PhD candidate in Human Geography, specializing in just and sustainable energy transitions

19 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department

Department of Geography

Research Field

Geography » Human geography
Geography

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Norway

Application Deadline

18 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Oslo)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

37,5

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an 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 a technical-scientific profile and a focus in 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

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.

The Department of Geography at NTNU has a 3-year vacancy for a PhD position in human geography. The thematic focus of the PhD is the emerging geographies of just and sustainable energy transitions and how the global quest for energy transitions is reshaping the political economy and social conditions of mineral extraction in particular places.

The backdrop for the PhD project is how green energy transitions in Norway and the EU sit at a critical conjuncture. Recent warnings by the IPCC about the need to hasten transitions in energy production and the EU's commitment to fight climate change underline the need for policymakers and industries to act. The Russia-Ukraine war and merging geopolitical tensions have put further emphasis on the EU's need to diversify energy sources and secure energy independence. At the same time, large-scale regional energy transitions rely on a steady increase of raw material supplies, including critical minerals essential for developing renewable energy. Consequently, pressure is put on both resource-rich regions in the Global South and the Global North to expand and open new sites of mineral extraction. The speed and impact of this development have given rise to increasing conflicts and social tensions on different geographical scales, resulting in strong engagement from civil society organizations both in Europe and the Global South, posing questions about the fairness, democratic principles, and sustainability of energy transitions. Hence, policies for green energy transitions in Norway and the EU depend on, and are linked to, the shifting geographies of mineral extraction and sustainability challenges in resource-rich regions.  

The successful candidate is expected to explore further how this interplay between policies for green energy transitions, the extraction of critical minerals, and the evolving political and economic relations within and across the Global South and the Global North play out on the ground. As a part of this investigation, the role of civil society in shaping political and corporate governance strategies should be considered.

Due to the department’s extensive research collaboration with partners in Indonesia, it is preferable that the PhD project relates to resource extraction and sustainable transitions in Indonesia. However, we also welcome proposals that explore other empirical contexts.

Your immediate leader is the Head of the department.

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.
• Conduct high-quality research within the framework described above.
• Be a part of the Just and Sustainable Transition research group  at the Department of Geography.
• Academic publishing and popular science dissemination
• Participate in international activities such as conference attendance and/or research stays at educational institutions abroad.

Required selection criteria

• A master’s degree in human geography, or another relevant master’s degree in social science
• Your master’s degree should correspond to a Norwegian five-year master's education, where 120 credits are obtained at the master's level.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education and the current position.
• 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.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the PhD program in social science , specializing in geography: Social Sciences - PhD programme - Trondheim - NTNU
• Experience from qualitative research methods.
• Good quality of the research proposal and research plan
• Good written and oral skills in English.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate  and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant 

Preferred selection criteria

• Relevance of professional background.
• The research proposals’ relevance in relation to existing research at the department.
• Ability to spend periods of time in the field working on data collection.
• Experience in field-based research.
• Other relevant methodological experiences

Personal characteristics

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities such as:

• Willingness to learn and work independently and with others.
• Good communication skills in a range of contexts.
• Motivation to contribute to a positive working environment.
• Ability to adapt to changing conditions and situations.

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 PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 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 3 years.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Social Scienc e specializing in geography within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

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.

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

About the application

The application and supporting documentation must be written in English, Norwegian, or another Scandinavian language.

Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.

The application must include: 

• CV
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before you can be offered the position.
• A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis.
• Project proposal (maximum 1500 words), which focus on the research plan.
• Publications or other relevant research work if you have (max five work).
• Name and address 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, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher 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

Inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.

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 Ståle Angen Rye email [email protected] . If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Renate Lillian Johansen, e-mail: [email protected]

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).

Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.  

Application deadline: 18.03.2024

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 Geography

We conduct research and teach in subject areas related to the major societal challenges of our time: climate change, migration, urbanization, economic transition and environmental threats. We have a robust fieldwork tradition, and our teaching activities are closely linked to our research. The Department of Geography  is one of seven departments at the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences .

Requirements

Research Field

Geography » Human geography

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Ethics in social sciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field

Geography

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Department of Geography

Country

Norway

City

Trondheim

Postal Code

7491

Street

Dragvoll

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/258565/phd-candidate-in-human-ge…

Contact

City

Trondheim

Website

http://www.ntnu.no

Street

Dragvoll

Postal Code

7491

STATUS: EXPIRED