PhD position in digital service innovation and quality of life among the elderly - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

At the Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy, there is a vacancy for a three-year PhD position in social work and social policy, linked to a project that will investigate the effects of using new social technology in elderly care. Accession to the position requires admission to the PhD programme in Social Sciences, field of study social work and social policy. The topic of your PhD project must be relevant within the thematic area of social work and social policy. 

About the project

The innovation and research project BoVEL: Live longer at home with social welfare technology will develop, implement and test a social technology service, Komp, and generate new knowledge and skills related to this. The goal is to help improve current municipal health and care services for the elderly.  Komp has been developed by the technology company No Isolation AS, which is leading the project, while OsloMet is a research partner with its own project group. 

Komp is a device that simplifies screen-based communication in the form of messages, pictures and video calls between relatives and elderly home care recipients, and also includes automated display of tasks and time of the day. The idea is that the service will help improve quality of life and sense of security and provide more social contact, thereby extending the period the elderly are able to and would want to live at home. The service will be tested in real operation in Oslo municipality, in the home care districts Nordstrand, St. Hanshaugen and Østensjø, and at Solfjellshøgda Helsehus. The project runs from April 2022 through March 2026.

Tasks

The research fellow will mainly contribute to the quantitative research in the project, in close collaboration with other project participants. This involves designing and conducting a survey among users of home care services, preparing administrative data from the home care districts and Statistics Norway for research, and analysing these to investigate the effects of the innovation on different outcomes across different subgroups. Other analyses may also be relevant. The study is designed as a randomised controlled trial (RCT), where registry data, survey data and qualitative data together will shed light on the implementation and effects of the innovation. 

Project outline and more information

We invite applicants to design a project description where the candidate is given the opportunity to think creatively about theoretical framing, research questions, content of the survey and analyses. For more information about the project description, see below. A package of information about the project will be made available from project manager. 

Qualifications and terms

Requirements:

• A relevant master's or degree (120 ECTS credits) or equivalent with good grades, preferably within the social sciences. Applicants must have a B or better on the master's thesis and an average grade B or better on the master's degree. In special cases, applicants with a grade of C may be considered for admission.
• documented qualifications in quantitative research methods and statistical analysis
• oral and written skills in at least one Scandinavian language and English

Preferred characteristics of the applicants:

• relevant research experiences
• relevant health or welfare service work experiences
• excellent analytical skills
• capacity to work independently and systematically
• excellent cooperation skills
• interest in the thematic of the research

Terms

Accession to the position is dependent on admission to the PhD programme in Social Sciences, with specialisation in Social Work and Social Policy.

The final PhD. project plan must be approved no later than three months after accession.

The research fellow will receive supervisors in the project group

Requirements relating to the project description

The applicant must submit a complete project description with the application. The project must be within the topics set out in the call for proposals and relate to the academic orientation of the PhD programme in Social Sciences - social work and social policy. 

The project description must be a maximum of 10 pages and written in Scandinavian language or English, and must contain

• research question(s), theoretical foundation and methodological approach
• description of knowledge needs and the contribution of the thesis to research in the field
• a realistic plan for project, including milestones and planned research papers
• any planned research stays abroad
• references

Assessment of the application

As an applicant, you will be assessed by an expert committee. In the assessment of applicants, particular emphasis will be placed on basic qualifications (grades, academic qualifications and previous experience) and submitted project description. The description must be of an academic level that makes it likely that the project will lead to a doctoral degree within a three-year period. 

We use an electronic recruitment system. Before the application deadline, you must upload the following documents with the application:

• CV, certificates and diplomas
• project description written in Scandinavian language or English (max. 10 pages incl. reference list)
• master's thesis
• any other scientific work
• list of publications and presentations at international seminars / conferences (if you have any)

Applications submitted without the attachments mentioned above will not be considered.

Certificates, certificates and publications must be in English or a Scandinavian language. Translations must be authorized. You must present originals at a possible interview. OsloMet conducts control of documents to test for falsifying.

If we get more than 20 qualified applicants for the position, a new committee will be established to screen for the best qualified applicants before an expert committee assesses the applicants.

We offer you

• opportunities for professional development in a large and inspiring professional and research environment
• participation in one or more of the department's research groups.
• a pleasant and stimulating research environment
• loan and pension conditions in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• good welfare schemes

Further information

• Principal investigator, Erik Børve Rasmussen,e-mail:  fossan@oslomet.no
• Head of Ph.D. the program in social work and social policy, Amy Østertun Geirdal, tel: 67238150/481 96 620

The position is paid in accordance with the Government's salary regulations, position code 1017, PhD candidate. Annual salary: 501 200 (salary step 54).

If you have documents that cannot be uploaded electronically, contact torevo@oslomet.no

It is important for OsloMet to reflect the population in our region and we welcome all qualified applicants. We work actively to develop further as an inclusive workplace and to facilitate the workplace if you need it. If you have periods in your life where you have not been to work, education or training, you are also welcome to apply with us.