Ph.D. Position in European Studies

Unist; Trondheim; Hybrid; NOK 560,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim invites applications for a PhD position in European Studies within the Department of Historical Sciences. You will join the project “Perceptions of Democracy in the Age of Populism,” examining how populism and political violence affect democratic perceptions in Europe through quantitative analysis.

The PhD project focuses on public opinion, populist attitudes, and authoritarian personality traits, using datasets like EVS and ESS.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in political science, international relations, European studies or related field.
• Include a major independent project (≥30 ECTS) or master’s thesis.
• Good written and oral skills in English.
• Experience with quantitative methods.
• Knowledge of additional European languages.

Responsibilities

• Develop and conduct a quantitative PhD project within the larger project “Perceptions of Democracy in the Age of Populism.”
• Participate in research groups Democratize and EVPOC (Elections, Values, and Political Communication).
• Engage in international activities such as conferences, workshops, Ph.D. courses and research stays abroad.
• Potential career-enhancing work may be added to the position depending on departmental needs.

Skills

Quantitative methods

English language proficiency

European languages knowledge

Education

Master's degree in political science or related field

Job description

NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Organisation/Company NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department Faculty of Humanities Research Field History » Modern history Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 10 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Oslo) Country Norway Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with atechnical-scientific profile and a focusin professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

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

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the position

The Department of Historical Sciences is offering one PhD position with specialization in European Studies. The successful applicant will be part of the research project “Perceptions of Democracy in the Age of Populism,” with project leader Anna Brigevich (Department of Historical Sciences) and deputy leader Andreas Goldberg (Department of Sociology and Political Science).

This Ph.D. position in European Studies offers an excellent opportunity for scientific development through designing, conducting, and disseminating research on a contemporary topic. For a Ph.D. position, the goal is to complete doctoral-level education in order to obtain a doctoral degree. It is a temporary Ph.D. position for three years,but career-enhancing work may be added to the position, depending on the needs of the department.

The start date of the position is no later than 15 January, 2027.

Your immediate leader will be the Deputy Head of Research.

About the project

The project’s main objective is to examine how the global rise of populism and (acceptance of) political violence affects perceptions of democracy and the legitimacy of elections in a comparative perspective. Integrating political science, psychology, and history, the project aims to understand the cognitive, historical, and political factors influencing democratic perceptions and support. Focusing on political psychology, the project employs quantitative analysis to interrogate the relationship between authoritarian personality traits, populist attitudes, and support for democracy. At the same time, the project analyzes populist discourse and its impact on perceptions of democracy, tracing the historical ways political entrepreneurs have engaged populist rhetoric in various countries. Additionally, the project investigates the embracing of political violence and protest strategies among populist movements by blending the use of historical analysis and novel public opinion survey data from the Varieties of Populist Attitudes project. Motivated by events like the storming of the US Capitol and the Brazilian Congress, the project strives to provide a deeper understanding of the factors influencing democratic resilience, and to inform strategies that promote peaceful democratic transitions and reduce the appeal of populist and authoritarian ideologies.

The successful candidate will be tasked with developing and conducting a Ph.D. project within this larger research project. The Ph.D. project is expected to focus primarily on the study of public opinion in Europe, as it relates to populist attitudes, democratic (dis-)satisfaction, and the authoritarian personality syndrome. Methodologically, the Ph.D. candidate is expected to adopt a quantitative approach, making use of the Varieties of Populist Attitudes dataset, as well as other established datasets in the field, (e.g. European Social Survey, European Values Study). In this context, the applicant needs to submit a research proposal indicating which theoretical approach(es) s/he is interested in applying and which method(s) s/he intends to use.

The project is part of the NTNU’s Strategic Research Area “Community ,” which aims to contribute to a viable democracy that safeguards the common good, strengthens trust and cohesion, and reducesexclusion and polarization. Within the “Community” Strategic Research Area, the project is situated in the interdisciplinary group onDemocratic Resilience .

Duties of the position

• The successful candidate is expected to develop and conduct a quantitative research project within the larger project“Perceptions of Democracy in the Age of Populism.”


• It is expected that the candidate participates in the research groups Democratize in the Department of Historical Sciences and EVPOC (Elections, Values, and Political Communication) in the Department of Sociology and Political Science.


• The candidate is expected to participate in international activities such as conferences, workshops, Ph.D. courses and/or research stays at universities abroad.


• Career-enhancing work may be added to the position, depending on the needs of the department.

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

To be qualified for this position you must fulfill the following criteria:

• A master’s degree in political science, international relations, European studies or a related field. Candidates who are in the final stage of their master’s degree can apply and will be considered but cannot be hired until they have completed the master’s degree.


• Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis.


• A strong academic background from your previous studies and an average from the master degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to grade of B or better in terms ofNTNU’s grading scale . Applicants with no letter grades from previous studies must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.


• Good quality of the project proposal.


• Good written and oral skills in English.


• Experience with quantitative methods and motivation to extend these skills.


• Knowledge of additional European languages.

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

• Work independently,


• set goals and make plans to reach them,


• creatively approach your subject matter, and


• present and discuss your research and constructively engage with feedback from colleagues.

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

A positive and pleasant working environment is important to us. We strive for an atmosphere that is engaging, friendly, and characterized by collaborative relationships between our employees. We are looking for a person who:

• works from campus and actively participates in social and academic department activities, such as lunch gatherings and weekly research seminars,


• has a cooperative spirit, and


• constructively engages in academic discussions with colleagues.

We offer

• exciting tasks in a strong internationalacademic environment,


• opportunities to participate in international research conferences and build an international network,

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.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The successful candidate will be granted conditional admission to the relevant doctoral programme when employed in the PhD research fellow position. It is a prerequisite for continued employment that the requirements for full admission are met within three months, and that you continue to participate in the organized doctoral programme for the remainder of the employment period. For more information about the requirements for full admission, please seeSection 6 of the PhD regulations .

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and 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 theState Employees Act , andExport 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

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and 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 applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance withcurrent legislation . You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Hege Kissten [e-mail] .

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.

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Faculty of Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities offers a wide range of study programmes in the humanities, and is Norway’s second largest faculty of humanities measured in the number of students. We develop leading academic groups in the action-oriented humanities, as well as innovative and inquiry-based teaching and learning. The Faculty consists of six departments as well as a Faculty administration.