Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Linguistics with a Focus on National Minorities and Diversity

Postdoctoral research fellow in linguistics with a focus on national minorities and diversity

Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education

The position

At UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, Department of Language and Culture (ISK), one temporary full-time (100%) postdoctoral position is being advertised in the field of linguistics, with a focus on national minorities and diversity, in connection with the project “Sustaining National Minorities in Education: Kven/Norwegian Finnish and Forest Finnish Experiences and Needs in Mainstream Schools (NAMED). The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway.

The position requires active participation in the research community. The postdoctoral researcher will be affiliated with the research group Multilingual North: Diversity, Education and Revitalization (MultiNor) at the Tromsø campus, an interdisciplinary group of language and education researchers working to explore multilingual practices and language revitalization in the Barents region, with a particular focus on educational contexts in Northern Norway.

The position is a fixed term position for a duration of 3 years. It is a prerequisite that the applicant can carry out the project over the full course of the employment period. No person may hold more than one fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the same institution.

The postdoctoral researcher will be based in Tromsø. The position starts January 1, 2027.

As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, you will have the opportunity to advance your scientific career and further qualify for academic positions. If you do not already have the educational competence that meets the requirements for an Associate Professor position in Norway, UiT will arrange such competence during the employment period.

The project

Sustaining National Minorities in Education: Kven/Norwegian Finnish and Forest Finnish Experiences and Needs in Mainstream Schools (NAMED) is an interdisciplinary research project aimed at promoting reconciliation in line with the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by strengthening the education of Kven/Norwegian Finnish and Forest Finnish students in accordance with the culture of these national minorities. Based on the theory of linguistically and culturally responsive education, the project will develop innovative ways to teach about and for the national minorities in elementary school.

The postdoctoral project is specifically linked to Work Package 2 of the NAMED project, which examines the experiences and needs of Kven/Norwegian-Finnish students and their guardians in school. The postdoctoral project will, through interviews with Kven/Norwegian-Finnish students and their guardians (various interview formats are relevant here, possibly in combination with other data sources),
explore one or more themes relevant to the NAMED project.

These may include, for example:

• The participants’ experiences with discrimination, invisibility, and recognition in school.
• How the participants believe schools can help prevent prejudice and discrimination against Kvens/Norwegian Finns
• How participants believe schools can help strengthen the Kven/Norwegian-Finnish national minority

within the framework of a multicultural and multilingual society.

• How participants believe schools can contribute to reconciliation between the Kven/Norwegian Finns

and the majority society.

• How schools can develop a comprehensive educational approach to the Kven/Norwegian Finns in

particular and national minorities in general within the framework of a multicultural and multilingual
society

You must submit a project description of no more than five pages, excluding references. The format is optional. The project description must describe your contribution to the project and the basis for the work, and include background, a theoretical framework and methodology, including research questions, data collection and data analysis. It must also include a work plan. Please, feel free to contact the project manager, Leena Maria Heikkola, to discuss you plan (leena.m.heikkola@uit.no).

Qualifications

Requirements regarding education, research experience and language skills

Required qualifications

• This position requires a Norwegian doctoral degree/PhD in a relevant field, or an equivalent doctoral degree from abroad. The doctoral thesis must have been submitted by the application deadline.
• Good command of Norwegian, Danish or Swedish, as well as good English-language skills.

Applicants who have completed upper secondary education in Norway, Sweden or Denmark may document their language skills by submitting their upper secondary school diploma.

Desired qualifications

• Research experience related to Kven/Norwegian Finnish topics.
• A Kven/Norwegian Finnish background or previous knowledge of the Kven/Norwegian Finnish language, culture or history will be an advantage.

In assessing the applicants, emphasis will be placed on motivation, research potential and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who have:

• Good collaborative skills;
• The ability to communicate and interact effectively with colleagues and students; and
• The ability and willingness to contribute to a positive working environment.

At UiT, emphasis is placed on the quality, relevance and significance of research work, rather than on the publication venue, in accordance with the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

The assessment of which candidate is best qualified will be based on an overall evaluation of education, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation and the other requirements specified in this advertisement. In addition, emphasis will be placed on: the quality of the project description and documented independent research and development work, or relevant professional practice, related to the project.

The position and its associated duties must be carried out in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations governing public-sector employees, including the Act relating to the control of the export of strategic goods, services and technology, etc. Candidates who, following an assessment of their application and attached documentation, are found to conflict with the criteria set out in the aforementioned Act will not be eligible to take up the position at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Any necessary approvals must be maintained throughout the employment relationship.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project
• Good career opportunities
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility

Application

Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position.

Your application must include:

• Application letter
• CV
• Diplomas and transcripts (all degrees)
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Documentation of Norwegian proficiency or another Scandinavian language
• Contact information to 2-3 references
• Documentation of educational competence, if available
• Project description (max five pages, excluding references). The format is optional. The project description must describe your contribution to the project and the basis for the work, and include background, a theoretical framework and methodology, including research questions, data collection and data analysis. It must also include a work plan.

Applicants who have completed upper secondary education in Norway, Sweden, or Denmark may document their language proficiency by attaching their high school diploma.

If you’re at the final stages of your PhD, you may still apply if you have submitted your PhD thesis for doctoral degree evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis with your application. Documentation of your completed PhD degree must be submitted before commencement.

All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position.

Assessment

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants.

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position. A trial lecture may also be held.