PhD Research Fellow in Political Science - Norway and the EU

About the position 

ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo invites applications for a position as PhD Research Fellow (SKO 1017) in political science or another relevant social science discipline. The position is for a period of three years, with no teaching or other required duties. 

The place of work is ARENA Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo.

ARENA is an interdisciplinary research centre at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo. Since 1994, the centre has studied political, security, economic, legal and social integration, transformation and cooperation in Europe. ARENA has extensive experience in coordinating international research projects and networks funded by European and Norwegian institutions. 

The centre has around 30 academic and four administrative staff. More information about ARENA is available here.

More about the position 

Europe is being reshaped by war, geopolitical rivalry and a renewed enlargement agenda. As the EU's rules and decisions reach further beyond its borders, Norway faces key questions about alignment, influence and democratic control. Norway is one of the most closely integrated non-member states. That makes it an important case for understanding what it means to be part of European integration without being a member of the Union.

ARENA is looking for a PhD Research Fellow who wants to write a dissertation on Norway's relationship with the EU. The successful candidate will develop and carry out their own doctoral project in a research environment with long experience of studying European integration and its consequences for countries both inside and outside the Union.

We expect theoretically informed empirical studies and particularly welcome projects that take a comparative approach, but single-case studies of Norway are also welcome. Examples of comparisons could include comparing and contrasting Norway with other associated or third countries (such as Iceland, Switzerland or the United Kingdom), EU member states or candidate countries. Comparisons across policy areas are also welcome. We are open to a range of theoretical and methodological approaches.

Relevant research areas could include, but are not limited to:

• Norway's association model: Projects could for example address how the EEA Agreement and Norway's many other agreements with the EU shape Norwegian politics, public administration and regulation, or how they compare with those of comparable EU member or affiliated states. Projects could look at Norway's room for manoeuvre and influence vis-à-vis the EU, at questions of democratic legitimacy and control, or at how the association model is evolving as the EU changes. 
• Justice and home affairs: Projects could for example address Norway's participation in Schengen, European migration and asylum policy, border management, or police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. Projects could study how EU developments in these fields affect Norwegian policies, institutions and societal security, possibly compared with other associated or member countries.

We are looking for candidates with interesting and relevant research ideas, strong theoretical and analytical skills, and solid methodological competence. The project proposal should combine clear theoretical and empirical ambitions with a realistic and feasible research design.

Responsibilities

The appointment as a PhD Research Fellow at ARENA is for a period of three years, with no compulsory duties. As a fellow, you will be based at ARENA Centre for European Studies’ premises in Gaustadalléen, Oslo. Presence at the unit is a requirement. 

You will be admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo.

This is a full-time position commencing in the winter or spring of 2027. You will have access to office space, equipment, and services, as well as resources for fieldwork and conference participation as needed.

What skills are important in this role?

Required selection criteria 

• The position requires a completed master's degree equivalent to a two-year programme (120 ECTS credits) within the social sciences, approved by the faculty as a basis for admission.
• Grades placing the candidate in the top tier of the field (this also applies to the master's thesis)
• The master's degree must include relevant training in research design and methodology
• The master's thesis must correspond to a minimum workload of six months, i.e., 30 ECTS credits

• Excellent oral and written English proficiency is required

  ARENA’s working language is English, and therefore, fluency in oral and written English is required. As Norway’s relationship with the EU is central to the position, Norwegian sources will be important, making good proficiency in Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) an advantage.

Personal suitability

• You must be able to work independently and in a structured manner.
• You should possess good collaborative skills and demonstrate the ability, willingness, and commitment to contribute to the development of the research field.

• You should be able to take initiative and wish to participate actively in an international and interdisciplinary research team.

  Appointment as a research fellow requires admission to a doctoral programme, or a binding agreement regarding admission. 

  Application for admission to a PhD programme must normally be submitted within three months of the start of the research project leading to the PhD degree.
   

Basis for assessment

In the assessment of candidates, particular emphasis will be placed on:

(1) the quality and relevance of the project proposal

(2) academic qualifications (transcripts must be attached)

(3) the master's thesis and any other published work

(4) references.

Personal qualities and motivation will be taken into consideration.

Potential candidates will be invited to an interview.

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 provide appropriate accommodations should you need them. 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, 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 can offer you 

• Salary in positon as Research Fellow (job code 1017) in the range of NOK 550 800 to NOK 630 000, depending on qualifications and experience. A statutory two per cent deduction is made from the salary for the mandatory contribution to the State Pension Fund.
• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organisation with an important societal mission
• An academically stimulating international research environment
• A pleasant and stimulating work environment
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours. 
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Application

Your application should include:

• Cover letter (maximum 1 000 words, approx. two pages), containing: a brief description of yourself, a brief description of your qualifications and relevant experience, a brief description of your planned research project, a brief explanation of why ARENA is of interest to you
• CV (please note that the duration from admission to completion of your master's programme must be specified)
• Project description (maximum 2 500 words, approx. six pages excluding the reference list), containing: your research interests, knowledge of previous research in the relevant field, evidence of your ability to formulate scientific research questions, specification of the relevant research design and methodology.
• Academic transcripts
• Up to two writing samples (e.g., master's thesis or published articles). Please note that there is no specific upload field for such documents in the application portal. These must therefore be uploaded as a separate attachment.
• List of publications

• Contact information for 2–3 references

  Your CV must be entered into the Jobbnorge CV form; it cannot simply be submitted as an attachment. This procedure ensures correct documentation and record-keeping in accordance with Section 15 of the Regulations to the Public Administration Act.

  The application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system, Jobbnorge; click “Apply for the position”. 

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 documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Contact information

For further information regarding the position please contact

Centre Director: Pernille Rieker,  ARENA

General information

Please note that we are unable to add documentation after the application deadline. As the deadline applies equally to all applicants, this policy ensures equal treatment throughout the recruitment process. If you experience difficulties uploading documents in Jobbnorge, please contact their customer service: Phone: +47 75 54 22 20 or Email: support@grade.com 

The primary method of communication throughout the process will be e-mails and messages through the recruitment system Jobbnorge. When you receive a notification of a message in Jobbnorge, please log in to read it, as it may be important.

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 cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to recruitment positions at UiO 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 to secure the rights to all research results and related intellectual property.