1 Postdoctoral Position in PROTECT (3 years)

UiB - Knowledge that shapes society

Through robust and close interaction with the world around us – globally, nationally and locally – we shall be instrumental in building a society based on knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Do you want to take part in shaping the future?

About the Position

In the research project PROTECT (Protecting child rights and public safety: Premises for the integration of child’s best interest and crime prevention), there is a vacant position as a postdoctoral researcher either in law or in political science.

The postdoctoral position is a temporary position aimed at qualifying for work in top academic positions. A completed doctoral degree is a requirement for employment. The term of the position is three years, and it is expected that the candidate who is hired will reside and work in Bergen. The start date is April 1, 2025, or upon agreement.

PROTECT is a collaboration between the Faculty of Law and the Department of Government. The postdoctoral position is shared between the two units.

About PROTECT

PROTECT is a five-year socio-legal research project on children’s rights and crime prevention. The project is led by Linda Gröning and Marit Skivenes, 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 law and political science, innovative methodological approaches and cross-country examinations. The postdoctoral fellow will be associated with the project 100% for the entire three-year period.

Applicants are encouraged to read more about the project at uib.no/en/protect. The complete PROTECT project overview can be obtained by request to hrjur@uib.no.

Qualifications and personal qualities

• The applicant must hold a PhD in law or political science. 
• The applicant must document considerable interdisciplinary competence (law and social science/humanities). 
• The applicant must have experience with socio-legal methods and knowledge of children’s rights.
• The applicant must document a high academic level and the ability to publish on internationally recognized platforms.
• The applicant must have a keen interest in the topics related to the research project PROTECT, and preferably showcase relevant scientific publications.
• The applicant must be able to work independently, efficiently, and cooperate well with others in a research team.
• The applicant must be excellent in both written and spoken English and have a rudimentary understanding of Norwegian.

PROTECT aims to contribute to the development of research talents, and it will be considered an advantage if the candidate is early in their career after completing their doctorate degree. PROTECT has a primary focus on the Nordic countries, and familiarity with the legal system and/or welfare system of these countries is beneficial.

Your tasks

• To engage in independent scientific research that will result in minimum four high-quality, peer-reviewed publications addressing core themes of the PROTECT 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 participate in the organization of research activities and events in relation to the project, such as conferences, workshops, joint publications, and web activities.

Your application must include:

• A cover letter (to be completed in the application portal). The letter should provide a brief account of your research interests, professional background, personal qualities and motivation for applying for the position.
• CV (to be completed in the application portal).
• Project description (project motivation letter) of 1-2 pages. The letter should outline how your expertise is relevant to the PROTECT project, the methodological and theoretical perspectives you propose to apply, and how you envision your contribution to the overall project.
• Certified copies of diplomas and transcript of grades (Master’s degree and Doctoral degree)
• A publication list with complete references to all scientific publications.
• The doctoral thesis and up to 3 selected scholarly works from the last five years (attached as pdf).
• The names and contact information for two reference persons, of which one should be the main supervisor for the PhD thesis.

The application and attachments must be in English or a Scandinavian language. If original documents are not in one of these languages, the applicant must attach a certified translation into English or Scandinavian.

 They are also advised to attach an explanation of their university’s grading system, and certification that the education corresponds to a Norwegian master’s or doctoral degree. (see HK-dir). Applicants must also attach NOKUT's general approval that the education corresponds to a Norwegian master's degree See Foreign education | HK-dir for more information on general approval of higher education.

All attachments must be given a descriptive title and be labelled correctly in the portal for the application to be reviewed by the expert committee. The application and attachments must be uploaded to JobbNorge via the link on this page labeled "Apply for the position".

The application must be complete by the application deadline of 30 December 2024. Applications that do not include all mandatory attachments will not be considered.

We can offer:

• The opportunity to apply for grants to carry out research stays at institutions abroad as part of the postdoctoral fellowship.
• Salary at pay grade 72 (code 1352) according to the state salary scale upon appointment. This constitutes a gross annual salary of NOK 720 100 per year. For particularly highly qualified applicants, a higher salary may be considered.
•  Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
•  Generous welfare benefits.

Read more about what UiB can offer its employees at What can the University of Bergen Offer its Employees? | Division of Human Resources | UiB, and about the Faculty at Information for prospective employeess | Faculty of Law | UiB.

General information:

An expert committee will be appointed to assess the applicants’ scientific merits and their relevance towards the PROTECT project. To allow applicants at different career stages to compete on equal terms, the committee will consider the elapsed time since the candidate defended their doctoral thesis in evaluation of their merits. The best qualified applicants may be called in for an interview.

More information about the appointment process at the University of Bergen here.

• Additional information about the position and PROTECT can be obtained by contacting: Professor Linda Gröning - Faculty of Law (Linda.Groning@uib.no) or Professor Marit Skivenes - Department of Government (Marit.Skivenes@uib.no )
• The project overview for PROTECT, as well as information about the recruitment process and appointment conditions, can be obtained by contacting HR at the Faculty of Law (hrjur@uib.no).

The state labor force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

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 any time.

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.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.

The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at any time. Successful applicants may be called in for an interview.