About the position

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate which opens up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate at the Department of Sociology and Political Science you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

This PhD position in Political Science offers an excellent opportunity for scientific development through designing, conducting, and disseminating research on a contemporary topic. The goal of the PhD. position is to complete doctoral-level education and to complete a doctoral degree.

The position is 4 years, including one year of promotion work such as teaching.

The candidate will be part of the active research group Violence, Institutions and Peace (VIP) at the Department of Sociology and Political Science and be part of a broader international network of researchers working in the intersection of climate change and armed conflict.

For more information about the research group, see Violence, Institutions and Peace (VIP) – Department of Sociology and Political Science – NTNU.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department.

About the project

The position will investigate how responses to climate change, including both mitigation and adaptation efforts, may impact the risk of violent conflict. While the precise focus of the project will be decided in collaboration with the successful candidate, the project might explore how different actors and groups, such as governments, local community organizations and even rebel groups, relate to the increasing number of (aid) projects and global efforts aiming to strengthen vulnerable populations. As the availability of data on climate adaptation and mitigation efforts across initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund and The Global Environment Fund, as well as donors like the World Bank and individual OECD countries, remains limited, the project will likely involve collecting and systematizing data.

Duties of the position

• Develop your own approach to the project and carry out research of high academic quality.
• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate.
• Participate in international activities such as conferences, workshops, PhD courses and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions.
• Be an active participant in the research group Violence, Institutions and Peace (VIP).
• Teaching in relevant study programs at the Department.

The PhD is obliged to conform with the regulations concerning changes and developments within the position, and/or the organizational changes concerning activities at NTNU.

Required selection criteria

To be qualified for this position you must fulfill the following criteria.

• You must have a Master's degree in Political Science or International Relations (or a closely related field). The applicant should normally hold a master’s degree comprising 120 ECTS credits, and the degree should normally include a substantial independent piece of work equivalent to a master’s thesis (minimum 30 ECTS credits). In special cases, the department may approve master’s degrees (minimum 90 ECTS credits) and master’s theses (minimum 18 ECTS credits) of a smaller scope. In such cases, the department will conduct a specific academic assessment. Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• Good quality of the project proposal.
• Experience with quantitative statistical analysis.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme in Social Science.
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Familiarity with software such as R or Python
• Some experience with web scraping
• Good written and oral language skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is also an asset

Personal characteristics

Completing a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) can be demanding. Therefore, you should be able to:

• work independently and structured
• set goals and make plans to reach them,
• creatively approach your subject matter, and
• present and discuss your research, and constructively engage with feedback from colleagues.

A positive and pleasant working environment is important to us. We strive for an atmosphere that is engaging, friendly, and characterized by collaborative relationships between our employees. We are looking for a person who: 

• works from campus and actively participates in social and academic department activities, such as lunch gatherings and weekly research seminars,
• has a cooperative spirit, and
• constructively engages in academic discussions with colleagues and students.

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Working expenses funding that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)  
• If you cannot document skills in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish upon employment NTNU might facilitate so that you can complete relevant Norwegian courses.

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts. 

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,-  per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary. 

The employment period is 4 years including 1 year of career promotion work such as teaching. 

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Social Sciences – specialization Political Science within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. If you have used AI when applying for this position: You must specify in the application in what way AI has been used when writing your application.

The application must include: 

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV
• Copy of Master's thesis. If have not yet submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Project outline containing an overall description of potential research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages)
• A short application letter that specifies your motivation for the position (400 words/1 page)
• Short answers related to the research-related questions that arise when you apply in Jobbnorge
• Possibly publications etc. other relevant research work
• Possibly certificates
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified applicant, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Elisabeth Rosvold, telephone: +47 73 41 27 29, e-mail: elisabeth.l.rosvold@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Advisor Renate Lillian Johansen, e-mail: renate.johansen@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 01.09.2025

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 
 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality. 

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Sociology and Political Science

We conduct research, teaching and dissemination in sociology, political science, media, communication and information technology, and sport sciences. The Department offers five-year master’s programmes in teacher education (lektorutdanning) in social sciences as well as in physical education and sports. As a social science department we have a special obligation to contribute to the public debate on important social issues. The Department of Sociology and Political Science is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences.