2 PhD Research Fellows in “Offshore wind and regional futures: challenges and opportunities” – Kristiansand, Norway

Two 100 % positions are available at the University of Agder, Faculty of Social Sciences as PhD Research Fellow in wind energy and energy justice in regional transitions, affiliated to the Department of Global Development and Planning, for a period of three years, or four years with 25% required duties (to be negotiated). The position is located, at the present, at Campus Kristiansand.

The starting date is negotiable with the Faculty.

Off-shore wind power (OW) development in the North Sea is increasingly positioned to tackle climate change, energy security, and stimulate economic growth. OW installations generate large opportunities and challenges for on-land regional development in the OW host regions. Public authorities, private stakeholders and academic institutions are collaborating to position Agder as the main OW region in Norway with several coastal sites and harbors for OW installations and industry services. There is an urgent need to understand how OW affects socio-environmental values and spatial planning, socio-economic development, and conditions for governance and integrated planning across several government levels, multiple stakeholders and local communities.

The research project “WINDREG – Offshore wind and regional futures: challenges and opportunities for energy justice in regional transitions” explores the interrelationship between OW and regional development in Agder and learns from exemplary international learning cases. WINDREG co-creates cross-disciplinary scientific knowledge (geography, law, planning, economy, anthropology, regional development) of an emerging new industrial venture in collaboration with a broad range of relevant stakeholders. Theoretically, the project contributes to develop and operationalize the concept of energy justice in OW regional transitions. The aim of the project is to: Develop knowledge on challenges and opportunities of OW development in Agder, outline new policy pathways and develop solutions for a more inclusive and fair regional renewable energy development by providing guidelines and models for policy, planning and governance supporting energy justice in regional OW transition processes.

The Faculty of Social Sciences, which organizes the PhD program, has four departments, Department of Global Development and Urban Planning, Department of Information Systems, Department of Political Science and Department of Sociology and Social Work. For more information on the faculty, look here.

The Department of Global Development and Planning, where the PhD students will be affiliated, encompasses teaching and research in political economy, rural/urban migration, natural disasters and crisis management, climate and environmental issues, global poverty, social movements, gender, integration and mobility, city and regional planning, local development and participation processes. The multidisciplinary environment allows for creative thinking, methodologically as well as theoretically. Today we have 15 permanent positions, 10 PhD positions and 1 post doc position.

Responsibilities

We are hiring two PhD students associated with the WINDREG project. The positions will be hosted at the Department of Global Development and Planning, University of Agder and rolled in the PhD program of our Faculty of Social Sciences.

This call encourages social science-oriented scholars to develop an independent PhD project description related to one of two focus areas in WINDREG – or to generate a creative cross cutting project approach across the two areas:

1)    OW development challenges existing priorities for land use in public planning and area management. Recognitional justice questions whose claims for nature and socio-economic interests are being heard and have influence in energy transitions. This theoretical perspective can be related to the development of both land use planning and the emerging concept of area accounting (Arealregnskap) and bottom-up countermapping as planning tools that can provide the planning authorities with detailed knowledge in the prioritization of land use. Development of planning approaches to democratic and co-created mapping methods that ensure better inclusion of citizens’ values in land management, are highly relevant.

2)    OW development challenges existing planning and governance modes between existing administrative organizations and between private, public and civil society. Procedural justice questions the transparency and democratic measures in energy transitions. This theoretical perspective can be related to both local community participation and engagement, and to multi-level and multi-actor governance approaches in regional planning and development. Further, approaches related to democratic and action research-oriented co-creation can be interesting to develop new planning approaches and policy models.

Required qualifications

Further provisions relating to the positions as PhD Research Fellows can be found in the Regulations Concerning Terms and Conditions of Employment for the post of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Research Fellow, Research Assistant and Resident.

The applicants must qualify for admission to the PhD Program in Social Sciences, specialisation in Global Development and Planning and must hold a master’s degree in social sciences or related fields with an average mark of B or better. Applicants who are in the process of finishing their master’s thesis are also welcome to apply for this position.

The working language at the University of Agder is Norwegian. The successful candidate must be proficient in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language, both written and oral. Good knowledge of English, both written and oral, is also required.

Desired qualifications

• Knowledge about energy society relations
• Knowledge about Norwegian government structure and planning system

Personal qualities

• Independence
• Creativity
• Ability to take initiatives
• Ability to collaborate and work in teams

Personal qualities and suitability for the position will be emphasised.

We offer

• professional development in a large, exciting and socially influential organisation
• a positive, inclusive and diverse working environment
• modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare offers
• membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

More about working at UiA.

The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.515, code 1017 PhD Research Fellow, NOK 532 200 gross salary per year. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions.

General information

UiA is an open and inclusive university. We believe that diversity enriches the workplace and makes us better. We, therefore, encourage qualified candidates to apply for the position independent of gender, age, cultural background, disability or an incomplete CV.

The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. Appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions.

Short-listed applicants will be invited for interview. With the applicant’s permission, UiA will also conduct a reference check before appointment. Read more about the employment process.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right.

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence.

Application

The application and any necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) are to be sent electronically. Use the link « Apply for this job ».

The following documentation must be uploaded electronically:

• Certificates with grades
• Master’s thesis
• References
• Academic work and R&D projects, as well as a list of these
• Project description with a maximum scope of 10 pages, including reference list. The outline should present and discuss possible research questions, theory perspectives, material, a progress plan, and methods within the given framework
• Any other relevant documentation

The applicant is fully responsible for submitting complete digital documentation before the closing date. All documentation must be available in a Scandinavian language or English.

Application deadline: 16. October 2023.

Contact

For questions about the position:

• Laura Tolnov Calusen, e-mail: laura.t.clausen@uia.no
• Mikaela Vasstrøm, e-mail: mikaela.vasstrom@uia.no

For questions about the application process:

• Randi Lindland Roest, e-mail: randi.l.roest@uia.no

University of Agder

The University of Agder has more than 1500 employees and almost 14 000 students. This makes us one of the largest workplaces in Southern Norway. Our staff research, teach and disseminate knowledge from a variety of academic fields. Co-creation of knowledge is our common vision. We offer a broad range of study programmes in many fields. We are situated at two modern campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad respectively.

We are an open and inclusive university marked by a culture of cooperation. The aim of the university is to further develop education and research at a high international level.