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Video:
https://youtu.be/i4SDcLir6OcPostdoctoral Research Fellow position
The Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET), University of Bergen (UiB), is recruiting a postdoctoral research fellow for a period of three years.
About the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET)
CET is an interdisciplinary research centre that aims at producing actionable knowledge about how to
achieve deep, rapid and sustainable transformation of society to meet the climate challenge. CET is
based at the UiB Faculty of Social Sciences and works closely with scientists from a variety of disciplines.
CET conducts research on how climate change and transformation are experienced and acted upon by
individuals, communities, policymakers and organizations. More information about CET’s research focus
can be found on the website: https://www.uib.no/en/cet.
The postdoctoral research fellow will have their workplace at CET and is expected to contribute to making
CET a dynamic and productive academic environment.
About the project/work tasks:
The Paris Agreement requires countries, cities and companies to continuously increase the ambition of their climate commitments. Yet there is no widely accepted way to assess whether a climate pledge is both fair and sufficiently ambitious. This postdoctoral research fellow will contribute to Paris Ambition project, funded by the Research Council of Norway, which aims at developing actionable fairness and ambition assessment tools to support decision-makers in implementing global climate goals. This project seeks to develop new conceptual and analytical frameworks to inform international climate negotiations, national climate policy, climate litigation and corporate climate target setting.
Assessing climate ambition remains a major methodological challenge in climate governance with methodologies applied to different types of actors based on incompatible assumptions. The project considers both the norms that shape climate commitments and the norms used to evaluate their fairness and ambition by governments, civil society, courts and investors. The project draws on the fair share literature – on the allocation of the globally remaining emissions space into national allocations – and legal considerations regarding the role of non-state actors in achieving global and national goals.
The project is structured around five working packages on:
1) How can international financial support contribute to countries achieving their fair share emissions
allocations?
2) How can fair-share principles inform subnational climate targets?
3) What are the costs of climate damages resulting from countries exceeding their fair-share
emissions allocations?
4) How can countries demonstrate their Highest Possible Ambition, as required under the Paris
Agreement, and what does this imply for non-state actors?
5) What constitutes an ambitious corporate target and how does it contribute to global and national
climate goals?
This project is designed to inform rapid climate action thanks to established collaborations with leading researchers in other research institutions, jurists and societal actors (NGOs working on international climate negotiations, climate litigation and climate policies).
We are looking for a curious and creative researcher who enjoys developing new methods, working across disciplines and contributing to internationally visible research. The hired postdoc will become part of the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation, an interdisciplinary research centre based in social science. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to help establish new analytical approaches that could shape future research, policy and practice. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the project, a team will be hired to bring complementary skills, possibly from the fields of integrated assessment modelling, governance, climate policy, climate impact modelling and economics.
Experience with socio-economic modelling (e.g. integrated assessment models) is particularly relevant to WPs 1, 4 and 5, while expertise in climate impact assessment or the social cost of carbon is particularly valuable to WP3 and 5. Perspectives from climate governance and climate law are particularly relevant to WPs 2 and 5 and contribute to the broader objectives of the project. Applicants to the current position can target any of these parts of the project.
Each of the WPs is expected to result in submissions to leading journals, with team members taking the lead on different papers. While the project has defined objectives, the successful candidate will have considerable freedom to shape the scientific direction of their work, develop new collaborations and pursue innovative research questions aligned with the overall aims of the project. The successful candidate will be supported in developing an independent research profile and competitive funding applications that support the further development of this research agenda.
Qualifications and personal qualities:
The applicant must:
- Hold a PhD (or equivalent degree) within disciplines relevant for the project (such as climate policy, data science, economic governance, climate impact modelling, environmental science, geography). Applicants can explain the relevance of their disciplinary background in the application. The applicants must have submitted their doctoral thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded.
- Have a documented track record of publications and research development within the thematic area of the position.
- Be able to work independently and to cooperate with others.
- Be proficient in both written and oral English (good scientific writing skills will be appreciated).
We are seeking researchers who enjoy working across disciplinary boundaries and developing novel approaches to complex societal challenges.
We particularly encourage applications from:
- researchers with experience in integrated assessment modelling, socio-economic modelling or
quantitative climate analysis. - researchers with complementary expertise who can develop innovative approaches to assessing
climate ambition and fairness.
Applicants with other expertise should explain how their experience and ideas can contribute to WP4 and 5 and to the overall objective of the project.
The position and project are hosted by the Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation.
About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:
The position of postdoctoral research fellow is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The fixed-term period for this position is three years. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.
The successful candidate will be expected to lead high-quality publications, contribute to the development
of novel assessment methods, and become an internationally recognised researcher in this emerging
field
We can offer:
- The opportunity to help develop internationally influential methods for assessing climate ambition
and fairness. - Close interaction with international collaborators and societal stakeholders.
- Significant intellectual freedom to shape your own research direction in relation to the research
project’s objective. - Support for developing an independent publication record and competitive research funding
applications. - Collaboration within an interdisciplinary team spanning modelling, governance and climate policy.
- Possibility to contribute to the supervision of the Ph.D. student’s project. Teaching can be a possibility, depending on the Department’s future teaching needs.
- A supporting environment to support career development and grant applications.
- Gross annual salary as postdoctoral research fellow, code 1352, of NOK 685 900, -. Further
increase in salary will depend on seniority. A higher salary may be considered for a particularly
well qualified applicant. - Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
- Good welfare benefits.
Your application must include:
- A research statement (4-5 pages) where applicants 1) describe how their previous research and
methodological expertise is relevant to the project’s objectives, including some of its WP and 2)
suggest one or more original research ideas they would like to pursue within the Paris Ambition
project. - CV, including list of publications and relevant experience in or outside academia.
- The names and contact information for two reference persons, as well as their relationship with the applicants. Referees will only be contacted for shortlisted candidates.
- Official confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted.
- Relevant certificates/references.
The application and appendices with certified translations into English language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge. Applications sent by e-mail will not be evaluated.
The closing date is September 30, 2026.
Potential candidates may be invited for an interview online or at CET.
General information:
Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting Yann Robiou du Pont - Project leader: yann.robioudupont@uib.no, https://yannrobioudupont.org/
Practical questions about the application process should be directed to Adviser Christine Bresil: christine.bresil@uib.no
We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply. The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.
Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.
The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.
Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.
We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.Further information about our employment process can be found here.
Om arbeidsgiveren:
The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.
There are seven departments at Faculty of Social Sciences. Read more about the faculty and departments.
