All Things Urban

The University of Stavanger, on the South West Coast of Norway, has 12,000 students and 1,600 faculty, administration and service staff.

In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities.

The University of Stavanger invites applicants for a Ph.D fellowship in Sustainable Urban Mobility at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Safety, Economics and Planning. The position is vacant from January 2021.

This is a trainee position that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development leading to a doctoral degree.

The appointment is for three years with research duties exclusively.

The selected applicant will be conducting research within sustainable urban mobility. Urban mobility is currently undergoing several revolutions, e.g. the electrification and automation of vehicular transport, “green” transportation, increase of shared mobility and micro mobility, Mobility As A Service (MAAS), promoting active travel and walkability, and a stronger focus of environmental sustainability and social equality and justice. This research project attempts to explore the range of complex challenges for urban planners, policy makers and mobility providers when trying to accomplish sustainable urban mobility.

The PhD project may investigate effects and consequences of these transport developments, as well as perceptions of and attitudes of current urban traffic environments and urban mobilities. Possible research topics could be, but are not limited to:

• the relationship between the urban environment and modes of travel
• the relationships between perceptions and attitudes of urban mobility and travel behaviour
• the effects of sustainable transport policy (on travel mode change)
• the effects of micro-mobility (on the physical urban environment)
• the introduction of new mobilities and their consequences for cities
• recent innovations on urban transport policy and technology and how those may contribute to sustainable urban mobility

We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree (3+2) within spatial or urbanplanning or transport planning/ -engineering. If you have relevant experience in mobility, a master's degree within architecture, or human geography or environmental psychology or equivalent may be relevant. Your education must provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate and must preferably be acquired recently. Work experience in transport and mobility will be emphasized.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master’s thesis and the weighted average grade of your master’s degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade.

Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F should attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale.

Emphasis is also placed on your:

• motivation and potential for research within the field
• ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative
• ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload
• having a good command of both oral and written English

• varied duties in a large, exciting and socially important organisation
• an ambitious work community which is developing rapidly. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure
• salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 479,600 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position
• automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits
• favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club at campus
• employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
• "Hjem-jobb-hjem" discounted public transport to and from work
• as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
• relocation programme in event of moving to Norway, including support and language courses for spouses

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.