About the position

ARENA Centre for European Studies is an interdisciplinary research center at the University of Oslo. The center is a national focal point for research on political integration in Europe and one of the leading centers in this field internationally. ARENA coordinates and participates in several international research networks and projects financed by the Norwegian Research Council and the EU's Horizon Europe program and is primarily externally funded.

The center is a basic unit under the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Oslo and has its own board, led by a center director. ARENA currently has a scientific staff of 26 people, including doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows, as well as four administrative staff. The staff is international, and English is used as the working language. ARENA is interdisciplinary, but with a clear emphasis on political science disciplines.

At the ARENA Centre for European Studies, there is now a vacant position for a researcher SKO 1109/senior researcher 1183 in European Studies. We are looking for candidates for a permanent, externally financed position as a senior researcher (SKO 1183) or researcher (SKO 1109) in European Studies, including political science, sociology, economics, or other relevant social science disciplines.

The position is advertised as permanent with the precondition of further external funding.

Job responsibilities - we are looking for a reseacher/senior reseacher who wants to work with the following:

• You will work as a researcher on two ongoing projects at ARENA, RECLAIM, researching fake news and its effects on both journalism and politics, and REDIRECT, researching the state of representative democracy both at the national and European levels. 
• You will publish high-quality research on political integration in Europe for an international academic audience. 
• You have the motivation and interest to disseminate research results to a broad audience. 
• You are willing to contribute to ARENA's ongoing research and develop your own research agenda in European Studies and develop new research projects financed by European and Norwegian research funders.

Qualification requirements

We are looking for a researcher/senior researcher with a strong sense of responsibility for meeting deadlines, good project implementation skills, and the ability to handle multiple projects in different phases simultaneously.

• For the senior researcher position SKO 1183, you must meet the criteria equivalent to professorial competence (only academic merits), in the social science disciplines. 
• For the researcher position SKO 1109, you must have a PhD in political science or other relevant social science disciplines. 
• Relevant experience with grant work and project work. 
• Good written and oral communication skills in a Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish). 
• Good written and oral English skills. 

Desirable requirements:

•  Documented ability to obtain external funding. 

It is important for ARENA to have a presence at work. Therefore, it is preferred that you are residing in Oslo or the surrounding area.

Personal qualities - We envision that you:

• Are good at building relationships across disciplinary orientations and personnel groups. 
• Are creative and resourceful. 
• Are results-oriented. 
• Have a broad professional network.

In addition, great emphasis is placed on personal suitability in terms of good collaboration skills and motivation to actively contribute to a good working environment.

We offer

• For employment in the senior researcher position SKO 1183, the candidate will be assessed within a salary range of NOK 759,100 - 966,300, depending on qualifications and competence. 
• For employment in the researcher position SKO 1109, the candidate will be assessed within a salary range of NOK 635,400 - 821,100, depending on qualifications and competence. 
• A pleasant, intellectually stimulating, and international working environment. 
• Solid administrative support with extensive experience in external funding. 
• Good work-life balance, as well as access to generous parental leave arrangements and affordable and accessible childcare. 
• Good pension scheme and favorable loans in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 
• Good welfare arrangements. 
• Research activity funding. 
• Oslo city: a unique blend of vibrant urban life and beautiful nature with ample opportunities for cultural and outdoor activities.

How to apply

The application must include:

1. A cover letter (max 1000 words, approximately two pages). The letter should include the following, in this order: a) A brief introduction of yourself. b) A brief presentation of your qualifications. c) A brief presentation of your research plans. d) A brief explanation of why you are interested in working at ARENA.
2. An overview of your proposed research agenda in the short, medium, and long term. Max 2500 words (approximately six pages) excluding bibliography.
3. A CV summarizing education, previous employment, research experience, administrative experience, and other qualifications.
4. Documentation related to other qualifications, including experience with project work and obtaining external funding.
5. A complete list of publications with copies of what you consider your three most important publications. These three publications should be attached as separate attachments.
6. Copies of relevant certificates (only transcripts from university degrees).
7. Names and contact information for two references (name, relationship to you, email, and phone number). Please do not submit any recommendation letters until we contact you and request them.

A panel of experts will be used to evaluate the submitted works and will also conduct interviews with selected candidates in the hiring process. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The application with attachments must be submitted via our online recruitment system in Jobbnorge. Please click on "Apply for the position". The application deadline is August 5th 2024.

We seek employment to start as soon as possible.

Formal regulations

Please refer to the Rules for Appointments to Professorships and Associate Professorships at the University of Oslo, the Guide for Applicants and Members of the Assessment Committee. 

Guide for applicants for Professor and Associate professor positions - University of Oslo (uio.no) (only academic merits for this position).

Pursuant to section 25(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, information concerning the applicant may be made public, even if the applicant has requested not to appear on the list of applicants.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all 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.