The overarching objective of the project is to do research that will serve to promote sustainable development, by finding out how to ensure that business is run in an environmentally, socially and financially sustainable way. The thematic scope of SMART centres on products originating wholly or in part in developing countries and sold by businesses in the EU to consumers and procurers in the EU. SMART maps and analyses the regulation of business, investors and consumers as well as the state as market actor and regulator, on the international level, the European level and in selected European states, including Norway. Based on this analysis, SMART will develop reform proposals, aimed at legislators as well as at the market actors themselves.
The successful candidate will normally have completed at least the third year of their master degree in law, and will write a large master thesis (60 credits) or an article of a comparable size relevant for the SMART project. In exceptional cases, also graduated lawyers can be recruited to research assistant positions. The position does then not, however, lead to a new degree with a new thesis, but to an article manuscript only. Publication of the work (thesis or article manuscript), in English and if applicable also in Norwegian (or in another Scandinavian language), will be encouraged. Academic achievements will be of significance in the assessment. A good knowledge of a Scandinavian language is an advantage, but not a condition, as long as you have a good command of written and spoken English.
The final choice of the topic for the master’s thesis will be made together with Professor Jukka Mähönen, who will supervise the research assistant. Possible relevant topics may be found in the realm of Norwegian, European or comparative company or other business law (also including non-European jurisdictions), accounting, auditing and tax law, financial market law and other interesting areas as business and human rights, and the methodology of the thesis may also include legal-economic and/or legal-empirical perspectives, to indicate some of the possibilities offered by this project. Research on the role of the board in integrating international and national environmental and social standards or guidelines is one option.
The pay is 50 % of pay grade 35. 100% constitutes a gross salary of NOK 352.900 per year. For more information about the position, please consult the official job listing in English or Norwegian.
