Energy Transition in Oil-Exporting Countries: Discourses on the Green Shift and Climate Change in Norway and the Gulf (Oil in Transition)

Job description

A Researcher Position (SKO 1109), is available at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo.

The position is associated with the project “Energy Transition in Oil-Exporting Countries: Discourses on the Green Shift and Climate Change in Norway and the Gulf (Oil in Transition)”.

The successful candidate will apply with a project that explores how relevant actors in oil-exporting countries in the Gulf (such as governments, businesses, research institutions, or civil society groups) respond to the prospect of a transition – locally and globally – towards renewable sources of energy, and how they seek to build support for measures necessary to respond to a global green shift as well as a changing climate. Furthermore, the project should offer comparisons between green shift discourses in the Gulf on the one hand and in Norway on the other.

The candidate’s project must fit within the “Oil in Transition”-project, a full description of which is available upon request (contact Professor Brynjar Lia).

The position is available for a period of 2 years and does not involve any teaching responsibilities. It is fully funded by UiO:Energy, which focuses on advancing new ways of using energy to reduce global climate change and environmental challenges. The project group will intitiate and seek financing for a more extensive follow-up project of which the successful candidate may be a part. The candidate will thus be included in the research environment of the department and contribute to its development.

Qualification requirements

• PhD or equivalent academic qualifications in relevant disciplines in the humanities or social sciences, with a specialization in Middle East area studies relevant for the project. Background in environmental and /or climate change research is an advantage, but not a necessary requirement.
• The candidate's research project must be closely connected to the “Oil in Transition”-project and should as far as possible adhere closely to the project’s overall goals.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English; fluency in understanding and working with Arabic and Norwegian written and oral material.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
• Applicants early in their research career may be given priority

The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.

In the evaluation of the applications, emphasis will be placed on:

• The project’s scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation.
• The applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to carry out the project within the allotted time frame and to contribute to the “Oil in Transition”-project.
• Good co-operative skills, and the ability to successfully join in academic collaboration within and across disciplines.

We offer

• Salary NOK 523 200–605 500 per annum depending on qualifications
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Attractive welfare benefits

How to apply

The application must include

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
• Curriculum Vitae with grades listed (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities).
• List of publications.
• Project description (3–5 pages). The project description must present a feasible progress plan. It is expected that the applicant will be able to complete the project during the period of appointment.
• Relevant academic works (max. 5) that the applicant wishes to be considered.

Diplomas, certificates, doctoral thesis and other academic works may be requested later.

Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system; please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Applicants who received their education at a university outside Norway must attach an explanation of their university’s grading system.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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 University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contact information

For questions about the position:

• Professor Brynjar Lia

For questions about how to apply:

• HR-Adviser Hilde Kristine Sletner

Apply for this job