About the position

The Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK) at the University of Oslo (UiO) invites applications for a 3,5-year Post-doctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352). Expected starting date is August 1st 2026 or earlier.

The post-doctoral position will be affiliated with the TIK Centre’s research group on innovation studies, which has 30 years of experience with empirical and theoretical work. Three major research themes are emphasised: 1. Societal and economic effects of innovation, technologies and R&D. 2. Science and innovation policy and governance of innovation. 3. Industrial transformation and societal transitions. TIK’s innovation group is cross-disciplinary with staff coming from economics, geography, organisation and management, and more cross-disciplinary areas.

More about the position

The position is suitable for candidates who seek to conduct original work that contributes to theoretical development and empirical knowledge both at TIK and in the greater community of innovation scholars. Much of the ongoing work in the innovation group is based on externally funded projects. This postdoctoral position is not, and it allows applicants to develop an independent proposal based on their own interest.

The position encompasses 6 months of teaching duties within TIK’s multidisciplinary PhD, master and bachelor programs, including supervision of candidates and students within these programs. An extension of up to 6 months is possible if additional teaching or other meritorious tasks are agreed upon.

A postdoctoral position is intended to help the successful candidate develop a research profile and competencies that qualify them to apply for a permanent position in academia. To this end, the main focus of this position is to conduct research, including publication and dissemination. In addition, the fellow is expected to actively contribute to the broader research agenda and environment of the TIK research group of Innovation Studies.

If the postdoctoral researcher does not already possess the teaching/pedagogical qualifications that meet the requirements for an associate professorship (incl. formal training), the department shall facilitate the acquisition of such qualifications during the employment period. Additionally, the position may provide other competencies relevant to the postdoctoral fellow’s future career.

To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are expected to submit a career development plan, specifying career goals and the competencies that the postdoctoral fellow should acquire, no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period. The department is responsible for ensuring that the plan is followed up and that the postdoctoral researcher has access to career guidance throughout the duration of the postdoctoral fellowship.

Selection criteria

Qualification requirements

Only candidates who have submitted their doctoral thesis prior to the application closing date may apply for the position. A prerequisite for taking up the position is the successful completion of a doctoral degree.
Candidates should have a Ph.D. in a relevant area of social science as well as in-depth familiarity with relevant approaches within innovation studies as documented through academic degrees or course work, research and publishing.
The successful candidate should have documented excellence in both theoretical development and empirical work within relevant areas.

Preferred qualifications

A strong international publication record and well-developed international research networks are meritorious.
Knowledge of a Scandinavian language will be considered an advantage due to the candidate’s contribution to teaching, but this is not a requirement.
Experience of and interest in cross-disciplinary work will also be advantageous.

Applicants should describe their intellectual background and qualifications, indicating the main theoretical approaches, empirical tools and publishing goals of their work to date.

The successful candidate is expected to take active part in activities like seminars and workshops at TIK. Residency in or close to Oslo is therefore expected.

Assessment

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant’s project description for their proposed post-doctoral project, as well as the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out this project.

The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews.

The final hiring decision is the responsibility of the centre’s board and will be based on an evaluation of the overall qualifications of the shortlisted candidates as well as the centre’s needs.

We offer

Salary NOK 610 000 - 690 000 per annum depending on qualifications. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund
A pleasant and stimulating working environment.
Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities.
Practical support for international staff moving to Norway.
Individual mentoring and annual career development conversation based on the submitted career plan.
Various courses and workshops for supporting career development (e.g. on dissemination and presentation skills, op-ed writing, research project management, stress-management etc.).

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

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.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. 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 hope you will apply for the position with us.

Application

The application should be written in English and must include:

Application letter (1-2 pages). Please describe your motivation for applying for a PhD and explain how your background, research and experience are relevant to this PhD position. Indicate which of the qualification requirements you meet.
Project proposal (5-10 pages). The proposal should address how you would approach the project within your chosen research theme conceptually and methodologically and its relationship to your current experience. Please include a timeline of suggested activities.
3-page CV summarizing education, positions, research experience, and other activities. The period of enrolment (admission-completion) in the master's study program must be specified.
A complete list of publications (if relevant).
Academic diplomas and grade transcripts (university degrees only).
List of 2 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number). Please note that references will only be contacted for candidates invited to interview.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their university's grading system. Please note that all documents must be in English (or a Scandinavian language in the case of transcripts; the application materials should be in English).

Contact information

Head of the Innovation Studies research group:

Professor Magnus Gulbrandsen

Centre Director:

Professor Kristin Asdal

Head of Administration:

Inger-Johanne Ullern (for questions on how to apply)

General information

The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.

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 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.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Innovation Studies