PhD Candidate in Psychology

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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.

About the position

The position is affiliated with the "Trondheim Early Secure Study (TESS)”, a longitudinal study of psychosocial development, mental health, and health behaviors. Approximately 1,000 children have been assessed every second year since the age of four. The participants are now 22 years old, and the tenth wave of data collection is ongoing.  

The PhD project focuses on how attachment develops from childhood into early adulthood. Using longitudinal data from TESS, including repeated assessments of attachment and detailed information on psychological development, mental health, and psychosocial functioning, the project will identify developmental trajectories of attachment and examine factors that may predict these trajectories. The overarching aim is to advance our understanding of the factors that shape different attachment pathways across childhood and adolescence 

The PhD candidate will be part of the TESS research group, which consists of 10 researchers, 2 postdoctoral fellows, and 10 PhD candidates, in addition to 4 research assistants responsible for data collection. The candidate will be supervised by Associate. Prof. Kristine Rensvik Viddal. The candidate will further be co-supervised by at least one of the senior researchers in the TESS group Prof. Lars Wichstrøm (PI of TESS) and Prof. Silje Steinsbekk (co-PI of TESS) while also collaborating with international researchers.  

The PhD candidate reports to the Deputy Head of Research at the Department of Psychology.  

Duties of the position

• Reviewing relevant theory and research  
• Analyzing complex longitudinal data 
• Writing and publishing scientific papers in international journals 
• Participating in the research group’s academic community, including peer feedback, knowledge sharing, and collaborative learning processes 
• Developing the research competence required to complete a doctoral degree 

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant educational background in psychology, medicine, or an equivalent field, with documented knowledge in developmental psychology  
• 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.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before taking up the position 
• You must have competence and experience in using quantitative methods in general and multivariate methods in particular 
• You must have very good written and oral proficiency in English 
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the PhD. program in social sciences, specialization in Psychology.
   

Preferred selection criteria

• Knowledge of attachment theory and research and the framework of developmental psychopathology 
• Knowledge of and experience with statistical methods for analyzing longitudinal data  
• Good written and oral proficiency in Norwegian 
• Experience with teaching, supervision, or other forms of academic communication and dissemination 
• Experience with learning and applying the software, digital tools, and platforms used in academia.  
• Clinical experience working with children/adolescents/young adults
• Specialist qualification in clinical psychology or psychiatry

Personal characteristics

• Strong collaborative skills  
• Ability to organize one’s own work and work independently 
• Capacity to learn quickly and engage with complex problems 
• Ability to adapt flexibly to changes
• Perseverance and patience in work tasks where results may not be immediate  

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities. 
 

We offer

Evaluate and remove/add what is relevant for the position.

• 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
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

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.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 550 800,- per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2 % statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary

The period of employment is 3 years. 

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in [subject area] (Link to website, if applicable) within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.  

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  
After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work. 
It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis. 

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. The documents must be in a Scandinavian language or English. 
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 and diplomas upon request.

The application must include: 

• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV
• Copy of Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Project outline containing proposals for an overall description of research questions, theoretical perspectives, methodological design for the project and progress plan (maximum 1500 words/4 pages) 
• Short letter of motivation (400 words/1 page)
• Publications or other relevant research work
• Certificates
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

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” (normal for most European institutions), 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.

Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

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

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself 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 reservation is not accepted. 
If you have any questions about the position, please contact Kristine Rensvik Viddal, [email protected]. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Ina Grønbech Halvorsen, [email protected].

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.   

Application deadline: 14.08.2026 
 

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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.