PhD Research Fellowship in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports (FLKI), has a vacancy for a three-year PhD Research Fellowship in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

We are looking for a socially engaged and motivated PhD candidate. The fellowship in educational work is a research position intended to give a promising early-career researcher the opportunity for academic development relevant to knowledge about children and kindergartens from the perspective of sustainable futures. The position will strengthen the knowledge base for initial teacher education and for continuing and further education at FLKI, for early childhood education research, as well as for working life and organisational structures of the early childhood education, teacher education and cultural sectors and museums.

The position is based at KINDknow – Kindergarten Knowledge Centre for Systemic Research on Diversity and Sustainable Futures (BARNkunne), an Early Childhood Education and Care research centre at Campus Bergen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. KINDknow constitutes an interdisciplinary environment for research, dissemination and teaching in early childhood teacher education, master's level education and doctoral education. The Centre also hosts the NORCHILD Research School, established in 2023, which addresses questions of particular relevance to the Norwegian and Nordic kindergarten sector. KINDknow is also engaged in children's lives in a wider cultural and working life, and builds ties and networks regionally, nationally and internationally. The position forms part of a long-term strategic commitment to research relevant to kindergartens, local communities, cultural organisations and families with children.

The position as a PhD Research Fellow is a recruitment position aimed at completing a research education that leads to a doctoral degree (PhD). The position is intended to contribute to an active research environment at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. The research environment is currently working strategically on a plan for a continued commitment to research excellence towards 2038.

Depending on the candidate's academic profile, the position will also be affiliated with one of the departments at the Faculty, Campus Bergen.

Duration of the Position

The duration of the PhD Research Fellow position is three (3) years (1.1.27–31.12.29). The candidate will be enrolled in an approved doctoral education programme leading to a PhD degree within this period. If desired, the Faculty may consider extending the fellowship period to four years (1.1.27–31.12.30), with 25% of the time dedicated to career-promoting work at one of the Faculty's departments. If the fellowship is extended to four years, the career-promoting work will be spread over all four years.

Workplace: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Bergen.

About the PhD project / work tasks:

The fellow will work on research questions within the field of children, childhood and early childhood education, from the perspective of sustainable futures. We are looking for an original and feasible project with clearly formulated research questions, connected to the fields of work described below.

The position is linked to the newly established project FUTURE4CHILD (the Nansen Programme, HVL in collaboration with Ukrainian partner institutions, 2026–2029). FUTURE4CHILD will develop two new educational offerings, among other things, through co-creative and partly digital learning modules. The fellowship will strengthen the research base for this work and will form part of international networks.

We invite projects that investigate early childhood pedagogical work under critical conditions. This may concern children's conditions and experiences, and/or early childhood teachers' professional resources, resilience, room for manoeuvre and professional role under critical conditions. A central question is how kindergartens can provide children with care, safety and good conditions for play and learning also under difficult circumstances. The work should have significance for Norwegian kindergartens and for societal preparedness for crisis and reconstruction. The field of work is relevant to UN Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 11 and 16.

The fellow is expected to complete a PhD thesis within three years, based on articles publishable in scholarly journals. The fellow is also expected to participate actively, intellectually and collegially in the research environment. This may involve co-authoring, sharing work in progress in seminars, workshops and at conferences, responding constructively to the initiatives of others, and acting as a driving force in the environment.

The position requires admission to the PhD programme "Studies of Bildung and Pedagogical Practices" at the Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, and participation in the NORCHILD Research School. You can read more about the PhD programme and admission criteria here: Studies of Bildung and Pedagogical Practices

You can read more about the research environment here: KINDknow – Kindergarten Knowledge Centre for Systemic Research on Diversity and Sustainable Futures (BARNkunne) (hvl.no). You can read about the NORCHILD Research School here: NORCHILD Research School (hvl.no)

Qualifications:

Applicants must have an academic profile relevant to the position and a strong academic background from previous studies:

• A completed master's degree in early childhood education/pedagogy/educational science/psychology, or subject combinations within the social sciences or the humanities.

In addition to the required educational background, the following criteria will be evaluated: competence and grades on completed coursework, quality of the master's thesis (excellent grade, equivalent of grade B or better on the ECTS grading system), the project outline and its quality, publications (if any), communication skills, research and teaching experience, practical software engineering skills and experience.

The position involves participation in international networks in which English is required. The successful applicant must therefore have a good command of English. It is an advantage if the candidate speaks and writes Norwegian or another Scandinavian language. As the position is connected to the Nansen Programme, a collaboration between HVL and Ukrainian partner institutions, the ability to speak Ukrainian may be an advantage. A high level of ethical awareness is essential for the position.

The candidate must be diligent and display the ability to work independently, supplemented with regular guidance, and is expected to carry out high-quality research and to publish the results in national seminars, international workshops, conferences, and journals.

