Job description

Applications are invited for a three- to four-year fulltime position as PhD Research Fellow at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway. The position has a double affiliation with the Centre for Research on Equality in Education (CREATE) and the Centre for Educational Measurement (CEMO).

CREATE is an interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence funded by the Research Council of Norway with the objective to generate novel knowledge about how to reduce inequalities in education. The interdisciplinary center integrates researchers with substantive expertise from education, psychology, sociology, economics, and genetics, and methodological expertise from educational measurement, psychometrics, econometrics, statistics, and biostatistics. The PhD fellowship is affiliated with CREATE’s research strand 3 «Addressing key methodological challenges».  

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.

More about the position

The position is tied to CREATE’s strand 3. Strand 3 aims to develop novel methods and statistical software that are tailor-made to the research questions and data of CREATE. 

The successful candidate will conduct advanced methodological and psychometric research. Potential topics include addressing measurement quality issues related to respondent non-compliance in ecological momentary assessment, or exploring the use of machine learning techniques to aid the estimation of item response theory (IRT) models in small samples.

The ideal candidate has prior knowledge of IRT models, a basic understanding of common estimation methods, and strong programming skills in R, Python, or another relevant computing language. Experience with machine learning methods is a plus.

The research fellow must take part in the faculty’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. For more information, please see our web site: https://www.uv.uio.no/forskning/phd/

If there is a good match between the candidate’s competence and the teaching needs, 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 at Centre for Educational Measurement – CEMO.

For more information about CREATE and the position, please contact Associate Prof. Esther Ulitzsch (CREATE & CEMO; [email protected]).

Qualification requirements

Applicants must satisfy the requirements for admission to the faculty´s PhD programme. This normally includes:

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Psychology, Educational Measurement, Statistics or other relevant fields
• 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
• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade C (ECTS grading scale)
• 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 senior adviser Anne Line Bjarke, e-mail. [email protected] no later than June 21th
• Advanced quantitative research skills
• Familiarity with R, Python, or another relevant computing language
• 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 CREATE
• Familiarity with item response theory models
• Familiarity with machine learning methods

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 PhD Research Fellow, (position code 1017)
• An interdisciplinary and international work environment, recognized as a Centre of Excellence
• 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 and what to include in your application

The application must include:

• Cover letter, including statement of motivation and research interests
• A project description, including progress plan (5-7 pages). 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.
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work)
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only). Foreign applicants must attach an explanation of their grading system
• Documentation of English proficiency (for information on required documentation, see information on this webpage)
• Master 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
• A complete list of publications and academic works, if any
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references, incl. the supervisor of the Master’s thesis  (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and phone number)

Incomplete applications will not be assessed.

Please note that all documents should 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”. 

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.