Postdoctoral Fellow in Qualitative Social Sciences and Humanities and China

14th April 2024
Languages
English

• English

English
The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture has a vacancy for a 
Postdoctoral Fellow in Qualitative Social Sciences and Humanities and China
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About the job

At the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture (KULT) , NTNU, a two-year position is available as a postdoctoral fellow (postdoc) exploring the international aspects of China’s agri-food complex relating to meat and dairy. The work is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) project ‘A Middle Way? Probing Sufficiency through Meat and Milk in China’ (MidWay).

The MidWay project addresses sustainability challenges relating to food and agriculture in China, with the consumption and production of meat and milk as empirical cases. Rather than arguing for increased efficiency, the project studies the concept of sufficiency to probe its potential for reducing humankind’s impacts on Earth’s biosphere, while maintaining overall welfare. In essence, it seeks to explore the potential for defining a ‘middle way’ between excess and deficiency. China is considered a strategic research site for investigating the dynamics of supply and demand regarding animal-based foods, particularly in understanding the factors that have led to the embeddedness of meat and milk in Chinese foodways.

The postdoc will have an important role in the project, helping with conceptual development and comparing and synthesising elements of meat and milk practices with a focus on international connections. In particular, the work will explore the various ways in which global systems of provision (i.e., the industrial grain-oilseed-livestock complex), and trends impact meat and milk production and consumption in China. For instance, the presence of fridge freezers might open Chinese households up to imported foods through a global ‘cold chain’. This will be addressed through a review of academic literature and expert interviews. The review and interviews look particularly at international feed and food supply chains as well as the ways in which systems of provision are influenced by trends around animal and plant-based diets in other Asian countries and internationally.

The postdoc position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions. The successful candidate is expected to be based in Trondheim during the employment period, starting on September 1, 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter. The appointment is for two years.

Your immediate leader is the Head of the Department.

 

About the Department

The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture (KULT ) is part of the Faculty of Humanities at NTNU, located at the Dragvoll campus in Trondheim. The department has approximately 80 employees, of whom 35 are PhD candidates and postdocs. The department teaches and conducts research in Gender studies and Science and technology studies (STS). Teaching is provided at all levels, including PhD. More info can be found at www.ntnu.no/kult .

Duties of the position

• Conduct a literature review on the international aspects of China’s systems of provisions connected to meat and milk.
• Conduct expert interviews (n≈15) on the international aspects of China’s meat and dairy food chains.
• Help the project leader conduct interviews about topics identified as central for the MidWay conceptualisation of sufficiency (i.e. the potentials for reduction, substitution, and adjustment).
• Co-write and publish two scientific articles in high-quality international journals.
• Present, communicate and disseminate work at relevant national and international venues.
• Participate in the day-to-day activities at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, the Centre for Technology and Society , and the research group on Climate, energy and environment (CLEEN ).

Required selection criteria

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognised as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD within qualitative social sciences and humanities (i.e., science and technology studies (STS), sociology of consumption, social anthropology, sociology, history, or human geography)
• If you can document that the PhD thesis has been submitted, your application can be assessed even if you have not yet defended your dissertation. Documentation of the obtained doctoral degree must be presented before you can take up the position.
• Applicants must have knowledge and interest in social science and humanities studies of sustainability, China, food, and/or agriculture.
• Applicants must have experience with qualitative research methods, particularly conducting interviews.
• Applicants must have fluent oral and written communication skills in English. English language proficiency must correspond to an IELTS minimum of 6.5 or TOEFL 90 

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

• Knowledge of Chinese language will be strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of a Scandinavian language is considered an asset.
• Completion of the PhD thesis on time is considered an advantage.
• Experience with research project development and management is seen as beneficial.
• Experience organising and implementing research (or otherwise working) in China in the past ten years is considered an advantage.
• Experience with academic writing and publishing beyond a PhD thesis is considered advantageous.
• The candidate should ideally be informed about theoretical debates related to the topic. We are open to fresh ideas about the conceptual aspect of the work.

Personal characteristics

• Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
• Team player: Ability to collaborate with others, e.g., through co-authoring research papers or collecting research data.
• Initiator: Ability to conduct independent research.
• Good communicator: Skilled at listening, strives to understand first and then to be understood.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer 

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment 
• an open and inclusive work environment  with dedicated colleagues 
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• employee benefits 

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 594 500 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

The period of employment is two years.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants , and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application 

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include: 

• A CV with grades listed (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities)
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, or have recently submitted your thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• List of publications (if any)
• One or two academic publications that you would like to be considered in the assessment, if any (unpublished is also accepted)
• A letter of motivation describing your scholarly profile and qualifications (one to two pages)
• A brief research statement describing how you would approach the intended research (max 2-3 pages)
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your Ph.D, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted
• Name and contact information of three referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education. Description of the documentation required can be found here . If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 
 
Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. 

General information 

Working at NTNU 

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation 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.  

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Marius Korsnes, e-mail [email protected]. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Martin Jakobsen, email: [email protected].

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 14.04.2024 

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NTNU

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.

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture

We conduct research and teaching in two subject areas: equality and diversity, and science and technology studies. The Department has an active research environment with a high proportion of external funding. The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture is one of six departments in the Faculty of Humanities .

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Deadline

14th April 2024

Employer

NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Municipality

Trondheim

Scope

Fulltime (1 positions) Fulltime (%)

Duration

Fixed Term

Place of service
Høgskoleringen 1, 7491 Trondheim

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