PhD Research Fellow in Anthropology of Health and Environment (Africa and Europe)

About the role

Three-year fully funded PhD fellowship at the Department of Social Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo. This is a second-round call (positions not filled in the first round) for a project exploring relationships between human health, environmental change, and social practices in field sites spanning Africa and Europe. The project suits candidates with regional expertise in sub-Saharan Africa or southern Europe, and an interest in ethnographic methods applied to questions of infectious disease, climate adaptation, or environmental justice. PhD candidates receive a Norwegian state salary (code 1017) with pension and full benefits. Deadline: 4 June 2026.

Responsibilities

• Conduct 12-14 months of ethnographic fieldwork in at least one African and one European site.
• Analyse primary qualitative data using interpretive anthropological frameworks.
• Situate findings within global health, political ecology, or medical anthropology literatures.
• Publish two to three peer-reviewed articles and complete a monograph or article-based thesis.
• Co-teach undergraduate courses in social anthropology (up to 25% of time).

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social or cultural anthropology, or a cognate social science with strong ethnographic training; degree completed before start date.
• Documented fieldwork experience in Africa or Europe (Master’s fieldwork acceptable).
• Strong theoretical grounding in at least one of: medical anthropology, environmental anthropology, or postcolonial studies.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Nice to have

• Language competency in a relevant field language (Swahili, Amharic, French, Portuguese, or another applicable language).
• Prior publications or conference papers in anthropology.
• Connections to partner institutions in the field sites.

How to apply

Apply through Jobbnorge at the link above by 4 June 2026. Required documents: application letter outlining your research interests and fit with the project, CV, copies of all university transcripts, a writing sample (e.g., Master’s thesis chapter), and the names and contact details of two referees.