PhD position in Political Science     (3 years)

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PhD position

At Department of Government, and Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism, we are recruiting a PhD candidate in political science. This position is based in the research project PROTECT (Protecting child rights and public safety: Premises for the integration of child’s best interest and crime prevention). We are looking for a candidate with high ambitions, strong qualifications in methodologies, a keen interest in comparative research and a clear motivation in the PROTECT research area. The duration of the position is three years. The start date is January 1, 2027. It is expected that the candidate who is hired will reside and work in Bergen.

The position is a temporary position aimed at qualifying for a PhD degree. A Master’s degree is a requirement for employment.

The Department of Government, one of seven departments within the Faculty of Social Sciences, specializes in political science, studies of public policy, public administration, welfare state, democracy and participation, as well as political institutions and organisation. Research at the department is structured around dedicated research groups. The PROTECT project is situations in the research group Law, Politics and Welfare.

About the project/work tasks:

About the project:

PROTECT is a five-year socio-legal research project on children’s rights and crime prevention. The project is led by Professors Marit Skivenes (political science) and Linda Gröning (law) and funded by the Research Council of Norway. The project will explore how welfare states can address the challenge of children engaging in serious violent crimes in a way that protects children’s rights, and at the same time provide public safety and prevent crime and social exclusion. The project focuses on two key institutions that play pivotal roles in addressing this group of children: the child protection system and the criminal justice system. PROTECT will conduct pioneering interdisciplinary research by combining criminal law and political science, innovative methodological approaches, and cross-country examinations. For the PhD position in political science, it is the project proposal’s work packages 3 and 4 that is relevant to focus on.

Applicants are encouraged to read more about the project at uib.no/en/protect. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the principal investigator for further details (marit.skivenes@uib.no / +47 959 24 979).

About the Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism

The Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism addresses core themes in the social sciences by examining the government’s use of power toward its citizens and the justifications of state interventions into people’s lives. Important areas of empirical focus are welfare state models, child protection systems, and children’s rights.

The research at the Centre is comparative - between nations, systems, and individuals, and includes leading researchers across the world. We are an interdisciplinary group including political science, sociology, law, and psychology. In Bergen, the Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism is involved in research collaboration with the Centre on Law and Social Transformation (UiB/CMI), FAIR, a Center for Excellence at the Norwegian Business School https://www.nhh.no/en/research-centres/fair/, and Centre on Criminal Justice and Agency | UiB.

Your tasks:

• To engage in independent scientific research that will result in high-quality, peer-reviewed publications addressing core themes of the research project.
• To participate in the collection, pooling, and analysis of data.
• To support and work with the principal investigators in carrying out the research project.
• To collaborate with the partners in the project.
• To actively contribute to the academic life of the Centre and the research project.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• The applicant must hold an MA or an equivalent degree within political science or sociology. The candidates must have finished their MA for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the MA has been awarded.
• The requirements are generally a grade B or better on the Master thesis and for the master’s degree in total.
• Extensive knowledge and experience with quantitative methods is a requirement.
• As an applicant, you should be able to work independently and cooperate with others.
• An explicit interest in undertaking in the topics for the project proposals main research areas is a requirement.
• The applicant must be proficient in both written and oral English, and knowledge of a Scandinavian language is positive.
• Experience as a research assistant is positive.

The selection of candidates will especially consider the academic grades, the methodological and quantitative competencies, and the quality of the project proposal and its fit with the PROTECT project.

About the PhD position:

About the PhD position (applies to university PhD positions): The duration of the PhD position is 3 years. The employment period for the successful candidate may be reduced if he or she previously has been employed in a PhD position.

About the PhD training:

As a PhD research fellow, you will take part in the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB. To be eligible for admission you must normally have an educational background corresponding to a master’s degree with a scope of 120 ECTS credits, which builds on a bachelor’s degree with a scope of 180 ECTS credits (normally 2 + 3 years), or an integrated master’s degree with a scope of 300 ECTS credits (5 years). Master’s degrees must normally include an independent work of a minimum of 30 ECTS credits. It is expected that the topic of the master’s degree is connected to the academic field to which you are seeking admission.

Project proposal:

A project proposal must accompany the application. The proposal should present the topic, the research problem(s) and choice of theory and methods. The proposal should also include a progress plan for the different parts of the project. Admittance to the PhD programme will be based on the research proposal. The faculty has prepared a guide for writing project descriptions.

We can offer:

• Salary as PhD (code 1017) NOK 568 700, - per year. Automatic salary increases for up to 4 years with a 3% annual increase.
• A good, vibrant, and professionally challenging working environment.
• An ambitious and international research group, with a global research network.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• A cover letter including a brief account of your research interests and motivation for applying for this specific position.
• A project proposal of three pages maximum (bibliography excluded) with an outline of how you would approach the “PROTECT” project, with focus on work packages 3 and 4, within your PhD research. Interested applicants should contact the project leader to receive information about the project and with an opportunity to discuss tentative project ideas. A final research plan must be developed in cooperation with the project leaders within three months of the start date. Please also contact Marit Skivenes for the PROTECT project description.
• A CV summarizing education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, any publications, and other qualifying activities. Career breaks, including parental leave, that are noted in the CV will be taken into consideration when evaluating applicants’ academic production.
• Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees.
• Academic work that you want to submit for assessment as part of your application (including your master’s thesis or equivalent).
• Names and contact details for 2 referees (name, relationship to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). One of them should be the main advisor for the master's or equivalent thesis. Reference letters are not needed.

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge following the link on this page marked “Apply for this job”.

The application deadline is June 30, 2026.

Applications submitted without a project description or applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.

General information:

Further information about the position is obtainable by contacting Principal Investigator Marit Skivenes – marit.skivenes@uib.no - phone: +47 95924979.

Practical questions regarding the application procedures should be directed to HR Adviser Gudrun Horvei - gudrun.horvei@uib.no

Appointed research fellows will be admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Questions about the programme may be directed to Adviser-PhD Elina Troscenko, elina.troscenko@uib.no

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. For further information about the recruitment process, click here.

Life as a PhD candidate at UiB

Marion Claireaux tells about life and work as a PhD candidate at UiB.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrtp6VxMeJ4&index=2&list=PLf8ZIYfAO0qjhROTj6SthDbSScg0lSO6G