PhD fellowship in Media Production and Virtual Environments
Deadline: 11.06.2023
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.
Through robust and close interaction with the world around us – globally, nationally and locally – we shall be instrumental in building a society based on knowledge, skills and attitudes.
Do you want to take part in shaping the future?
PhD position
The Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, has one vacant 100% position as PhD fellow in the area of media production and virtual environments. The fellowship period is set to 4 years, with the main goal of resulting in a PhD degree for the employee.
About the research environment
The Department of Information Science and Media Studies is a multidisciplinary department at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Bergen. The position is associated with the Research Group for Computer Games and Virtual Environments, a cross-disciplinary research group that covers research in information science and media studies focusing on the social and cultural aspects of digitally generated and technologically mediated spaces relating to immersive technologies such as computer games and extended realities, spanning the sociocultural aspects and the user practices related to such environments as well as the properties and affordances of the environments themselves.
About the project/work tasks:
The PhD position will conduct research in the Center of Excellence in Digital Narrative (CDN), a world-leading center of research excellence funded by the Research Council of Norway. CDN focuses on algorithmic narrativity, new environments and materialities, and shifting cultural contexts. The center investigates how the interactions of human authors with non-human agents result in new narrative forms, how the materiality of digital narratives has changed, and how cultural contexts are reshaping the use and function of digital narrative. The candidate will work in Node 3, which explores computer games and other forms of interactive digital narratives. Candidates are advised to familiarize themselves with the Center of Digital Narrative project description, available on request.
The PhD project should strengthen the department’s research on digital narratives in virtual environments. Applicants must propose a PhD project that investigates forms of digital storytelling that use emergent technologies such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, 360 degree video, motion capture, etc. The project will also ideally engage with current practices in, and be able to generate new knowledge about, the interstices between linear narrative forms (notably filmmaking) and videogame design. Its focus may fall within (or move across) fiction, documentary, hybrid fiction/non-fiction, or experimental approaches to digital storytelling. The project may include the design and development of prototypes or artistic works that explore new expressions of interactive digital narrative.
Qualifications and personal qualities:
Applicants must hold a master’s degree in media production, interaction design, information science, computer science, digital culture, game design, visual design, or similar.
The master’s thesis must be submitted before the application deadline. It is a requirement that the degree must be fulfilled before commencement of the position.
The requirement is a grade B or better on the Master thesis and for the Master degree in total.
Applicants must be able to work independently, structured and have good collaborative skills as well as an enthusiasm for research.
Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized. Ambitions and potential will also be evaluated.
The workplace is Bergen. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview.
About the PhD position:
The duration of the PhD position is 4 years, where 25% is dedicated to obligatory duties associated with teaching and administration. The plan for this part of the position is developed in collaboration with the Department of Information Science and Media Studies at the beginning of the employment period.
As a PhD research fellow, you will take part in the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB. Admittance to the PhD programme is based on a research proposal to be attached with this application. The employment period for the successful candidate may be reduced if he or she previously has been employed in a PhD position.
To be eligible for admission you must normally have an educational background corresponding to a master’s degree with a scope of 120 ECTS credits, which builds on a bachelor’s degree with a scope of 180 ECTS credits (normally 2 + 3 years), or an integrated master’s degree with a scope of 300 ECTS credits (5 years). Master’s degrees must normally include an independent work of a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.
We can offer:
Salary NOK 501 200 (code 1017, pay grade 54) in the state salary scale. Further promotions are made according to length of service in the position.
A good academic and social environment with high research quality.
A good insurance scheme and pension plan through enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
A cover letter including a brief account of your research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
A research proposal must accompany the application. The proposal should present the topic, the research problem(s) and choice of theory and methods. The proposal should also include a progress plan for the different parts of the project. The proposal should be between 1,500-2,000 words, excluding references.
CV including a list of academic publications.
Up until 3 academic publications, in addition to your master’s thesis or equivalent thesis.
Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees.
The names and contact information for two reference persons. One of them must be the main advisor for the master's thesis or equivalent thesis.
Applications containing all attachments must be submitted electronically by the link on this page marked “Apply for this job”.
If you have a master's degree from a foreign educational institution, or a 2-year discipline-based master's degree (or the equivalent) in a subject area other than the one associated with the application, you may later in the application process be asked to submit an overview of the syllabus for the degree you have completed.
We kindly ask the applicants to follow the guidelines for applicants to research fellowship positions at the Faculty of Social Sciences closely, please see here.
The application has to be marked: 23/4292
Closing date: June 11, 2023
Applications submitted without a cover letter and applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only the submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.
General information:
Additional information about the position, including access to the Center for Digital Narrative project description, is obtainable by contacting:
Professor Kristine Jørgensen, tel +47 55 58 41 13, e-mail kristine.jorgensen@uib.no or
Head of administration Espen Dahle, tel +47 55 58 33 81, e-mail espen.dahle@uib.no
Practical questions regarding the application procedures should be directed to senior executive officer Pernille Hole, email: pernille.hole@uib.no.
Appointed research fellows will be admitted to the doctoral education program at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Further information about the program is available on the webpage.
Questions about the program may be directed to senior officer Hanne Gravermoen, e-mail: hanne.gravermoen@uib.no or phone + 47 55 58 90 68.
The teaching language at the Department is usually Norwegian.
Time used in earlier recruitment positions will be deducted from the applicants’ total fellowship period.
State employment should to the highest possible degree reflect the diversity of the population at large. Therefore, the University of Bergen has adopted a personnel policy objective to ensure that a balanced age and sex composition and the recruitment of persons with disabilities and of various ethnic backgrounds are achieved. Persons with disabilities and minority backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.
Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.
The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.
For further information about the recruitment process, click here.
