Job description

One PhD research fellowship (SKO 1017) in Innovation studies is available at the TIK Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture.

The position forms a part of the Norwegian Research Council funded research project AIP – «Artificial Intelligence: Growth, Inequalities and Public Policies». The position is for three years, with a possibility of extension for teaching activities accordingly up until a maximum of 4 years.

About the project

The AIP project investigates the economic effects of artificial intelligence (AI). Some expect that AI will lead to positive impacts in terms of innovation, productivity and economic growth. Others point to possible economic harms such as technological unemployment, increasing market concentration and exacerbation of income inequalities. Public policies will have a crucial role to shape the direction and extent of these effects. 

The project will investigate the trade-off between growth and inequality effects of AI, and analyze how public policies for AI should be designed in order to take this trade-off into account. 

Professor Fulvio Castellacci at the TIK Centre is the PI of the project.

More about the position

The PhD fellow will contribute to the AIP project by focusing on one (or more) of these research themes: (1) factors affecting AI adoption in firms; (2) effects of adoption of AI on firms’ innovation, productivity and economic growth; (3) labor market impacts of AI; (4) effects on market concentration and income inequalities.

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria 

Applicants will be assessed on the quality and relevance of the project proposal, their academic grades and their academic experience and personal skills to carry out the project. The hiring process will include an interview.

• Applicants must hold a two-year Master’s degree (or equivalent qualifications) and meet the formal requirements for admittance to the Faculty of Social Sciences’ PhD program.
• The Master’s degree must be of high quality (grade A or B) and within a specialization of relevance to the economics of innovation and/or the economics of ICTs / AI. 
• Applicants must document experience with and/or a well-described interest in the field of economics of innovation and the economics of ICTs / AI.
• Experience with one or more of the following empirical research methods will be considered an advantage: applied microeconometrics and causal inference; machine learning and data science. 
• Experience with one or more of the following computing skills will be considered an advantage: Natural Language Processing and LLMs; R; Python.
• Applicants must be fluent in English. Applicants who have completed their education outside of the EU/EEA-area and who do not have English as a native language, must document language skills:
  • TOEFL, with a minimum result of 550 on the Paper-based Test (PBT), or 80 on the Internet-Based Test (iBT) OR
  • IELTS, with the result 6.0.

Please see Admission requirements for exemptions from language criteria.

• Non-Norwegian speakers hired after 1.8.2025 will be required to take Norwegian language courses (15 ECTS at A2 level)
• The successful candidate is expected to take active part in activities like seminars and workshops at TIK. Residency in or close to Oslo is therefore expected.

We offer

• Salary NOK 537.000 - 580.000 per annum, depending on qualifications.
• An academically stimulating working environment
• Attractive welfare benefits including excellent benefits for families (kindergarten, paid paternal/maternal leave etc) and a generous pension agreement.
• In addition, Oslo offers a family-friendly environment with rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities in its immediate surroundings.

How to apply

The application should be written in English and must include:

• Application letter (1-2 pages). Please describe your motivation for applying for a PhD and explain how your background, research and experience are relevant to the AIP research project. Indicate which of the qualification requirements you meet. 
• Project proposal. 5 pages. The proposal should address how you would approach the project within your chosen research theme conceptually and methodologically and its relationship to your current experience. Please include a timeline of suggested activities.
• 3-page CV summarizing education, positions, research experience, and other activities. The period of enrolment (admission-completion) in the master's study program must be specified.
• A complete list of publications (if relevant).
• Academic diplomas and grade transcripts (university degrees only). 
• List of 2 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number). Please note that references will only be contacted for candidates invited to interview.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university's grading system. Please note that all documents must be in English (or a Scandinavian language in the case of transcripts; the application materials should be in English).

The final hiring decision is the responsibility of the centre’s board and will be based on an evaluation of the overall qualifications of the shortlisted candidates as well as the centre’s needs.

Contact persons

• Professor Fulvio Castellacci
• Head of Administration Inger Johanne Ullern

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

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.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

General information

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 post doctoral and research posts at UiO (Norwegian) 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 that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.