About the job
The research project An Architecture of Chronic Illness: A Critical Exploration of Norwegian Buildings and Bodies from Post-war to Post-pandemic (ArChro), funded by the Norwegian research council, invites applicants for a three-year PhD-position in artistic research, starting 1 January 2025.
The ArChro Project:
ArChro explores a set of buildings at an institute for rehabilitation in Igalo, Montenegro, where Norwegian patients have received treatment since 1976, as well as select therapy pools in Trøndelag. This project asks how Norwegian people who live with chronic illness experience spaces where treatment takes place. In what ways has this architecture been shaped, maintained, used and experienced over time? How can patients’ own experience of these conditions tell us something about the way our attitudes to welfare and wellbeing have changed post-WWII until today? Using the individual’s experience of chronic illness as a point of departure, this project offers a critical approach to a complex relationship between politics, architecture and healthcare.
ArChro builds upon methods from several disciplines: architectural history, anthropology, film studies, and artistic research in the form of sound art and filmmaking. Archival material and site-visits will offer insights into how the buildings in question were built, maintained, and demolished. Interviews with patients and a set of creative tasks that patients complete in their homes or when being in treatment, pinpoint what matters the most to the patients. The artistic methods pick up on certain elements from this research and explore specific aspects and ideas that cannot easily be explored through more traditional academic formats of text, for example, experiences that are emotional, sensuous, and ambiguous. The unique combination of these methods will bring forth a series of stories about buildings and place told from the chronically ill body, which often is forgotten in traditional architectural history.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers and artists will develop the ArChro project over three international symposia, resulting in an exhibition. A series of artworks, texts, articles, and materials will be presented as an exposé at the platform Research Catalogue, open and available for the public. We will also make a toolkit consisting of a series of critical questions that can be used by NGOs and patients to talk about space, architecture and place, health, wellbeing, welfare and subjective experiences of chronic illness.
The PhD project:
The PhD candidate will shape their own project within the overall scope and objectives of the ArChro project. We are open to different research designs. Applicants must submit a two-page project sketch, but a full PhD proposal will be developed in the first three months in conversation with the PI. For example, the candidate might make a film, a sound work or an installation that explores a specific aspect of the history the buildings in Trøndelag and Igalo, told from the chronically ill body, or develop a project that delves into a particular sensory experience with theoretical grounding in disability studies or other relevant frameworks. The project could view the Norwegian presence in Montenegro from a Montenegrin perspective. The PhD project must reflect the patient’s voice, experience and perspective. The candidate will conduct five weeks of fieldwork in Norway and/or Montenegro. The PhD candidate’s final work will be included in the planned ArChro project exhibition and planned exposé at Research Catalogue.
For a position as a PhD Fellow, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree. The successful applicants must complete their PhD studies within the period of employment.
Applicants can contact Anna Ulrikke Andersen anna.u.andersen@ntnu.no for further information about the project.
Your immediate leader is head of department.
Required selection criteria
- You must have a professionally relevant background in fine arts, filmmaking, music, or architecture, with a portfolio that shows overlapping interests to the ArChro project. Candidates with a background in the humanities or social science could be considered, if their experience shows strong relevance for the ArChro project’s core thematic, as well as practical, artistic experience, for instance through extensive, high quality curatorial work or filmmaking.
- Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master’s level
- You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master’s degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU’s grading scale (§ 6-1 in regulations concerning PhD at NTNU). If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s artistic research PhD programme.
- Good written and oral English language skills
The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant
In accordance with the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment, former PhD research fellows at NTNU are not eligible for the positions regardless of field of study. Candidates who already have an approved doctorate in related fields from other institutions, both nationally and internationally, are also asked not to apply for these positions.
Preferred selection criteria
- Interdisciplinarity
- Candidates with Serbo-Coratian and/or Scandinavian language skills are particularly welcome
- Experience working with NGO’s or other relevant volunteering
Personal characteristics
- Structured, systematic and goal oriented
- Good communication and collaboration skills
- Motivation to contribute to a good working environment, both academically and socially
Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.
We offer
- exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
- an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
- favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- employee benefits
Salary and conditions
As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
The period of employment is 3 years. If the department need help with teaching or similar within the applicant’s competence, the period may be extended corresponding to the mandatory work that may be agreed upon.
Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Artistc Research within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.
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 by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.
After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.
It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.
About the application
The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.
Materials submitted for assessment must follow the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.
The application must include:
- Project sketch, max two pages
- Cover letter, max two pages
- CV and certificates
- A narrative CV, max four pages. Based on your previous work, what experience, knowledge and interests do you see as particularly relevant for ArChro? You can choose up to five examples of work
- Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
- Bibliography with references to existing literature, projects and work that you consider relevant for the project, max one page
- Name and contact information of three referees
Through the application the applicant must document a high potential for artistic research. The project sketch, narrative CV and bibliography are the key elements in evaluating the applicants. It is also highly important that the project is feasible within the nominal length of study, which is three years full time, with ½ year set aside for the coursework component.
The successful applicant commits to completing a PhD within the period of employment and the available resources. The applicant must therefore demonstrate that they will have access to the necessary equipment and infrastructure to complete the project. PhD research fellows at the Faculty of Humanities will receive up to NOK 150 000, – in working capital (driftsmidler) to complete the project.
If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor’s and master’s education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well.
We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.
In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.
The following applications will not be considered:
- Applications that are not submitted electronically via Jobbnorge.no by the deadline
- Applications that lack documentation
- Applications that do not have a diploma/transcript of grades from a master’s degree or documentation of artistic activity equivalent to a master’s degree
NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA.
General information
NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.
Candidates who themselves live with a disability or chronic illness are especially encouraged to apply.
The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.
As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact Anna Ulrikke Andersen email anna.u.andersen@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Martin Jakobsen, email: martin.jakobsen@ntnu.no.
If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.
Application deadline: 10.11.2024