项目介绍

2025年2月1日

PhD position

There is a vacancy for a PhD Research Fellow in Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Bergen. The position is for a fixed-term period of 3 years with the possibility of a 4th year with career-promoting work (e.g., teaching duties at the Department). The position is subject to financing by the University of Bergen and the candidate will join a growing network of DBER PhDs affiliated with the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education Research Center (SERC) at the Faculty of Science and Technology.

About the project/work tasks:

The PhD Research Fellow will focus on gaining a better understanding of retention in Norwegian higher STEM education: defining the problem, exploring possible solutions, and testing classroom- or program-level, evidence-based interventions, with possible research questions including:

1. How do STEM instructors and programs in Norwegian higher education impact student decisions regarding retention in their study programs? What factors drive these decisions? 
2. How do the impacts of in-class psycho-social interventions vary across institution types? For this work, the candidate will be able to draw on, and expand, existing networks established through the STEM Education Research Center.

The PhD Research Fellow will be housed in the Department of Mathematics and will join a growing DBER community in SERC and across the Nordic countries (as well as the supervisor’s network in the US). The fellow will be supervised by Professor and Centre Leader for SERC, Sehoya Cotner, at Department of Biological Sciences. 

The fellow will have many opportunities for professional development, including travel opportunities, and will join an active group of scholars focusing on evidence-based STEM education. 

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• Applicants must hold a master’s degree or equivalent education in a natural science discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Physics, Biology), or with a natural science emphasis. If a master’s degree has not yet been obtained, applicants must have submitted their master’s thesis for evaluation before the application deadline. Other backgrounds (e.g., in education or psychology) will be considered, provided the applicant can demonstrate a clear understanding of the specific challenges in STEM education within the application. It is a condition of employment that the master’s degree has been awarded.
• Experience from or competence in STEM education or STEM education research is a requirement.
• Teaching competence, at different levels, is an advantage. 
• Experience from, or competence in, R (or similar statistical package) is an advantage. The candidate will be working with substantial data sets.
• Research skills and/or knowledge to match the project topic (evidence-based teaching) is an advantage. 
• Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and demonstrate good collaborative skills.
• Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English.
• Having a good command in Norwegian or other Scandinavian language is an advantage, due to data analysis and teaching.

Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Research experience, ambitions and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates.

Special requirements for the position  
The University of Bergen is subjected to the regulation for export control system. The regulation will be applied in the processing of the applications.  

About the PhD position

The fellowship will be for a period of 3 years, with the possibility for a 4th year, consisting of 25 % career-promoting work (e.g. teaching responsibilities at the department) distributed over the employment period. The 4th year is contingent on the qualifications of the candidate and the teaching needs of the department and will be decided by the head of department upon appointment. 

The employment period may be reduced if you have previously been employed in a qualifying post (e.g. PhD research fellow, research assistant).

About the research training
As a PhD Research Fellow, you must participate in an approved educational programme for a PhD degree within a period of 3 years. The deadline for applying for admission to the PhD programme at The Faculty of Science and Technology is 2 months after you start your position or after the start of the research project that will lead to the PhD degree. It is a condition that you satisfy the enrolment requirements for the PhD programme at the University of Bergen.

We can offer:

• a good and professionally stimulating working environment 
• salary as PhD research fellow (code 1017) in the state salary scale. This constitutes a gross annual salary of NOK 540 500 (equivalent to pay grade 55). Further increases in salary are made according to length of service in the position.
• enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• a brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• the names and contact information for two referees. One of these should be the main advisor for the master’s thesis or equivalent thesis 
• CV
• transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees. If you have not yet completed your master’s degree, please submit a statement from your institution confirming that the master’s thesis has been submitted. Your master’s degree must be documented with transcripts and/or diploma before starting in the position
• relevant certificates/references
• approved documentation of proficiency in English (if required, cf. English language requirements for PhD admission)
• a list of any works of a scientific nature (publication list with links to published works) 
• any publications in your name

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge. 

General information:

For further details about the position, please contact Sehoya Cotner, Professor, University of Bergen at sehoya.cotner@uib.no. 

For HR-related questions contact adviser Magnus Larsen, magnus.larsen@uib.no.

Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.

We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions. Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.

For further information about the recruitment process, click here.