Postdoc Researcher: Aesthetics of Access. Disability as Critical Methodology in Arts & Education

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At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

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About the position

Are you ready to take your research career to the next level? Positioned within the research group How to do things with disability (DOABLE) at the Department for Teacher Education we offer an exciting 3-year postdoctoral position to a researcher within the arts and education with a clear profile on aesthetics of access and disability as critical methodology.

The purpose of a postdoctoral position is to build up a researcher profile that qualifies to apply for a position as associate professor. The position may also offer additional skills that are relevant to the postdoctoral researcher’s future career. Apply for this position to become part of our research environment and take the next step in your career with us.

About the project 

This postdoctoral position is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping disability-affirmative innovation within arts and arts education. It is connected to the international and active research group DOABLE which asks how disability can do things: change arts and education towards a place where difference is seen as valuable, open spaces of equity, and inspire brave non-ableist participatory designs.

The post doc will contribute to this goal by specifically focusing on how disability as critical methodology can challenge and reshape ableist quality criteria in arts and arts education, and in doing so contribute to the development of an aesthetics of access. Relevant ongoing practices to explore – locally in Trondheim and internationally – might include creative application of the Relaxed Performance principles, development of audio description and guidelines for broader visual accessibility, or other artistic and/or arts educational practices that center access and inclusion as creative motors for the arts. Key theoretical and methodological concepts to explore in practice and partnerships between arts organisations, educational institutions and academia include disability-affirmative innovation, inclusive co-design, access as quality criteria, interdependence, and radical allyship. The post doc will also contribute to methodological development across a spectrum of arts-based, artistic, qualitative, and/or postqualitative approaches to inquiry.

The successful candidate is expected to develop a project that contributes to advancing aesthetics of access within these frames, and to deliver a clear project description as part of the application.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Section for Arts, Physical Education and Sports.

Project leader for the Post Doc position will be Professor Tone Pernille Østern.

Duties of the position

• Carry out high-quality research across a variety of arts-based, artistic, qualitative, and/or postqualitative approaches to inquiry
• Strengthen collaboration between disability-led and disability-affirmative arts and arts-education organisations and academia.
• Actively participate in the research group How to do things with disability (DOABLE).
• Produce academic publications and public dissemination.
• Contribute to applications for external research funding.
• Participate in international activities such as conferences, workshops, and/or research stays.
• Teach and mentor students, particularly in disability-affirmative methodologies.
• Contribute to the development of the section Arts, Physical Education and Sports, particularly from the perspective of disability-affirmative methodologies in arts and education.
• If you do not have pedagogical basic competence, NTNU's 200 hours program will be included in the duties of the position.

Required selection criteria

• You must have completed an artistic or academic doctoral degree in arts, arts education or another relevant field with a focus of clear relevance for disability-affirmative innovation within arts and arts education.
• If you are in the final phase of your doctorate and can document that the thesis has been submitted or that the defense date has been confirmed, your application can be considered even if you have not defended. NOTE: Documentation of the obtained doctorate must be presented before you can take up the position.
• Documented research methodological expertise across a variety of arts-based, artistic, qualitative, and/or postqualitative approaches to inquiry.
• Documented artistic, arts educational, and/or academic experience with disability-affirmative practice, research and innovative public dissemination.
• A research plan of 3-5 pages that shows an innovative and feasible project to be carried out in accordance with the frames outlined in "About the position" 
• Very good oral and written presentation skills in English (level B2).

If you do not already have educational competence that meets the requirements to apply for a position as Associate Professor in Norway, NTNU will arrange for you to acquire such competence during the employment period. In such cases, you will also be assigned relevant teaching as part of the career-promoting work.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• Established strong international network with disability-led and/or disability-affirmative artistic, arts educational, and/or academic institutions.
• Artistic portfolio of relevance for the position.
• Good skills with innovative assistive technologies and multimedia platforms that can enhance disability-affirmative dissemination and impact.
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian/Scandinavian languages.

Personal characteristics

Working as a Postdoctoral Researcher in this position requires that you demonstrate

• Ability to work both individually and collaboratively and contribute to shared learning environments in arts and arts education.
• A reflective and relational approach to research in arts and education, including openness to feedback and co-creation.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and disability-affirmative perspectives within the arts and arts education.
• Interest in situated, context-sensitive research, including engagement with local communities and minoritized perspectives.
• Flexibility and openness to diverse methodological approaches and evolving research processes within arts and arts education research.

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer 

• An exciting job with an important social mission
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment.
• A budget of 80.000 NOK that can be used for operating costs during the 3 years.
• Career guidance throughout the postdoctoral program and, together with you, we will prepare a career plan with the skills and knowledge you will acquire  
• Open, interdisciplinary, and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues.
• Favorable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

As a Postdoctoral Fellow at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

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, disability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 633 400,- per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years, including career promotion work such as the 200-hour program for pedagogical basic competence and teaching and mentoring duties.

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

For the necessary professional 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 arts-based and/or artistic, and academic work, must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/Scandinavian languages 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.

The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. It will not be possible to send any attachments after submission of the application. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified paper copies of the certificates and diplomas you have already submitted with the electronical application, upon request.

The application must include:

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's-, Master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or confirmation that your PhD thesis has been submitted. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, you can attach a draft of the thesis.
• CV
• Published artistic and/or academic works (up to 10 items).
• Name and contact information of three referees.
• A research plan. Applicants should submit a research plan of 3-5 pages outlining a proposed project aligned with the overall aims of the position. The plan must include:
  • A short description of the focus, aims, and guiding questions of the project
  • Reflections on its relevance and contribution to arts and arts education
  • An outline of the theoretical and methodological orientation
  • A tentative description of the research process or forms of inquiry
  • Reflections on positioning, collaboration, and ethical considerations

Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that are innovative and feasible. The research plan is considered a starting point to be developed further during the appointment.

The application may include:

• Letters of recommendation

If all (or parts) of your education hasbeen taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education. Description of the documentation requiredcan 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 works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

If you have had leave or another break in your career, it is important that this is stated in your application so that the selection committee can take this into account and that the amount of your research may be reduced as a result.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal qualities. Motivation, ambitions and potential for research will also be emphasized in the assessment of the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and is committed to follow evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment DORA and the obligations in 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 list of applicants, 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 have any questions about the position, please contact Tone Pernille Østern, Professor and Project Leader for the post doc position, email: tone.pernille.ostern@ntnu.no. 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Terese Brå, email: terese.bra@ntnu.no. 

Application deadline: 31.10.2026

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.