About the position
We are offering one PhD position in political science. We invite applications from excellent candidates in all sub-fields of political science, including public policy and administration, comparative politics, political theory, international relations and research methods.
The appointment is for a fixed, non-tenured term of 3 years. The position may also include other career-enhancing activities: depending on the candidate’s competence and the teaching needs of the department, the fellowship period can be extended up to four years for qualification work consisting of e.g. teaching duties. The department teaches in all the sub-fields mentioned above.
The successful candidate will be part of the Faculty’s PhD programme. The work is expected to lead to a PhD in political science.
To promote a strategic career path, all PhD fellows are expected to submit a career development plan, specifying career goals and the competencies that the PhD fellow should acquire, no later than one month after commencement of the fellowship period. The department is responsible for ensuring that the plan is followed up and that the PhD fellow has access to career guidance throughout the duration of the fellowship.
Qualification requirements
Formal qualifications
- Education equivalent to five years at university level in Norway, including a two years (120 ECTS) Master’s degree in a relevant field, with an MA thesis equivalent to at least half a year’s workload, i.e. 30 ECTS.
- The Master’s degree must include relevant education in research methods.
Other qualifications
- Applicants must have a very good to excellent command of English (written and oral).
The evaluation of applicants is based on documented, academic qualifications and the research proposal. During the initial screening phase, a strong emphasis is placed on formal qualifications and academic grades, where top-tier grades and a highly commendable MA thesis are generally prerequisites for shortlisting. The quality of the proposal will be an important part of the assessment of the shortlisted applicants in particular. Personal suitability and motivation are also considered.
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues — could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.
More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found
here.We offer
- Salary according to “SKO 1017 PhD Fellow”, NOK 550 800 - 595 000 per year per year
- Personal research funds (currently NOK 35,000 per year)
- A stimulating and international research environment with multiple research groups and seminar series
- A friendly and inclusive workplace allowing for a good work-life balance
- Attractive UiO welfare benefits
- Access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare (including the university’s kindergartens)
- Norway’s capital with its rich cultural life and easy access to beautiful nature
- Introduction course for PhD Fellows: Teaching as a PhD candidate
- Annual career development conversation based on the submitted career plan.
- Various courses and workshops supporting career development (e.g., on dissemination and presentation skills, op-ed writing, and stress-management).
- Financial and practical support for international staff moving to Norway (international staff may also benefit from tax cuts in their first years)
How to apply
The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system. Please follow the link “apply for this job”.
The online application must include the following items, which are to be submitted before the deadline (all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language):
- A cover letter (maximum 2 pages), including a statement of motivation
- A research proposal (maximum 3,000 words including all references and footnotes - a word count must be provided on the front page). The proposal should clearly state the main research question(s) and explain how the research will contribute to existing literature. It should also be specified whether the applicant plans an article-based dissertation or a monograph, and outlines of articles/chapters should be provided. Further, the proposal must contain a detailed account of the theoretical approach and the methodology that will be applied, as well as a realistic timeline.
- A CV summarising education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities. Career breaks, including parental leave, that are noted in the CV will be taken into consideration when evaluating applicants’ academic record.
- Copy of Master’s thesis (in English or in a Scandinavian language).
- Copies of transcripts: All applicants must submit their Master’s degree diploma and transcript(s), preferably together with a class distribution of grades. The transcript must specify the grade achieved for the Master’s thesis
- Official explanation of the grading and credit system at your university (foreign applicants)
- Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relationship to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letters are not needed
The application deadline is September 1, 2026. The screening and evaluation of candidates will begin immediately. The most promising candidates will be invited for interviews. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer being made, to take 3–4 months, depending on the number of applications. The expected start date is January 2027 but is subject to negotiations.
Formal regulations
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 see the regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of postdoctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident - University of Oslo (uio.no) (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/regulations-employment-conditions-postdoc.html)
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 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.