Applying for a position at USN? - Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge

To apply for a position at USN, please use our electronic application form where you enter your:

contact information
your skills
your education
your experience

and upload your CV, cover letter and publications.

If selected, you will be contacted by phone or e-mail for an interview. All vacancies are published online with minimum two weeks application period and you are expected to apply within the deadline. You will receive an e-mail confirmation of your application.

As described in USN’s Personnel Regulations, and as an institution which endorses the EU’s Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, we practice an open, transparent and merit – based recruitment process.

Please see our complete list of vacancies.

The recruitment process

What is to be included in your job application?

An application letter{{ icon }}

An application letter that explains your motivation for the position and why you are interested in the job and to pursue a career at the University of South-Eastern Norway, your main qualifications and how these are relevant to the position you are applying for.

An updated CV{{ icon }}

An updated CV listing your experience in chronological order starting with the most recent workplace or education. Make sure to include your contact information, certificates, languages and IT skills.

References{{ icon }}

References are an important checkpoint in the recruitment process. You should expect to provide contact information for your referees shortly after an interview. You should include a minimum of two to three referees, preferably current or former managers or close colleagues. Make sure to notify your refereees that you are applying for a new job and that they can expect a phone call.

Documents and publication{{ icon }}

Uploaded documents and publications You should include all documentation of your degrees, any certificates or licenses of significance for the job, reference letters and publications with document attachments or links. In Norway, contrary to many countries, it is common to have a letter of recommendation from all your major employers. This can be in a regular letter form.

Recognition of foreign education

NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) is the government agency for verification of foreign education in Norway.

When applying for a position at a Norwegian university your education will be evaluated against the Norwegian degree structure, i.e. whether it corresponds to a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD.

Informarion on how to obtain recognition of foreign higher education from NOKUT.

Some professions are regulated by law, which means that the authorities have set down specific, legal requirements concerning the minimum qualifications necessary to practise the profession or use certain professional titles. If you wish to work in one of these professions, you must obtain recognition/authorisation of your professional qualifications. Check if your profession is regulated on the NOKUT list of regulated professions.

Expert Committee for positions involving research and teaching

Please note that if you are applying for a position that involves research and teaching, an expert committee is involved in evaluating your application and documentation. The process takes a minimum of 3 months. In addition, expect to give a presentation or hold a trial lecture. Candidates are selected for interview shortly after the expert committee review is completed.

The job interview

At USN job interviews is the most commonly used selection method when recruiting new employees.

Depending on the level of the position, the interview process usually include one or two interviews. The interview process includes personality and ability testing, cases, presentations and holding trial lectures.

In addition to the manager, a member of the staff, a representative from the unions and in most interviews a representative from the human resources department may take part in the interview.

Further information and advice for job seekers on: NAV - The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.