Doctoral Research Fellow in law - FME NorthWind 

Doctoral Research Fellow in law - FME NorthWind Job description

A position as Doctoral (PhD) Research Fellow is available at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo.

The position is externally funded and forms part of the research project NorthWind – Norwegian Research Center on Wind Energy, which is a Research Center for Environmentally Friendly Energy (FME). The host institution for the project is Sintef in Trondheim. The Doctoral Research Fellow will have his/ hers workplace at the Scandinavian Institute for Maritime Law, Department for energy and resource law, in Oslo. The Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law is a partner with Sintef in the project.

More about the position

The Doctoral Research Fellow will contribute to work package 5 (WP5) in the NorthWind project on sustainable offshore wind development, and is expected to write a doctoral thesis on contracts related to the planning, development and operation of offshore wind projects. The overall purpose of WP5 is to develop "tools and insights for sustainable development of wind energy to create a successful export industry, reduce cost and uncertainty, and resolve environmental and societal conflicts". The project will form part of subgroup 1, which focuses, among other things, on contracts and business models for the development and operation of offshore wind projects, including how different solutions can contribute to innovation, cost-efficiency and circular economy ("materials circularity"). The doctoral Research Fellow is expected to write a doctoral thesis on issues that fall within this topic, and must expect to work closely with the other project participants involved in WP5.

Relevant topics should be connected with contracts and contract models adapted to the special concerns relating to offshore wind. A possible approach could be to identify key contracts/performance elements and risk issues related to the delivery, installation and operation of offshore wind turbines, and analyse these in the light of current or possible contract solutions and the contractual background law. The dissertation may take as its starting point fundamental questions of contract law that arise at the intersection between traditional areas of contract such as sale of goods, manufacturing/construction law and maritime law. Particular questions relate to the need for new technology and development solutions (especially in the case of floating offshore wind) and the allocation of responsibility and risk in this regard, and to the regulation of project management (variation order mechanisms, etc.) in the case of complex deliveries consisting of different performance elements and long supply chains. It may be relevant to take as a starting point established contract models and solutions from the Norwegian offshore petroleum industry and look at how these are relevant for/can be adapted to offshore wind. Another possible approach could be to look at the relationship between relevant public law rules (including the licensing system and licensing conditions) and relevant contracts and contract models. Procurement law issues may also be relevant. These examples are not exhaustive. Other issues and approaches can also be considered.

The thesis should be based on Norwegian or Nordic contract law and/or contract tradition within relevant fields. The thesis can be a monograph or based on 3-5 articles.

For more information about the center and its research and industrial partners, see https: // www. northwindresearch.no.

The period of appointment is preferably for a period of four years with 75% research and 25% teaching duties, alternatively three years without teaching duties. A four-year fellowship requires that the candidate can contribute to the current teaching needs of the Faculty of law.

Qualification requirements and personal skills

A Norwegian five-year master's degree in in law, or equivalent education, is required at the time of application.

Normally, the applicant should have grades that place the person in the top 10-15 % of the graduates in the subject. This also applies to the master's thesis.

The project's working language is both Norwegian and English. The applicant should therefore have good command of both Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) and English.

The applicant must be able to work independently and in a structured manner.

Good collaboration skills, the ability to contribute to professional development and a willingness to actively take part in the development of a good professional environment are required.

How to apply

The application must include:

Letter of application, describing the applicant's motivation and suitability for the position.

CV (complete overview of education, practice and professional work, including an overview of previously published academic/scientific works by the applicant)

A 5-10 pages project outline, explaining how the applicant envisages approaching the research topic

Certified copies of diplomas with all grades included in the degree and certificates (if the original language of diplomas/certificates are not English or a Scandinavian language, an English language translation must be provided in addition to a copy of the original. Foreign diplomas must include an official documentation about the grading system, together with the official grading scale.

Up to 3 scientific works. If the works have been written by several authors, the distribution of work between them must be documented with a declaration of co-authorship

List of referees (minimum 2 persons, with contact information, email and telephone numbers

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link "Apply for this position".

Assesment basis

The applicant must submit a project description of 5-10 pages in which the research topic, its importance and relevance for Norwegian law and for the NorthWind project, choice of theory and scientific method, any research ethical challenges and how the work is planned to be carried out must be explained.

When assessing the applicants, emphasis will be placed on the project description, the candidate's academic achievements, previous written work and the applicant's professional and personal qualifications for carrying out the project within the allotted time.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

The candidates are evaluated by a Selection Board, which ranks the candidates based on the criteria indicated above and conducts interviews with short- listed candidates. In a few cases a dedicated interview committee will be formed. The Appointment Committee of the Faculty of Law will take a final decision about the hiring of the candidate.

We offer

Salary from NOK. 501 200 to 544 400 per year (position code 1017)

A pleasant and inspiring work environment

Pension scheme in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

Good welfare schemes

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Doctoral research fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

Employed research fellows will be linked to one of the faculty's research groups.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results.

Inclusion and diversity are goals in the Faculty's strategy. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact information

Professor Ivar Alvik, e-mail: [email protected], or Professor Catherine Banet, e-mail: [email protected]

For practical application questions: Siri Martenson: [email protected]

About the University of Oslo

The University of Oslo is Norway's oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.

The Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law consists of a Maritime Law department, and a department for Petroleum and Energy Law and is one of five institutes at the University of Oslo Faculty of Law. NIFS is the Nordic hub for maritime law and a resource centre for maritime law and petroleum law research internationally. The institute has an international profile, with a global student body.

Deadline

20th February 2023

Employer

University of Oslo

Municipality

Oslo

Scope

Fulltime (1 positions) Fulltime (%)

Duration

Fixed Term

Place of service

Oslo sentrum