PhD Research Scholar positions – Department of Economics

About NHH

NHH Norwegian School of Economics is a Triple Crown Accredited business school and among the best-ranked institutions in Europe. We are internationally recognised for our research environment, and we educate the leaders of the future. NHH is the first choice for students who want to study economics and business administration in Norway. We have about 3,600 students and 450 employees.

At NHH, we work together for sustainable value creation. High quality, solid ethic standards and efforts for common goals characterise all our activities. Our core values committed, open and ambitious are central for employees and students.

NHH – for you who aspire to more!

The PhD specialisation

NHH is pleased to announce vacant positions within the PhD specialisation of  Economics. Selected candidates will receive the title of PhD Research Scholar.

The PhD specialisation in Economics aims to give dedicated graduate students a solid training in performing high quality scientific research in economics, making use of state-of-the-art empirical and theoretical techniques. The specialisation prepares students for the international academic job market, for positions at national and international policy institutions, central banks, and research organisations.

The Department of Economics offers an international and research-active environment with faculty members and PhD Research Scholars in various fields. There are three main research groups within the department: 

• Centre for Experimental Research on Fairness, Inequality and Rationality (FAIR) - a Centre of Excellence from the Norwegian Research Council
  • The Centre for Business Economics (CBE)
  • The Macro, Risk and Sustainability Centre (MRS).

Every PhD Research Scholars is integrated into the Department’s international research network and is provided with office space, computer facilities and administrative support. We make a particular effort to include the PhD Research Scholars in the research activities at the department and faculty members are dedicated to guiding and supporting PhD Research Scholars in their research education.

The department also arranges the possibility for PhD Research Scholars to receive funds to pay a long-term visit to a foreign institution that is part of the department’s networks.

Further information about the PhD Specialisation in Economics.

The PhD programme

The PhD programme at NHH is a four-year fully-funded programme, which combines an intensive course component with research and relevant work experience, preparing the school’s graduates for scholarly positions at recognised international institutions and positions in knowledge-intensive institutions and firms outside of academia. Former PhD graduates have been hired by renowned institutions such as Harvard University, The University of Sydney’s Business School, University of Amsterdam, Tilburg University, Hanken School of Economics, Norwegian universities and business schools, as well as by the government, banking, finance and consulting industries.

The PhD research scholars will be included in a highly stimulating and rewarding research environment, working closely with faculty members and other PhD research scholars at the school. The PhD research scholars get feedback on their work through regular interaction with their supervisor and other faculty members. PhD research scholars are expected to participate actively in faculty and research seminars, as well as in workshops. 

The scholarship includes 25% teaching and/or research assistance responsibilities, and the PhD research scholars must take one basic module of the programme for university pedagogy in the course of the fixed-term period. The PhD programme gives preference to applicants who address research problems that fit the research interests of the department and available resources for supervision. As the school aspires gender balance and diversity, female applicants will be given preference if applicants are otherwise equally qualified.

The annual salary for the PhD research scholar position will be approximately NOK 550 000 (equivalent to approximately EUR 46 350 or USD 50 200) pr. August 2024. The salary ensures a fair standard of living in Norway and is subject to Norwegian taxes and benefits, including public health care benefits and pension savings.

The place of work will be at NHH in Bergen where the PhD research scholars will receive their own office space in their department. The city of Bergen offers a mild coastal climate and hosts rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities, as well as a family-friendly environment. To explore the city, go to visitnorway.com.

Application requirements

General requirements:

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for the PhD programme. 
You are required to upload the following electronically with your application:

• Certificate of a Master of science degree or equivalent (please include transcripts of grades). You need to have completed your master’s degree prior to the starting date for the position. If you have not completed your degree when applying for the position, please attach an overview of the courses and grades that you have completed so far.
• Certificate of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (please include transcripts of grades)
• Other relevant certificates or transcripts (e.g. courses completed at the PhD level)
• If the issuing authority of grades and degrees does not use the ECTS grading scale, please include an official description of the applied grading scale system
• Statement of purpose describing your motivation for applying this position (250-300 words)
• Tentative research project outline (2000-4000 words). This research project outline should describe the aims, research questions, and motivation of the proposed area of research. Please note that your research project outline is tentative and often needs adjustments after your acceptance into the programme
• Curriculum vitae
• A list of all publications and/or other documented research activities
• Contact details of two referees

Please upload the documents in separate files, not combined in one single file.

Specific requirements:

The Department of Economics requires you to demonstrate both an adequate level of academic skills and an adequate level of English language proficiency (unless you are exempt). We accept the following tests:

• GMAT or GRE to measure your academic skills
• TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic to measure your English language proficiency

When applying, you are required to upload a scanned copy of your unofficial test scores in Jobbnorge (online portal) before the deadline. If you are shortlisted, NHH will ask you to give us access to your official test scores without delay.

Exemptions:

• You are waived from the GMAT/GRE tests if you hold a qualifying master’s degree from a Nordic institution.
• You are waived from TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic if you are a native English speaker, if you have a qualifying master’s degree from a Nordic institution or if you have a qualifying master’s degree where the language of tuition was English.

For more detailed information about the tests and their minimum scores, please visit our webpage: Admission to the PhD programme | NHH. You may also contact us at phd@nhh.no

Letters of recommendation:

Letters of recommendation may strengthen your application, but it is not mandatory. The referees should send their letter of recommendation (in PDF file format) to hr-phd@nhh.no by latest 15 January 2025

General information

For more information on the PhD programme and the submission procedure, please consult the NHH PHD website. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please note that applicants for the PhD research scholar position do not need to apply separately for admission to the PhD programme.

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

In accordance with §25 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act, note that the list of applicants may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to have his/her name entered on the list of applicants. The applicant will be notified if his/her request is not respected.

For questions and inquiries about the NHH PhD programme, please contact phd@nhh.no.

Applications must be submitted through the Jobbnorge online portal. To open the application, please click ‘Apply for this job’. For English version, go to the menu at the top right side.

Application deadline: 15 January 2025