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About the Position

The Faculty of Law, University of Bergen, offers a postdoctoral research fellow position affiliated to the Research Group for Climate, Energy and Environmental Law. The position is connected to the project ‘The North Sea Carbon Basin: Governance for transporting, storing, and building Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) infrastructure in the Climate Transition’ (NorthCarb). The project is funded by Akademiaavtalen.

NorthCarb is an interdisciplinary project developing new expertise in law and comparative politics on cross-border and climate and energy policy interactions of CCS in the North Sea. It is an advantage that the person appointed has experience with research in these areas.

The position is a fixed-term contract. The duration of the position is 3 years, which may be extended to 4 years if the candidate is qualified to teach compulsory courses in the master's program at the Faculty of Law. The successful candidate is expected to live and work in Bergen. 

The preferred starting date is 01.10.2025.

About the project

NorthCarb will concentrate on North Sea governance and regulation of carbon transport, carbon storage, and regional and cross-border CCS projects. NorthCarb’s main objective is to help scale up CCS and minimize regulatory obstacles in the North Sea by generating interdisciplinary legal and comparative political knowledge regarding cross-border implications and CCS-climate governance interaction. This will be achieved by analyzing rules, policies, and stakeholder political positions on large cross-border CCS projects in the North Sea from an EU/EEA and climate perspective.

This post-doctoral position will focus on the interaction of EU/EEA climate policy and regulation for CCS projects, and the consequences of this interplay. This will involve analyzing hard and soft law documents, as well as examining the policy positions of energy-related stakeholders, adopting an interdisciplinary research approach and in collaboration with political scientists.

Applicants must develop a research proposal of approximately 3-5 pages outlining research questions and topics related to NorthCarb’s research scope. It is expected that the proposal will address at least two of the following research topics listed below. However, note that applicants may include additional aspects that compliment these key overarching themes:

Topic 1, CCS and the definition of ‘carbon’ in EU/EEA law: Topic 1 addresses how ‘carbon’ is defined in the EU/EEA, and Public International Law settings, as well as how carbon is defined or perceived by different stakeholders, including energy companies, EU/EEA institutions, and North Sea governments. One of the objectives is to identify consistency or inconsistencies and policy positions regarding what constitutes quantifiable carbon reduction through CCS technology.

Topic 2, CCS and CBAM and EEA Relevance: Topic 2 explores the interaction of CCS projects, EU/EEA emission trading schemes, and the extra-territorial application of EU carbon climate policies as part of the EU/EEA industrial energy transition policy – including aspects related to WTO and international trade law. This analysis will serve as the foundational step towards a theoretical study around the ‘EØS handlingsrom’ theory (maneuver room) and use carbon and climate law policies to determine how much scope for deviation from EU climate policies EEA countries have.

Topic 3 Imposed CO2 injection capacity building or investment by oil and gas producers: Topic 3 investigates the extent and effects caused by Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 (Net Zero Act) on CCS roll-out and in particular on oil and gas producers. We foresee the importance of understanding how companies develop CO2 storage projects alone or in cooperation with others to fulfill their contribution and the consequences of these different compliance strategies leading to CCS winners and losers.

Please contact the project coordinator Ingrid Birce Müftüoglu for access to the full project description. 

Qualifications 

• The applicant must hold a PhD degree in law, within the fields of energy law, law of the sea, regulatory law, public international law, sustainability law, and/or climate law. Experience in empirical legal research or interdisciplinary research is an asset. For candidates who have not yet defended their PhD, the thesis must be submitted before the closing date for this application call. The degree must be awarded before the start of the postdoctoral position  
• A high academic level, demonstrated through scientific publications and other written work. 
• The applicant must be proficient in both written and oral English. Proficiency in a Scandinavian language is an asset.
• Experience of working with qualitative or quantitative text analysis or a desire to learn qualitative and/or quantitative text analysis is a desirable skill.

Work tasks and expectations 

• Conduct independent research connected to North Carb’s thematic scope, leading to a minimum of four (4) scientific publications in well-reputed international journals and/or as book chapters.  
• Be part of an interdisciplinary and collaborative team across law and political science. 
• Publish shorter pieces oriented to the dissemination of research results among wider audiences and present your research in international settings.
• Actively contribute to the activities conducted by the Research Group for Climate, Energy and Environmental Law and help organize activities related to NorthCarb.
• Consider conducting research in another country and research institution to expand your knowledge on the topic.

Your application must include:

• A cover letter with a brief account of your research interests and motivation for applying for the position and how this agenda fits with the aims of NorthCarb. It is expected that the applicant reads the project description available upon request. 
• A research proposal for the planned research (3-5 pages) based on the NorthCarb-project (including at least two of the topics listed above). The proposal must include a short description of the postdoctoral project’s overall topic, objectives, method, and a plan for the dissemination of the research. 
• Certified copies of diplomas and transcripts of grades, as well as confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted in the case of applicants that have not yet been awarded their PhD degree.  
• CV
• Complete list of scientific works.  
• Doctoral thesis and up to five additional academic works in pdf format. The works must be in English or in a Scandinavian language unless otherwise agreed upon. The applicant may include unpublished manuscripts.  
• The names and contact information of two referees. One of these should preferably be the main supervisor of the doctoral thesis.  

The application and attachments must be in Norwegian, another Scandinavian language or English. Documents in other languages must be accompanied by certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language. Please ensure that all attachments are in either Word or PDF format and are uploaded to Jobbnorge within the application deadline.

The application must be complete by the application deadline of 15 June 2025. Applications that do not include all mandatory attachments will not be considered.

We can offer:

• An excellent opportunity for exciting career development in a professionally motivating working environment.
• Position as postdoctoral fellow (code 1352 in the basic collective agreement) and a gross annual salary of NOK 720 100. For particularly highly qualified applicants, a higher salary may be considered.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• Good welfare benefits

Read more about what UiB can offer its employees at What can the University of Bergen Offer its Employees? | Division of Human Resources | UiB. 

General information:

The assessment will emphasize the quality of the project description and its relevance and importance towards the project, as well as the applicant’s academic qualifications and motivation for carrying out the project and contributing to the research community at the Faculty. Relevant applicants will be called in for an interview. 

Further information about the employment process at the University of Bergen can be found here. 

• Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting the project leader and professor of law Ignacio Herrera Anchustegui or professor of political science Adriana Bunea.
• Detailed information about the recruitment process and employment conditions can be obtained by contacting HR at the faculty: hrjur@uib.no.

The state labor 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.

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. 

The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at any time.

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.