 1017 PhD candidate in the state's wage regulations.
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension, with among other things, good pension and insurance schemes

For more information about INN University as an employer, please see here.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0FVnszhpJY

How to apply

Relevant applications will be considered by an expert committee. The application and all attachments are to be submitted electronically
and should include the following:

• The applicant must submit a project proposal with a progress plan (in Norwegian or English, 2000 words) that explains how the
  research work will be carried out and addresses academic relevance, challenges and possibilities within the project. The
  project proposal should also outline the theories and methods intended to be used. The project proposal plays an important
  role in evaluating applicants and must demonstrate how the project will lead to the successful completion of a doctoral degree
  within three/four years. The PhD research fellow hired will, in collaboration with a supervisor, prepare a complete project
  proposal that will form the basis for admission to the PhD program.
• Application letter with a brief overview of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
• CV (summarizing education, job positions, and academic work)
• Certified copies of transcripts and diplomas. An English translation of all education documents is required unless the documents
  are in Norwegian.
• Other work that is relevant for the application
• Names and contact information of at least 2 reference persons.
• A copy of the master thesis (in PDF)

Attachments must be uploaded as separate files. If the attachments exceed 30 MB, they must be compressed prior to upload. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all attachments are uploaded. Documents submitted after expiry of the deadline will not be considered in the evaluation of your application.

General information

INN believes that there is strength in inclusion and diversity. We desire employees with different competencies, professional combinations, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to an even better way of solving problems. We will facilitate for employees who need assitance to realise their goals. Relevant adaptations can be, for example, technical aids, adapting furniture or adjusting routines, work tasks and working hours.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in the CV or immigrant background, we shall call at least one applicant in each of these categories for an interview. In order to be considered as an applicant in these groups, the applicants must meet certain requirements. You can read more on this here: https://arbeidsgiver.difi.no/positivsaerbehandling.

We encourage applicants to tick in Jobbnorge if they have a disability, a gap in their CV or immigrant background. The ticks in the jobseeker portal form the basis for anonymised statistics that all state-owned enterprises report in their annual reports

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.