PhD Research Fellow in International Business

About the position

Up to seven 100 % positions within the broad field of International Business are available at the University of Agder, School of Business and Law, as a PhD Research Fellow for a period of three years. Depending on the applicants’ profile and academic experiences, some might be offered four-year positions including 25% teaching or other tasks at the School of Business and Law.

The School of Business and Law at the University of Agder is a high-profile AACSB accredited business school in Norway, and amongst the top business schools in Norway when it comes to research output per faculty member. Our PhD program is one of Europe’s leading programs in the field of International Business. We equip our candidates with a global mindset and contemporary research skills. Our graduates find prestigious jobs within and outside academia, and they publish in top-tier publications on the Financial Times List and ranked by the Chartered Association of Business Schools as Level 4-4* journals. The program currently includes around 50 PhD candidates from across the globe working closely with their highly motivated supervisors. More information about our PhD programme.

The position is located at Campus Kristiansand. Starting period of the next cohort of candidates will be around February 2025.

Responsibilities

To maintain and further strengthen the School’s research environment and the PhD program, we will start up a new PhD cohort in 2025. The project should be within the field of International Business, broadly defined. In our program, we stress a strong match between candidates’ research interests and the competence and research focus of a suggested supervisor. Applicants are expected to get in touch with potential PhD supervisors and discuss their research projects before submitting their applications. A list of available supervisors and potential research topics they could supervise on (list of topics are not exclusive) can be found here. 

The School of Business and Law will prioritize projects that are of strategic importance to the School of Business and Law.  Priority may be given to projects involving more than one year at a partner and/or cotutelle university abroad. In addition, it is an advantage if the project is positioned in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

A more detailed description of the position appears below.

Required qualifications

Applications from applicants who already hold a PhD will normally not be considered.

• Higher degree (master’s degree or equivalent qualifications) in a relevant subject area/business school field like International Business, Innovation, Management, Crowdfunding, Strategy, Marketing, Psychology, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Economics or Accounting and auditing. A candidate who is in the final stage of their master’s education within the relevant field may also be considered, given that a master’s degree is to be achieved before the enrollment of this position.
• A research proposal with a strong academic match with the suggested supervisor.
• Proficient in English, both written and oral

A prerequisite for employment is that the candidate must be admitted to UiA’s PhD program at the School of Business and Law. More information about the program and a complete list of admission requirements.

It is also required that candidates who are accepted attend PhD program activities and actively participate in the school’s research environment. The PhD candidate is expected to be present at the University of Agder during the course of the programme unless otherwise agreed. Accepted candidates from outside the European Union are required to secure needed Schengen visa in due time.

Further provisions relating to the positions as PhD Research Fellows can be found in the Regulations Concerning Terms and Conditions of Employment for the post of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Research Fellow, Research Assistant and Resident.

The working language at the University of Agder is Norwegian.

Desired qualifications

• an MSc and/or BSc degree from a highly ranked university, preferably AACSB or EQUIS accredited.
• a research proposal with strong academic potential.
• relevant experience in international business and/or related streams of research.
• proficiency in formal, academic English.
• advanced knowledge in qualitative, quantitative, and/or experimental research methods.
• for quantitative oriented PhD proposals, basic to advanced programming skills and ability to conduct analyses using different statistical packages (e.g., SPSS, Stata, Jamovi, R, Python, SmartPLS, LISREL, etc.) are highly desirable.
• for qualitative oriented PhD proposals, basic to advanced skills in various qualitative analysis tools (e.g. NVIVO, MAXQDA etc) and/or analysis methods (e.g. grounded theory, thematic analysis, content analysis, discourse analysis etc).
• for some of the positions, fluency in a Scandinavian language might be preferred

Emphasis will be placed on the applicant’s examination results, as well as any previous research activities and international experience.

Personal qualities

• ability to work in a goal-oriented, organized, and independent manner.
• ability to handle stress and work with deadlines.
• good teamworking skills.
• creativity and the ability to think outside the box.

We offer

• a high-quality PhD degree from an AACSB accredited institution
• professional development in a large, exciting, and socially influential organisation.
• a research environment characterized by leading scholars in international business, innovation, alternative finance, marketing, regional innovation systems and consumer research to mention some
• a positive, inclusive, and diverse working environment.
• modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare benefits.   
• membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

More about working at UiA.

The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.515, code 1017 PhD Research Fellow, NOK 532 200 gross salary per year. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions.

General information

UiA is an open and inclusive university. UiA believes that diversity enriches the workplace and makes us better. Qualified candidates are therefore encouraged to apply for the position independent of gender, age, cultural background, disability or a gap in the CV.

The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning the acts relating to Control of Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. With the applicant’s permission, UiA will also conduct a reference check before appointment. Read more about the employment process.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right. 

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the English version takes precedence.

Application

The application and any necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) are to be sent electronically. Use the link "Apply for this job."

The following documentation must be uploaded electronically:

• Certificates with grades and transcripts.
• Summary of the master’s thesis (one page).
• Project description with a maximum scope of 3 pages (Times New Roman, single-spaced, font size 12), including a reference list. The outline should present and discuss possible research questions, perspectives, material, a progress plan, and methods within the given framework. The project description needs to include an international research dimension.
• Motivation letter (maximum one page) including an explanation of why the research project fits within the field of International Business and with the suggested supervisor, availability for staying abroad at one of our partner institutions for a period of time, and information on teaching and other academic experiences that might be of relevance.
• Academic work/scientific publications and R&D projects, as well as a list of these (if applicable).
• Other important documentation like results from tests like GMAT/GRE/TOEFL etc. (if available).

The applicant is fully responsible for submitting complete digital documentation before the closing date. All documentation must be available in a Scandinavian language or English.

Application deadline: June 2nd, 2024.

Contact

For questions about the position:

• Head of the PhD program Professor Tobias Otterbring, tel. +4738142397, email: tobias.otterbring@uia.no

For questions about the application process:

• PhD coordinator Gunvor Guttormsen, tel. +4738141648, mobile +4741689995, email: gunvor.guttormsen@uia.no
• HR advisor Diana Trydal, tel. +4791857409, email: diana.trydal@uia.no