Postdoctoral Research Fellow

BI Norwegian Business School invites applications for the position of Postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Communication and Culture. The appointment is a fulltime position and is for a period of four years.

Department of Communication and Culture, where the candidate will be based, is currently home to about 50 faculty. The Department is highly international in its faculty composition as well as its ongoing research and industry collaborations. The department hosts research groups within Internet and Society, Corporate Communication, Creative Industries and Education. Ongoing research in the department is for instance concerned with the role of the arts in the digital transformation, the structural changes of the creative industries, the roles of communication technologies in shaping the future of work and new forms of labour and organizations, online organizing and communities, social legitimacy of technological transformations, and innovation in education management.

The members of the department regularly publish on such issues in the field’s top journals, including among others the Journal of Management, Journal of Management Information Systems, Human Relations, Organization Studies, California Management Review, Work, Employment and Society, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Management Studies, and Business Ethics Quarterly.

Starting date: 1 January 2027 or earlier by mutual agreement

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at BI Norwegian Business School.

Project description

Through its academic work, BI has an ambition to make its mark in the international research community. The DISTINCT project, funded by the Research Council of Norway and led by Prof. Christoph Lutz, investigates how digital status - expressed through markers such as likes, ratings, endorsements and algorithmic signals - is created, interpreted and translated into social and economic advantages. The project uses a multi-method approach, combining qualitative interviews and focus groups, a two-wave panel survey and computational analysis of generative AI systems. The successful candidate will have a central role in the overall project, especially in the project’s qualitative components, which include conducting and analyzing qualitative interviews with diverse users in Norway and focus groups to investigate the social valuation of emerging digital occupations. The project aims at high-impact publications in leading international journals and contributing to the development of design and policy recommendations. The postdoctoral research fellow is expected to strongly contribute to such dissemination.

Qualification Requirements

• A completed PhD in communication, sociology, media studies, management or a related social science field. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defense are eligible for appointment.
• Strong qualitative research skills. While experience with methods such as semi-structured interviews, focus groups or specific qualitative data analysis approaches (e.g., thematic or discourse analysis) is highly desirable, candidates with expertise in other relevant qualitative approaches are also encouraged to apply.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is an advantage for data collection.
• Demonstrated early academic ambition and success relative to career stage, with a clear goal to publish high-quality research.
• Familiarity with topics such as digital platforms, social inequality or the social implications of AI is preferred.
• A collaborative and open-minded approach to research. While the main responsibilities will be qualitative, a general interest in the project’s quantitative and computational elements and a certain curiosity to engage across methodological boundaries is valued.

Personal skills:

• Ability to communicate science effectively to both academic and non-academic audiences.
• Ability to collaborate with researchers from different fields and at different career stages.
• Willingness to be part of a team to share knowledge and skills.
• Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Positive attitude and the ability to handle hectic periods.

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal skills.

What we can offer

The position includes membership in BIs collective pension scheme.

• A good working environment at one of Scandinavia's leading business schools.
• Research support.
• Supportive professional environment.
• Strong focus on professional career development.
• BI offer Norwegian language courses for all international employees.
• A generous data collection and travel budget for the whole duration of the project, including the opportunity to present the research from the project at international conferences and funding for research stays.
• The possibility to collaborate with leading scholars in the area of the project across Europe.

Application procedure

Qualifications will be evaluated according to the usual rules for academic positions at universities and specialized university institutions, as well as BI provisions for appointment and promotion.

Candidates interested in this position must submit their application electronically through the “Send application” button, and upload the following documents:

• Cover letter
• CV and publication list
• Certificate from the highest degree obtained (PhD)
• Scientific works (one article or scientific output that bests represents the applicant’s research skills and strengths)
• Other documentation that may be important for assessing the level of competence
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)
• Work may not be submitted after the deadline.

Women are encouraged to apply. BI Norwegian Business School is an equal opportunity employer.

The best ranked qualified applicants will be called in for an online interview.

Further information

Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting Christoph Lutz, Project leader, telephone: +4746410206, email: christoph.lutz@bi.no

For more information about the department and the school visit here.