About this role
This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0 About the position Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate which opens up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate at the Department of Sociology and Political Science you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, both within and outside academia. This PhD position in Political Science offers an excellent opportunity for scientific development through designing, conducting, and disseminating research on a contemporary topic. The goal of the PhD. position is to complete doctoral-level education and to complete a doctoral degree. The position is 4 years, including one year of promotion work such as teaching. The candidate will be part of the active research group Public Policy and Administration at the Department of Sociology and Political Science and be part of a broader international network of researchers working in the field of Public Administration & Management and Digital Government. For more information about the research group, see Public Policy and Administration - NTNU . Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. About the project Cybersecurity Governance in Critical Public Infrastructures The PhD project will investigate how sector specific institutional contexts shape the governance of cybersecurity in critical public infrastructures. Candidates may focus on selected sectors—such as energy, transport, education, or health—to analyze why governance models differ and how variations in administrative capacity, regulatory design, risk exposure, and public–private collaboration contribute to these differences. The project aims to identify institutional arrangements that enable effective coordination between governmental authorities and private actors and to develop a comparative framework for understanding alternative pathways to effective cybersecurity governance. Applicants are expected to develop a proposal that contributes to this comparative agenda, drawing on relevant theoretical perspectives from public administration, governance, or digital government studies. Qualitative or mixed methods approaches are welcome. Duties of the position Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate. Carry out research of high academic quality within the framework described above, and develop your own approach to the project. Academic publications and popular science dissemination Be an active participant in the research group Public Policy and Administration. Participate in international activities such as conferences, workshops, PhD courses and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions. Teaching in relevant study programs at the Department. Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. The PhD is obliged to conform with the regulations concerning changes and developments within the position, and/or the organizational changes concerning activities at NTNU. Required selection criteria To be qualified for this position you must fulfill the following criteria. You must have a master's degree in Political Science, Social Science interdisciplinary digitalisation‑oriented programmes such as Organisation, Digitalisation, Administration and Work (MODAA), Public Management, Public Governance, Public Administration, or equivalent. Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where normally 120 ECTS credits have been obtained at master's level included a master’s thesis or equivalent work with a scope of at least 30 ECTS credits. Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position. You must have 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. If you have a weaker grade background, you maybe considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education. You must meet the requirements for admission to t he faculty's Doctoral Programme in Social Science . Good quality of the project proposal. Experience with qualitative research as the main methodological approach, with the ability to engage in quantitative statistical analysis when relevant. Good written and oral skills in English. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria Demonstrated experience with qualitative data collection, including interviews. Familiarity with qualitative coding and analysis using tools such as NVivo, Atlas.ti, or similar. Ability to design and conduct rigorous qualitative research, including sampling strategies, interview protocols, and ethical considerations. Beneficial additional competence includes knowledge of digital transformation/digital government, especially an interest in or experience with cybersecurity. The position is ascribed one year of promotion work such as teaching, and good written and oral language skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is an advantage. Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject work independently and structured set goals and make plans to reach them, creatively approach your subject matter, an