PhD Fellowship positions in economics at Oslo Business School - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Two PhD Research Fellowship positions in economics at Oslo Business School, of which one is externally funded.  The accepted fellows will be admitted to the Ph.D. program in social sciences at OsloMet.  The appointments are for four years with 25% teaching and administrative duties.

Read more about Oslo Business School, the Economics and Methodology group, and the Ph.D. program in Social Sciences.

Areas of research

The externally funded position is associated with the project “Can Responsible Investment Induce Sustainable Corporate Behavior? Evidence from the World’s Largest Equity Investor,” led by Associate Professor Fenella Carpena.

Responsible investment refers to the practice of incorporating environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions.  As ESG issues rise to the top of the agendas of many investors and asset managers, research on whether and how responsible investment affects real-world corporate behavior has become more relevant. 

This project—funded by Finansmarkeds­fondet—will focus on Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (‘the Oil Fund’).  The project’s aim is to investigate the impact of the Oil Fund’s responsible investment strategies on target firms’ ESG performance.  For example, if the Oil Fund divests from a company because of deforestation or climate change concerns, how does that influence the company’s environmental behavior?  The project will primarily be an empirical microeconometric study, but it will build on theoretical insights from the existing economics and finance literatures. 

The other position is not linked to a specific research project, but we will give priority to research proposals in development economics.  This fellowship will be supervised by Associate Professor Anders Kjelsrud.

Main duties of the positions

The purpose of the positions is to complete a research project leading to a doctorate degree.  The research fellows will be employed at Oslo Business School and be part of the Economics and Methodology group.  Each position has 25% teaching and administrative duties.

Qualification requirements

To be considered for these positions you must have

• A Master’s degree (120 ECTS credits) in economics or in business/administration with a major in economics. Candidates completing their Master's degrees before August 1, 2023 may apply.
• An excellent academic record with strong quantitative, analytic, and econometrics skills.
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English.

We are looking for applicants who

• Are interested in economics research
• Are able to work independently, and have initiative and self-motivation

If you are applying for the position funded by Finansmarkedsfondet, it is a plus if you have

• Knowledge of statistical programming software (e.g., Stata, R) and/or general programming software (e.g., Python)
• Experience in using different financial and business research databases (e.g. Refinitiv, FactSet, Wharton Research Data Services).

Other factors that can be an asset are experience from previous research activities and project participation, as well as teaching experience at the college and university level.

Admission to the doctoral programme is a prerequisite. Applicants to this program 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. In such cases, particularly relevant experience related to one’s own research project and / or scientific publications may contribute to strengthening the application.

Admission to the doctoral program is based on a comprehensive assessment of the application, including the relevance and quality of the project description. A final project plan for the fellowship period must completed and approved within 3 months after admittance to the post.

We can offer you

• An exciting, fully paid job opportunity at Norway’s third largest university
• An energetic and stimulating research environment
• Beneficial pension arrangements with the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Beneficial welfare schemes and a wide range of sports and cultural offers
• Free Norwegian language classes to employees and their partners/spouses
• Workplace with access to all the facilities of the department in downtown Oslo with multiple cultural offers

Practical information about relocation to Oslo and living in Norway

Expert evaluation

An expert committee will assess applicants.  The application must be submitted in English and must clearly state which position(s) you apply for, along with your motivation for applying to the position(s).  You must upload the following documents together with your application by the deadline indicated below:

• CV, reference letters (if any), and all pages of certificates/diplomas. The certificates/diplomas must include ECTS grades (A–F).  Foreign diplomas must be translated into English by the degree-conferring institution.  Education taken abroad should preferably be recognised in advance by NOKUT (www.nokut.no/en/), and a confirmed copy of the letter of recognition should be enclosed.
• Your master's degree/second degree thesis and any other scholarly work that you wish the expert committee to take into consideration.
• A project proposal consisting of a maximum of 10 pages, giving a description of your planned research. The research proposal will be an important part of the assessment and must demonstrate how the project will lead to a doctoral degree within the designated period.  If you apply for both positions, you must submit a proposal for each position. You can read more about the requirements for the project plan.
• For candidates with education from an institution outside the European Economic Area/the European Union or Switzerland, a recent score from the GRE General Test is required as part of the documentation of qualifications. The minimum test scores to be considered for admission is 152 points on the Quantitative reasoning section and 153 points on the Verbal reasoning section.  Submitted test results must not be older than five years. Please add OsloMet as a recipient of your GRE test using our institutional code 997 058 925.  In addition, you must scan and upload a copy of your test result to the application portal.  Oslo Business School does not accept the GMAT to substitute the GRE.
• International students who do not speak English as a native language must document their proficiency in English by taking either a TOEFL or IELTS test. For the TOEFL test, applicants must obtain a minimum score of 550 (paper-based) or 80 (internet-based).  For the IELTS test, applicants must obtain a minimum score of 6.0.  OsloMet’s code number for TOEFL is 997 058 925 and for IELTS it is 997 058 925.  Please arrange to have your score sent directly to the university.  

Original documents and valid passport must be presented if you are invited for an interview. OsloMet performs document inspections in order to give you as a candidate a proper evaluation and ensure fair competition.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered. The application must state your reasons for applying to the project and what makes you particularly qualified to carry out this PhD work.

It is important to OsloMet to reflect the diverse and multicultural population of our region, and all qualified candidates are welcome to apply.  We make active endeavours to further develop OsloMet as an inclusive workplace and to make adaptations to the workplace where required.  You are also welcome to apply for a position with us if you have had periods where you have not been in employment, education, or training.

If you have documents that cannot be uploaded electronically, please contact ståle.bie@oslomet.no.

Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered.  

Other information

If you would like more information about the position, feel free to contact:

• Head of Section Fredrik Wulfsberg, +4748401711, frewul@oslomet.no
• Associate Professor Anders Kjelsrud, +4793266338, andkje@oslomet.no
• Associate Professor Fenella Carpena, +4767235977, fenella.carpena@oslomet.no

The salary for the position is in accordance with the pay scale for Norwegian state employees, job title, and position code.  State salary wage scale 54, amounting to 501 200 NOK per year.  

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 attachments, are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to OsloMet.

If you would like to apply for the position, you must do so electronically through our recruitment system.

Deadline for applications: 30 January 2023

Ref.:                                                22/08459