PhD in Economics

We currently have 23 academic staff members, 700 students, and three administrative employees. You will become part of an active and inclusive group of PhD candidates at the department. Through the PhD programme, you will also interact and engage with PhD candidates from other departments at the Faculty of Economics and Management. 

This position offers an exciting academic environment, professional growth, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through your research. 

Your immediate leader will be the Head of the Department of Economics. 

Duties of the position

The main goals of the PhD position are competence building and research training, and you will be admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Economics and Management.

Your tasks as a PhD candidate will be to 

• conduct high quality research 
• take part in an organized programme which includes high level training in relevant topics and research methodology 
• present you own research at national and international scientific conferences 

The Department of Economics aims to conduct research at a high international level. Contact with universities and researchers abroad is an important part of this, and we encourage our PhD candidates to spend one or two semesters abroad during their degree.

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

In order to be qualified for this position you must have 

• completed (or be in the process of completing) a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 ECTS) in Economics or Finance 
• a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation.
• have completed a combination of subjects giving you solid methodological knowledge in econometrics 
• be proficient in English

Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.

As a result of the new Act relating to universities and university colleges with associated regulations of 01.08.2024, NTNU has, during a transitional period (for decisions on employment in recruitment positions before 1 August 2025), chosen to use the terms of employment in the old regulations of 31 January 2006 no. 102 on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, research fellow, scientific assistant and specialist candidate

Personal characteristics

It is demanding to complete a PhD. To manage this it is advantageous if you are 

• able to work independently 
• able to set goals, make plans to reach these goals and work hard to achieve them 
• inventive and creative 
• able to work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity
• able to discuss preliminary results from your research and take feedback from colleagues into account 

A good working environment is important to us. Our work environment is characterized by an informal and friendly atmosphere and close collaboration between our employees. We are looking for a person who 

• works from campus and participates in department activities such as lunch gatherings and weekly research seminars 
• constructively engages in academic discussions with colleagues  
• actively contributes to academic and social activities for the group of PhD candidates as well as the rest of the staff

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• to be part of a bigger group of PhD candidates at faculty level 
• to participate in international research conferences and build international network
• As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
• Access to employee benefits and discounts. 

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals. 

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education. 

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates 

The application must include:

• transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV  
• research plan or project proposal containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (1-2 pages)
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (not your master's thesis). Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation 
• names and contact information of three relevant referees

Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.

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. If your institution uses “diploma supplement”, you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well. 

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt 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 exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting, in line with your qualifications and you are ready to take the next step in your academic journey, we encourage you to apply!

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Head of Department Anne Borge Johannesen, telephone +47 41 21 52 81, email anne.borge.johannesen@ntnu.no. 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR consultant Randi Holvik, email: randi.holvik@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 09.03.2025

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech 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.

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Economics

Our subject areas are public finance, economics of education, urban and regional economics, health economics, environmental and resource economics, and financial economics. These areas are especially relevant to decision-makers in all sectors. We work together with other researchers nationally and internationally, and our teaching activities are closely linked to our research. As a department with a socio-economic focus, we have a special obligation to bring research-based knowledge about effective resource use into the public debate. The Department of Economics is one of four departments in the Faculty of Economics and Management.  

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