PhD Research Scholar positions - Department of Finance Norges Handelshøyskole (NHH)

NHH is pleased to announce openings in the PhD specialisation in Finance. Candidates admitted to the PhD programme will receive the title of PhD Research Scholar.

The Department of Finance has 18 faculty members, two-thirds of whom are international. Research at the department spans all major fields of finance, including corporate finance, asset pricing, and market microstructure. Faculty regularly publish in the top academic journals and are one of the leading finance groups in Europe. The department has an active research seminar series featuring invited top scholars and an internal brown bag seminar series. It hosts the Center for Corporate Finance, which is rated excellent by the Norwegian Research Council, and the newly founded Center for Asset Management.

The PhD specialisation in Finance gives students the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills necessary to become successful researchers. It combines a one-year intensive course portfolio with ample time to do research and write a dissertation. Students work closely with their thesis advisors and receive feedback by presenting their research in internal seminars. The department offers a stimulating research environment and encourages PhD students to participate in its many research activities. Research and conference travels are strongly encouraged and funding for these purposes is usually available. The Department of Finance is well connected internationally and is a member of the Nordic Finance Network. Many of our students spend a semester or a year abroad visiting another university.

The PhD specialisation in Finance, which has a total of 10 to 12 students, is an important part of the department’s research environment.

Further information about the .

Start date: August 2023

The  is a four-year fully-funded programme, which combines an intensive course component with research and relevant work experience, preparing the school’s graduates for scholarly positions at recognised international institutions and positions in knowledge-intensive institutions and firms outside of academia. Former PhD graduates have been hired by renowned institutions such as HEC Paris, NOVA SBE, Tilburg University, Hanken School of Economics, Norwegian universities and business schools, as well as in the government, banking, finance and consulting industries.

The PhD research scholars will be included in a highly stimulating and rewarding research environment, working closely with faculty members and other PhD research scholars at the school. The PhD research scholars receive feedback on their work through regular interaction with their supervisor and other faculty members. PhD research scholars are expected to participate actively in faculty and research seminars, as well as in workshops. The place of work will be at NHH in Bergen where the PhD research scholars will receive their own office space in the department.

The scholarship includes 25% teaching and/or research assistance responsibilities, and the PhD research scholars must take one basic module of the programme for university pedagogy in the course of the fixed-term period. The PhD programme gives preference to applicants who addresses research problems that fit the research interests of the department and available resources for supervision. As the school aspires gender balance and diversity, female applicants will be given preference if applicants are otherwise equally qualified.

The annual salary for the PhD research scholar position is set according to the Norwegian State Salary, which currently is NOK 500 800 (equivalent to approximately EUR 43 350 or USD 47 370). The salary ensures a fair standard of living in Norway and is subject to Norwegian taxes and benefits, including public health care benefits and pension savings.

The city of Bergen offers a mild coastal climate and hosts rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities, as well as a family-friendly environment. To explore the city, go to .

General requirements:

Applicants must meet the for the PhD programme.  

You are required to upload the following electronically with your application:

• Certificate of a Master of science degree or equivalent (please include transcripts of grades). You need to have completed your master’s degree before august 2023. If you have not completed your degree when applying for the position, please attach an overview of the courses and grades that you have completed so far.
• Certificate of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (please include transcripts of grades)
• Other relevant certificates or transcripts (e.g. courses completed at the PhD level)
• If the issuing authority of grades and degrees does not use the ECTS grading scale, please include an official description of the applied grading scale system
• Statement of purpose describing your motivation for applying this position (250-300 words)
• Tentative research project outline (2000-4000 words) describing the aims, objectives, research questions, and elaborating on your motivation for pursuing the proposed area of research. Please note that your research project is tentative and often needs adjustments after acceptance into the programme
• Curriculum vitae
• A list of all publications and/or other documented research activities
• Contact details of two referees

Please upload the documents in separate files, not combined in one single file.

Specific requirements:

The Department of Finance does not require GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic tests to apply, but it is highly recommended.

• If you use GMAT/GRE or TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic test scores to document your skills, you must upload a scanned copy of your unofficial test results in Jobbnorge (online portal) when you apply. If you are one of the selected candidates, you must ask the test centres to send your test scores electronically to NHH without delay due to the time lag at the test centers. It is also possible to give NHH access to your results when you apply.

Please consult the for detailed information on how to submit test scores.

Letter of recommendation:

Letters of recommendation may strengthen your application, but it is not mandatory. The referees should send their letter of recommendation (in PDF file format) to by latest 26 April 2023.

For more information on the PhD programme and the submission procedure, please consult the . Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please note that applicants for the PhD research scholar position do not need to apply separately for admission to the PhD programme.

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

In accordance with §25 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act, note that the list of applicants may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to have his/her name entered on the list of applicants. The applicant will be notified if his/her request is not respected.

For questions and inquiries about the NHH PhD programme, please contact .

Applications must be submitted online. To open the application, please click ‘Apply for this job’. For English version, go to the menu at the top right side.

Application deadline: 26 April 2023