Postdoctoral Research Fellow position on climate ambition and fairness University of Bergen in Norway

The Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET) at the University of Bergen is recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for a three-year appointment focused on climate ambition and fairness. The position sits within an interdisciplinary environment at the Faculty of Social Sciences, with close links to researchers working on climate policy, governance, modelling, and climate law.

The project, Paris Ambition, is funded by the Research Council of Norway and addresses a major challenge in climate governance: how to assess whether climate commitments by countries, cities, and companies are both fair and sufficiently ambitious. The research aims to develop actionable assessment tools and analytical frameworks to support international climate negotiations, national climate policy, climate litigation, and corporate target setting.

The work is structured around five research directions: international financial support and fair-share emissions allocations; fair-share principles for subnational targets; the cost of climate damages when countries exceed fair-share allocations; countries’ Highest Possible Ambition under the Paris Agreement and implications for non-state actors; and the assessment of ambitious corporate climate targets and their contribution to global and national goals.

The successful candidate may contribute to any of these areas, with particular relevance for applicants with experience in integrated assessment modelling, socio-economic modelling, quantitative climate analysis, climate impact assessment, the social cost of carbon, climate governance, or climate law. The position offers considerable intellectual freedom to develop novel research questions, establish new collaborations, and shape an independent publication agenda aligned with the project’s aims.

Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent in a relevant field such as climate policy, data science, economic governance, climate impact modelling, environmental science, or geography. The doctoral thesis must already have been submitted for assessment before the deadline, and the PhD must be awarded before employment begins. Candidates should have a documented publication record, demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively, and be proficient in both written and oral English.

The position is full-time, temporary, and based in Bergen, Norway. The salary is listed as NOK 685,900 annually before seniority adjustments, with pension and welfare benefits. The application deadline is 20 September 2026. Applicants must submit a research statement, CV with publications, contact details for two referees, confirmation of thesis submission, and relevant certificates/references through Jobbnorge; emailed applications will not be considered.

Contact for academic information: Yann Robiou du Pont ([email protected]). Application process contact: Christine Bresil ([email protected]).