All else being equal, applicants with a master's degree completed within the last 5 years will be preferred.

Familiarity with the kindergarten sector, public health, culture or peace work is relevant and an advantage, but not a requirement.

Personal qualities

We are looking for candidates who can balance vision with the capacity to deliver. The research fellowship is a recruitment position intended to contribute to an active research environment at KINDknow, and forms part of a long-term commitment to research excellence. Candidates must therefore be able to contribute to an inclusive and international working environment. Personal qualities that will be given weight are the ability to work creatively, independently, collegially and in a structured manner. Applicants must be able to demonstrate good collaborative skills, including the ability to work with others towards shared goals. The ability to engage others and to communicate well is desirable.

Project outline

Applicants must submit a project outline of no more than five pages, including the references cited in the outline. The outline should address the research problem and research questions, theoretical grounding, methods and data material, a three-year work plan, ethical considerations and expected contributions. Where appropriate, data generation may take place in connection with the activities of the projects to which the position is linked. The project outline forms the basis for dialogue with the supervisory team, and the project will be revised in collaboration with the supervisors after appointment. The project outline should therefore provide a solid basis for developing a complete project description after appointment as a PhD candidate.

PhD programme

The PhD Research Fellow must enrol in the PhD programme "Studies of Bildung and Pedagogical Practices" at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, and must meet the formal admission requirements for this PhD programme. The PhD candidate will be assigned two academic supervisors at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. An application for enrolment should first be submitted after an appointment is made, and the supervisor(s) will help with this procedure. Normally, the candidate applies for enrolment within three (3) months after the start of employment, according to Regulations relating to programmes of study and examinations at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) § 2-4.

Career plan

The person appointed must, in conjunction with the department, prepare a career plan that specifies the competences the fellow is to acquire. Competence goals must be set for both the doctoral work and any other career-enhancing work that is added to the position. The fellow will have access to career guidance.

Other career-enhancing work may, for example, include teaching and teaching-related work, acquiring Norwegian language skills, contributions to research communities, collaboration with public or private actors, and more.

Background check

For available positions, HVL conducts background checks on applicants in collaboration with an external supplier, to verify information that appears in available documents. Background checks are always carried out with the candidate's consent, and employment in these positions requires a completed background check. Current applicants will receive further information about this.

Application procedure:

Applications will be evaluated by an expert panel of three members.

Applicants are asked to submit their application and CV online. Please use the link “Apply for this job” (“Søk stillingen”).

The following documentation should be uploaded as an attachment to the online application:

• Master Thesis
• Copies of selected academic publications (no more than five)
• A CV with a complete list of academic publications
• Diplomas and certificates

Applicants should indicate which publications or parts of publications should be given special consideration in the evaluation. If the documents submitted are not in a Scandinavian language or in English, the applicants must submit certified translations of these. The transcripts must specify the topics, the coursework, and the grades at the bachelor's and master's degree levels.

Applicants with a degree from a country other than Norway, need to attach a certified translation of the diploma and transcripts of grades to English or a Scandinavian language, in addition to the original documents, if the original is not in any of these languages. It is required that the applicant encloses a recognition document showing that their degree is equivalent to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD. You can read more about applying for recognition of foreign higher education here.

The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) offers an automatic recognition document for certain degrees from selected countries. If the applicant’s degree is covered by the automatic recognition, it will be sufficient to attach this document. Read more about automatic recognition here.

As the HK-dir application process may take some time, it is recommended to apply to HK-dir as soon as possible. If you have not received a recognition document from HK-dir within the application deadline, please enclose documentation from HK-dir showing that they have received your application.

Applicants should note that the evaluation will be based on the documentation submitted electronically via Jobbnorge within the submission deadline. The applicants are responsible for ensuring that all the documentation is submitted before the closing date. It is of utmost importance that all publications to be considered in the evaluation are uploaded as an attachment with the application, since these are sent electronically to the expert panel. Applications cannot be sent by e-mail or to individuals at the college.

General information:

The appointment will be made in accordance with the regulations of the Civil Servants Act in Norway ("Lov om statens ansatte"). Organizational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities associated with the position must be expected.

State employment shall reflect the multiplicity of the population at large to the highest possible degree. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has therefore adopted a personnel policy objective to ensure that we achieve a balanced age and gender composition and the recruitment of persons of various ethnic backgrounds.

Information about the applicant may be made public even though the applicant has requested not to be named in the list of applicants. The applicant will be notified if his/her request is not respected.

Short-listed applicants will be called in for an interview.

Employment is conditional on the granting of a work and residence permit (must be considered individually).

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences is subject to the Export Control Regulation. The regulation will be applied in the processing of the applications.

Inclusion, challenging norms, collaboration

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