Postdoctoral fellow, mathematics education

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We have a vacancy for a two-year postdoctoral position within mathematics education at the Department for Teacher Education. 

The position is a part of the project ProPrimEd: Reasoning and proving in primary education, funded by the Research Council of Norway. The project is a collaboration between NTNU and Trondheim municipality. See more information about the project at https://www.ntnu.edu/ilu/proprimed . The postdoctoral researcher will work on the part C of the project, coordinated by Associate Professor Heidi Dahl.

The project's overall aim is to gain knowledge about how mathematical reasoning and proving can be strengthen in primary school. The postdoctor will in particular participate in design of resources to be used by primary school teachers in work on reasoning and proving, and in reaserch on how the resources can be used and developed further to support teachers´ and students’ work.

The position reports to Associate Professor Anita Valenta, the leader of the project, and to the head of Section of Mathematics Education at the Department.

• Participate and contribute to the overall activity of the project
• Work on design and study of the resources
• Analyse the data collected in the project (also for internal purposes of the project – the collected data will be sequentially used to inform subsequent stages of the project)
• Write academic papers for internationally acknowledged journals and present the research at conferences and workshops

A postdoctoral research fellowship is a qualification position in which the main objective is qualification for work in academic positions. 

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree in mathematics education or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD 
• Competence within research on reasoning and proving, teachers use of resources in mathematics and/or teaching and learning mathematics in primary school
• Good communication skills in English, both orally and in writing

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant   

• Experience with work on interventions in mathematics
• Experience with use of theoretical frameworks that are central in the project
• Experience with qualitative studies 
• Norwegian language skills

• Ability to work independently as well as in teams
• Good interpersonal skills
• Inquisitiveness
• Reliability and accuracy

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 545 300 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 

The employment period is 2 years, from January 1st, 2022.

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. 

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis. 

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include:

• CV, certificates and diplomas 
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees.  
• Publication list
• Two selected scientific works - published or unpublished - that the candidate would like to be considered in the assessment
• A short project description (maximum three pages)
• Name and contact information of three 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. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 

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

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. 

Working at NTNU 

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background.  

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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation 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.  

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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. 

Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants. 

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Anita Valenta, (anita.valenta@ntnu.no ). 

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR-consultant Aaste Line Strand, aaste.l.strand@ntnu.no   

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI) .  

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number SU-589 when applying.  

Application deadline: August 15th, 2021

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Department of Teacher Education

The Department of Teacher Education offers a full range of study programmes for primary and secondary education in Norway.

Our department supports several active research and development projects in learning, teaching, and school leadership and management, as well as artistic work. The Department of Teacher Education is part of the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences at NTNU. We offer an open and inclusive work environment.