Oslo Metropolitan University is Norway's third largest university with 23,000 students and over 2,600 employees. We have campuses in central Oslo and at Romerike. OsloMet educates students and conducts research that contributes to the sustainability of the Norwegian welfare state and the metropolitan region.
The Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TKD) offers higher education and research and development (R&D) activities within technical subjects, arts and design. The Faculty has approximately 4.000 students and 400 staff members and is situated at Pilestredet Campus in downtown Oslo and at Kjeller Campus in Viken.
The Department of Art, Design and Drama (EST) is developing rapidly and is facing exciting changes in the next few years. The department has approximately 900 students and 58 employees. We offer study programmes at bachelor's and master's level in design, arts and crafts, drama and theatre communication, art dissemination, and fashion and production. In addition, we have a new PhD program: Innovation for sustainability, and number of further education programmes and practical pedagogical programmes in design, arts and crafts and drama and theatre communication. Most of the study programmes have an element of outreach practical training as an integral part. The department has four research groups and a high level of activity in external activities. This is affiliated with the department's unit for lifelong learning
The Department of Art, Design and Drama has a vacant three‑year temporary position as a PhD Fellow in the field of storytelling for a grounded green transition. The fellow will develop and test a theatre-based storytelling methodology that anchors the green transition in the lived realities of people and places. The project combines documentary material, collaborative dramaturgy, and staged performances with residents, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The position bridges performing arts, social innovation, urban research, and public policy to foster listening, empathy, and participatory justice in climate governance.
Your main duties and areas of responsibility
Responding to a growing “greenlash” and the distance between technocratic policy and everyday experience, the PhD project seeks to foreground the emotional and affective dimensions related to personal experiences and civic engagement in green transition processes. Its objectives are to anchor climate policy in local contexts, create spaces for collective listening across diverse perspectives, and contribute to participatory justice in research and policymaking. Key here is to position artistic practice as a catalyst for more grounded, inclusive climate governance. Methodologically, the PhD fellow will gather oral histories in Norwegian zero-emission areas through participatory action research and dialogical approaches. The empirical material will be shaped into a staged performance for strategically diverse audiences of residents and decision-makers, followed by audience feedback and facilitated focus groups to generate reflexive data and policy learning. Expected outputs include a research-based performance, two academic articles, and a policy brief.As a PhD Fellow at OsloMet, you have the opportunity to apply for funding for extended research stays abroad.
Qualification requirements
- Master's degree within performing arts, visual arts, cultural studies, human geography, anthropology, development studies, or equivalent related disciplines. The degree must normally include 120 credits (ECTS). If the master’s degree includes fewer than 120 ECTS credits, the applicant must, by the application deadline, submit documentation confirming that the master’s degree qualifies for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was awarded. All exams for the master's degree must be completed by 30 June 2026.
- An academic profile aligned with the needs of the research group and the department.
- For appointment to the position, the following grade requirements normally apply
- Minimum average grade B on subjects included in the master's degree.
- Minimum grade B on the master's thesis.
- Exceptions to the grade requirements are provided on the doctoral programme’s website
- Written and oral proficiency in English (Language requirements for employees at OsloMet)
Admission to the PhD programme Innovation for Sustainability at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design is a prerequisite for employment in the position. An application for admission to the PhD programme must be submitted within three months of the start date.General criteria for appointment to teaching and research positions are set out in the Regulations relating to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges.
It will be an advantage if you have
- Practical experience within one or more of the following areas: performance production, dramaturgy, socially engaged art, storytelling, community work
- Experience with participatory and qualitative research methods, (i.e. oral history, narrative interviews, focus groups, sensory/creative approaches)
- Collaboration capacity within the Norwegian performing arts sector
- Strong academic writing and dissemination skills
- Written and spoken proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish
Personal qualities
- Strong ability to follow through on tasks and projects
- Motivation for the academic and research field
- Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
- Strong analytical skills
- Ability to think innovatively and contribute to development
Emphasis will be placed on personal suitability.It is important to OsloMet to reflect the population of our region, and all qualified candidates are welcome to apply. We make active endeavors 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.
We offer
- Engaging work assignments within Norway's third largest university
- Participation in research groups and a creative and inspiring academic community
- Opportunities for academic development
- Good welfare schemes and a wide range of sports and cultural offers
- Loan and pension arrangements with the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- A workplace in the center of Oslo
The salary for the position is in accordance with the Basic Collective Agreement for state employees and OsloMets pay policy for PhD Candidate in code 1017, corresponding to 550 800 NOK per year. From the salary, 2% will be deducted in pension contributions for the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK).
Application Process
If you wish to apply for the position, you must do so through our recruitment system. Please upload the following documents together by the application deadline:
- Application letter describing your motivation for the position
- CV, reference letters, and all pages of certificates/diplomas. Foreign education should be pre-approved, and a letter of approval must be attached. Information is available via the following link: Recognition of foreign education - to work in Norway | HK-dir
- If you have not completed your master’s degree at the time of application, you must upload a provisional transcript in English or a Scandinavian language from your university by the application deadline. It is desirable that you also include an overview of the courses/exams you plan to complete during spring 2026. Relevant candidates must submit an official confirmation from the educational institution by 30 June 2026 stating that all examinations for the master’s degree have been completed, including the master’s thesis. The official diploma and transcript must be submitted before taking up the position, no later than 1 October 2026. If your educational institution does not issue the official diploma by this deadline, you must submit documentation from the institution confirming that the master’s degree has been awarded by the same deadline.
- Master’s thesis
- Project description/project outline (max. 5 pages including reference list)
- Scientific works or a link to the full article, if relevant
- A list of publications and presentations at international seminars/conferences, if relevant
- Preferably two references with contact information
We only consider applications submitted through our electronic recruitment system, and all documents must be uploaded for your application to be considered. The documents must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Translations must be authorized, and you will be asked to present originals if you are invited for an interview. OsloMet verifies documents to give candidates a proper evaluation and ensure fair competition. Incomplete applications will not be considered.For relevant positions, OsloMet conducts background checks of applicants in cooperation with an external provider, in order to verify information contained in available documents. Background checks are always carried out with the candidate’s consent, and employment in these positions is conditional upon an approved background check. Relevant applicants will receive further information about this.
Other information
If you would like more information about the position, feel free to contact:
- Head of Studies Petter William Hansen, petter-william.hansen@oslomet.no, +47 672 35 419
- Professor Cecilie Sachs Olsen, cecilies@oslomet.no, +47 918 36963
Deadline for application: 04.05.2026Ref: 26/05904
OsloMet holds the EU certification HR Center of Excellence for Charter & Code supporting researchers in career development, mobility and employee rights.
OsloMet has signed The Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognizes the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated.
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 are seen to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter law will not be considered for the position.
