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

This Ph.D. position in Sociology offers an excellent opportunity for scientific development through designing, conducting, and disseminating research on a contemporary and emerging topic. For a Ph.D. position, the goal is to complete doctoral-level education in order to obtain a doctoral degree. 

The position is a temporary Ph.D. position for three years. The position may be ascribed obligation to teach, in which case it will be extended accordingly. 

Your immediate leader is the Head of the Department.

The PhD position is connected to the research group Gender and Inequality. The successful candidate will be tasked with conducting the research project ‘Clearing the fog: Women’s experiences of menopause in the Norwegian workplace’.

About the project

When women reach ‘middle age’, it is often a time when they are expected to be at the peak of their careers. It is a period when many have sufficient experience and expertise to progress into senior leadership positions and, for those with children, have fewer childcare responsibilities. Yet, a growing number of studies have found that pre-menopausal and menopausal symptoms negatively affect the working lives of women aged 50-64, and in some cases can even lead to withdrawal from the workplace. Despite the potentially severe implications of menopause on the working lives of women, there is a lack of existing research on this topic within the Norwegian context. 



Menopause-related workplace issues are situated within the wider context of women’s health and wellbeing. In a Norwegian context, women’s health has recently been heavily scrutinized by researchers and policy makers alike due to the historic lack of attention paid to women-specific health and illness, both in research and applied practice. In March 2024, a new expert committee was appointed by the Norwegian government to develop greater knowledge on women’s health-related issues in the Norwegian labour market and to suggest new measures to address these. 



The empirical aims of this PhD project are to explore the experiences of menopausal women within Norwegian workplaces and examine the significance of type of work and organisational context for these experiences. This will include an analysis of women’s experiences of menopause across different types of organisations and sectors/occupations, as well as the perceptions and actions of other actors and groups within these organisations (e.g., leaders, managers, and policy makers). Theoretically, the project will contribute to sociological scholarship on gender, (dis)embodiment, health, work, and/or organisations. Methodologically, it is expected that the PhD candidate will adopt a qualitative design, preferably employing different qualitative methods. 

Within this broad framing, the applicant is invited to submit a research proposal that indicates which sectors/cases they would like to study, which theoretical approach(es) they are interested in applying, and which method(s) they propose to use.

Duties of the position

• The successful candidate is expected to develop and conduct a qualitative research project on the topic of menopause in a working life context. 
• It is required that the PhD candidate participates in the research group Gender and Inequality. 
• It is expected that the PhD candidate participates in international activities such as conferences, seminars, PhD courses and/or research stays at universities abroad. 
• The position may be ascribed obligation to teach, in which case it will be extended accordingly. It is expected that the candidate contributes to teaching in the study programs at the Department. 

Required selection criteria

To be qualified for this position you must fulfill the following criteria.

• A master’s degree in social sciences, preferably sociology or gender studies or other relevant subject area. Master students who are in the final stage of their master’s degree can apply, as long as they have delivered their master thesis within the application deadline August 15th 2024. If the candidate is employed the master's degree must be obtained and documented within in the start date of the position. 
• Education corresponding to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level.
• A strong academic background from your previous studies and an average from the master degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. Applicants with no letter grades from previous studies must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• Good written and oral skills in English.
• Documented experience with qualitative methods. 

You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s doctoral program.

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

• Knowledge about theoretical perspectives on gender and bodies in social science research.
• Good written and oral Norwegian/Scandinavian language skills. 

Personal characteristics

Completing a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) can be demanding. Therefore, you should be able to:

• work independently,
• set goals and make plans to reach them, 
• creatively approach your subject matter, and
• present and discuss your research, and constructively engage with feedback from colleagues.

A positive and pleasant working environment is important to us. We strive for an atmosphere that is engaging, friendly, and characterized by collaborative relationships between our employees. We are looking for a person who: 

• works from campus and actively participates in social and academic department activities, such as lunch gatherings and weekly research seminars,
• has a cooperative spirit, and
• constructively engages in academic discussions with colleagues.

We offer

• exciting tasks in a strong international academic environment,
• opportunities to participate in international research conferences and build an international network,
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues,
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, and
• employee benefits.

Salary and conditions

As a Ph.D. 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 Ph.D. position requires admission to the Ph.D. program in Social Sciences, specializing in sociology. As a Ph.D. candidate, you undertake to participate in an organized Ph.D. program during the employment period. A condition of appointment is that you are qualified for admission to the Ph.D. program within three months.

The engagement is to be made by 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 to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English or Norwegian/Scandinavian. The project proposal must be in English. 

Publications and other scientific work must follow 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 fulfill the criteria specified above.

Applicants must attach the following documents to their application within the closing date for applications: 

• A project proposal for the Ph.D. project (1,500 words maximum, in English). The proposal should give an outline of the research questions and a methodological design for the Ph.D. project. 
• A short letter of motivation
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. Master’s students can apply as long as they have submitted their master’s thesis by the application deadline. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted.
• A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted or soon will submit your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• CV and certificates 
• Publications or other relevant research work, if you have any
• Name and contact information of 2-3 referees.

If all, or parts, of your education, have 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. A description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 



We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short 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 obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and The obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a  wider range of academic contributions to science and society. 

General information

Working at NTNU



Inclusion and diversity are our strengths. 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.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality

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 daycare 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 Associate Professor Ingvill Stuvøy, telephone +47 40 60 67 96, email Ingvill.stuvoy@ntnu.no or Associate Professor Lucy Piggott, telephone +47 73 59 20 97, email lucy.piggott@ntnu.no. 

 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR by Renate Lillian Johansen, e-mail: renate.johansen@ntnu.no

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: 15.08.2024

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 Sociology and Political Science

We conduct research, teaching and dissemination in sociology, political science, media, communication and information technology, and sport sciences. The Department offers five-year master’s programmes in teacher education (lektorutdanning) in social sciences as well as in physical education and sports. As a social science department we have a special obligation to contribute to the public debate on important social issues. The Department of Sociology and Political Science is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences.