Job description

Applicants are invited for a two (2) years position as Postdoctoral Fellow in Information Systems and Responsible AI to be based at the group for Digital Innovation at the Department of Informatics, University of Oslo. The position is funded by the project “AI4Users: Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence through Design for Accountability and Intelligibility” funded by The Research Council of Norway.

The AI4Users project is led by the University of Agder and includes Research Partners from the University of Agder, the University of Oslo and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Starting date as soon as possible. No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

More about the position

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who takes an interest in developing research on responsible AI. We ask applicants to provide a 5-7 page project description aligned with AI4Users´ overall scope and design. A copy of the project proposal can be downloaded here, the full project description is available on request (contact miriag@uio.no). The applicant should outline what he or she would like to focus specifically on including how this area of inquiry can be further developed within the project as a whole.

It is expected that the researcher will be a part of the AI4Users leadership team and actively contribute to the coordination of collaboration including the coordination of external software developers and supervision of MSc-candidates.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

For this position, the selection committee will prioritize candidates with the following qualifications:

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Information Systems
• A strong background in Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW), Participatory Design (PD) and Information Systems Research (ISR)
• Experience in scientific writing
• Strong skills in qualitative research methods including experience with observations, interviews and workshops with users
• An overall sociotechnical skill profile including both software design and development skills and socio-organizational understanding
• Experience with public sector organization (the empirical setting of the project is the welfare and care sector)
• The everyday language of the user groups targeted by AI4Users is Norwegian, so, candidates need to be proficient in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language
• Candidates need to document excellent oral and written communication skills in English

The candidates will have the opportunity to combine empirical and theoretical work towards developing insights for the responsible use of AI through algorithmic accountability and intelligibility. The following qualifications will be considered as an advantage: experience with interdisciplinary research; experience working with data and data integration; experience from teaching and supervising students including at the MSc level.

Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defence of the doctoral thesis being approved.

We offer

• Salary NOK 544 400 - 626 300 per year depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352)
• A professionally stimulating working environment
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Postdoctoral development programmes
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
• Project description, including progress plan (min. 5, max. 7 pages)
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only)
• A complete list of publications
• 3 numbers of academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented, academic qualifications, the project description (as required), and the quality of the project as well as the candidates motivation and personal suitability. Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed twice as a Postdoctoral fellow financed with funds from The Research Council of Norway (NFR).

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than of twelve months ( thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results a.o.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel pol-icy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact information

For further information, please contact Associate Professor Miria Grisot, e-mail: miriag@uio.no

For questions regarding Jobbnorge, please contact HR Adviser Therese Ringvold, e-mail: therese.ringvold@mn.uio.no.

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