PhD Fellowship in welfare and society

The University of Stavanger invites applications for a PhD Fellowship in welfare and society at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Studies. The position is vacant from 01.01.2022.

This is a trainee position that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development through a PhD education leading to a doctoral degree.

The appointment is for four years with both research and 25% compulsory duties.

The hired candidate will be admitted to the PhD program in Social Sciences The education includes relevant courses to about six months of study, a dissertation based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant academic communication, a trial lecture and public defence. Read more about the PhD education at UiS on our website.

The PhD Fellow will be affiliated with the research project “Child protection, the media and legitimacy”. Please contact the project leader for further information about the research project, confer contact information below.

Research topic

The research topic relates to how different sorts of media portray the child protection services and the subsequent consequences for the legitimacy of the child protection services. The child protection services possess inherent traits making the service exposed to criticism. For instance, the regional newspaper in Stavanger, Stavanger Aftenblad, have revealed aspects within the services triggering waves of criticism, leading to a re-organizing of parts of the services.

The grounds of the research project relate to a need of further knowledge and studies about the impact of media coverage upon the legitimacy of the child protection services.

Main objectives

The project contains two main objectives:

1. Firstly, the project aims at establishing precise descriptions about media portrayals of the child protection service.

2. Secondly, the project aims at investigating the effect of media coverage upon the legitimacy of the child protection service.

Descriptions of how media cover the child protection service may contain historic and comparative designs. The comparative designs may include different countries, or comparing the child protection service to other services. It may also include interviews with employees within the media and the child protection service. The Norwegian child protection service and media coverage in Norway are to be a central part of the study.

Relevant questions include: How are negative portrayals impacting the legitimacy of child protection services? Is the legitimacy of the child protection service less affected by the nature of the media coverage compared to other impact factors? The Norwegian child protection services and the media coverage in Norway are to be a central part of the study. The extent to which media coverage impacts the well-being of the employees may be a part of the study, but is not intended to be a main focus.  

The project does not require the use of a particular tradition within methods. However, it is preferable if the candidate has experience and capabilities to use both qualitative and quantitative methods as well as combinations of these.

As an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project proposal for a doctoral project within the subject area, which explains the problem, relevance, theoretical and methodological approach. Your preliminary project proposal will be included in the application assessment.

During the first three months of the employment period, the project proposal and progress plan will be further developed in cooperation with your supervisors and completed for the final plan for the PhD-project. A project proposal template can be found here.

We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree (3+2) within social studies, preferably acquired recently; or possess corresponding qualifications that could provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate. Experience or education within social work or child protection is preferential. Applicants who have another education profile within social sciences are not excluded.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master’s thesis and the weighted average grade of your master’s degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade. 

Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than sp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subject that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales  to calculate your points for admission.

Emphasis is also placed on your:

• capabilities within both qualitive and quantitative methods
• motivation and potential for research within the field
• professional and personal skills for completing the doctoral degree within the timeframe
• ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative
• ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload
• having a good command of both oral and written English

• a PhD education in a large, exciting and socially important organisation
• an ambitious work community which is developing rapidly. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure.
• colleague-based guidance programme (NyTi )
• salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 491 200 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund , which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits
• favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club  at campus
• employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
• "Hjem-jobb-hjem"  discounted public transport to and from work
• as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
• relocation programme
• language courses : On this page you can see which language courses you may be entitled to (look up “language courses” under employment conditions)

University of Stavanger values independence, involvement and innovation. Diversity is respected and considered a resource in our work and learning environment. Universal design characterises physical and digital learning environments, and we strive to provide reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities.

You are encouraged to apply regardless of gender, disability or cultural background.

More information on the position and project description can be obtained from the Head of Department Morten Tønnessen, tel. +4751834149, e-mail: [email protected] or Associate Professor (and project leader) Svein Tuastad, tel.: +4751834268 (mobile phone +47 90834036), e-mail: [email protected] .

Information about the appointment procedure can be obtained from HR-advisor Annette Falch Lothe, tel.: +47 51831361., e-mail: [email protected] .

To apply for this position please follow the link "Apply for this job". Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In your application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.

The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:

• project proposal, a project proposal template can be found here . 
• CV with a full summary of your education and experience
• references, certificates/diplomas and other documentation that you consider relevant
• Diploma Supplement or similar and a confirmed conversion scale if this is required
• publications or other relevant research work

Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation. 

The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.

Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act . If your request is not granted, you will be notified.

UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.

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 UiS. 

Employment as PhD Fellow is regulated in "Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow and research fellow, research assistant and resident ".

Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.

The appointee will be based at the University of Stavanger, with the exception of a stay abroad at a relevant centre of research.

It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.

The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the Norwegian text takes precedence.

The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 1,900 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.

In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.

Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has about 2,400 students and 170 employees. The studies are based on a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, on interdisciplinarity and cooperation with public and private sectors. New knowledge is generated from both practical experience and systematic research, or a combination of them. The educational offer is varied and includes Hospitality and Tourism, Media, Sociology, Social Work and Child Welfare, amongst others. The Faculty consists of: Department of Media and Social Sciences, Department of Social Studies and the Norwegian School of Hotel Management.

The Department of Social Studies offers the following educational programs: Child welfare - three years bachelor's degree, Sosial work (sosionom) - three years bachelor's, Psychology - three years bachelor's degree, Sosial work - two years master's degree, Erasmus Mundus in Social Work with Families and Children - two years master's degree, Nordic Master in Social Work and Welfare - two years master's degree, Law in child welfare professional work - postgraduate, 30 credits, master's degree. The department has the SWEL Research School, which is an interdisciplinary research school in Social Work and Welfare which is part of the research program at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The department's goal is to contribute to the development of high-quality knowledge in social and child welfare work, in welfare management and in psychology. There are currently 60 employees and 890 students affiliated with the Dep.