Postdoctoral Fellow

Arbeidsplassen; Oslo; On-site; NOK 610,000 - 690,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary NOK 610,000–690,000 per year

Personal research funds NOK 45,000

Inclusive workplace with good work-life balance

Access to UiO welfare benefits

Mentoring programme for female postdocs

Job summary

Arbeidsplassen is hiring for a Postdoctoral Fellow specializing in political data science or comparative politics. The role involves independent research, contributing to the 'Authoritarian Threats to Scientific Knowledge' project, and requires a PhD in Political Science. Candidates should have strong empirical research skills and excellent English proficiency. The position offers benefits such as a salary of NOK 610,000–690,000 annually and personal research funds.

Applicants are encouraged to apply by September 10, 2026, through the electronic recruiting system. An inclusive workplace with mentoring programs and career development workshops is emphasized.

Qualifications

• PhD in Political Science or a closely related discipline required.
• Very good command of English required.
• Experience with computational text analysis is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research and publish results.
• Contribute to the research environment of the AutoKnow project.
• Facilitate teaching and prepare a career development plan.

Skills

Empirical research knowledge within political science

Quantitative analysis proficiency

Excellent command of English (written and oral)

Computational text analysis

Experience with R or similar programs

Education

Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) in Political Science or closely related discipline

Job description

**About the position**

The Department of Political Science is recruiting up to two Postdoctoral Fellows (SKO 1352) with specialization in political data science or comparative politics. The successful applicant will be part of the research project, “Authoritarian Threats to Scientific Knowledge” (AutoKnow), funded by the European Research Council. The appointment is a full‑time position for a period of three years, with the possibility of extension up to four years for teaching and qualification work.

**Project focus**

AutoKnow investigates how authoritarian regimes influence the production and direction of scientific knowledge, using computational text analysis to measure content dimensions of published science and to collect data on attacks on academic freedom.

**Key responsibilities**

• Conduct independent research, including publication and dissemination of results.
• Contribute actively to the broader research agenda and environment of the AutoKnow project, including project workshops.
• Facilitate and, if necessary, acquire teaching and pedagogical qualifications to meet associate‑professor standards.
• Prepare and submit a career development plan within one month of commencement, and work with the department to pursue the outlined goals.
• Support the development of independent research ideas into well‑structured scholarly papers.

**Qualifications**

Formal qualifications:

• Degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree (PhD) in Political Science or a closely related discipline.
• For candidates who have not yet defended the PhD, show that the dissertation has been submitted for evaluation or is scheduled to be submitted before the application deadline.

Other qualifications:

• Very good to excellent command of English (written and oral).
• Robust empirical research knowledge within political science and proficiency in quantitative analysis.
• Experience with computational text analysis and large language models (advantage).
• Knowledge of comparative studies of autocracy or democracy, authoritarian politics and repression (advantage).
• Experience with R or comparable programs for large‑scale language modelling or machine learning (advantage).
• Experience designing and implementing survey experiments (advantage).
• Strong academic writing skills and ability to see a project through from planning to completion.

**Benefits**

• Salary according to “SKO 1352 postdoktor”, NOK 610 000–690 000 per year.
• Personal research funds (e.g., NOK 45 000 per year for travel and assistance).
• A stimulating and international research environment among multiple groups and seminar series.
• Opportunity to participate in a large research project and network with scholars worldwide, including an annual workshop.
• Inclusive workplace with good work‑life balance.
• Attractive UiO welfare benefits, generous parental leave, and access to Norway’s public services.
• Provision for international staff moving to Norway, including tax benefits and support for childcare.
• Individual mentoring and annual career‑development conversations based on the career plan.
• Various courses and workshops for career development (e.g., dissemination, presentation skills, research project management).
• Mentoring programme for female postdocs.

**Application process**

Submit a complete application (cover letter, CV, publication list, diplomas, best academic work, PhD dissertation if completed, reference details) via the electronic recruiting system before the deadline, September 10, 2026. Applicants must include a statement of motivation and be ready to provide a supporting letter if the PhD dissertation has not been defended yet.

**Equal opportunity statement**

UiO is an inclusive and diverse workplace. All candidates, regardless of background, disability, or gaps in employment, are encouraged to apply.