PhD Research Fellowship in Responsible AI in Health Promotion and Music Therapy
Deadline: 13.02.2026
Publisert
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.
UiB shall be among Europe's leading universities, internationally recognized for high quality in research and education. As a societal institution, we shall contribute to sustainable and democratic development and be an attractive and inclusive place to study and work.
PhD position
Exploring emergent practices of AI integrations in music therapy in relation to health and well-being while considering empathy, consent, and equity.
At the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen, there is a vacancy for a research fellow (100%) linked to the MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity, and positioned within the discipline of music therapy. The position is for a fixed-term period of four years, with the desired start date of 01.09.2026.
About the project/work tasks:
The research fellow position is part of the MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity, a Norwegian AI centre funded by the Research Council of Norway (2025-2030). MishMash comprises more than 200 faculty members from many higher education institutions in Norway, in collaboration with numerous public and private sector partners. The primary objective of MishMash is to create, explore, and reflect on AI for, through, and in creative practices. MishMash researchers will investigate AI’s impact on creative processes, develop innovative CoCreative AI systems and educational strategies, and address AI’s ethical, cultural, legal, and societal implications in creative domains. See mishmash.no for more information.
The PhD position is linked to MishMash WP3: Creative Use of AI for Health and Well-being, and the PhD project will address research questions relevant to WP3, positioned within the discipline of music therapy. There will be opportunities for the candidate to collaborate across the MishMash network and it is expected that the candidate participates in all relevant MishMash activities. Polyfon knowledge cluster for music therapy, with its 20 partner institutions in various parts of Norway, is a partner in MishMash and its network can support implementation of the PhD project.
The successful candidate will contribute to advancing research at the intersections of artificial intelligence, human creativity, musicking, health, well-being and ethics. The doctoral research will be positioned within the discipline of music therapy and anchored within a strong interdisciplinary team. Such positioning will enable facilitation of cross-faculty interaction within UiB as well as tight collaboration with other MishMash institutions.
About the project
The PhD project should aim to investigate how responsible machine learning and/or human-AI interaction can be integrated with music-based forms of human creativity to contribute to health and well-being.
The doctoral research should address one or several of the following overordinate research questions, within the context of music-based processes:
How do humans perceive, experience and relate to AI-generated creative content?
How can creative integrations of AI enhance emotional well-being and facilitate therapeutic outcomes?
What can AI offer research in mental and physical health that incorporates the creative arts?
How are aspects of consent, equity and justice safeguarded when AI is integrated into creative processes in health contexts?
The PhD project may include, but is not limited to, developing or testing responsible AI prototypes in collaboration with partners in specialized and municipal healthcare, studying specific cases of human-AI collaboration, or integrating machine learning into analysis of existing datasets. The project and its findings should have relevance in areas of health, well-being, and music therapy with a strong emphasis on ethics. Project proposals exploring issues of equity and accessibility, and with well-considered ethical aspects will be prioritized.
Following a successful application, the candidate will have the opportunity to further develop project ideas in collaboration with an interdisciplinary supervision team comprised of experts from UiB and MishMash partner institutions. There will be opportunities for synergy in project development with national and international partners.
About the subject area
The discipline of music therapy at the Grieg Academy – Department of Music, is defined as the interdisciplinary study of music and health and is rooted in a humanistic and community-orientated music therapy tradition which seeks to explore and promote the understanding of how music affects health and quality of life.
The Grieg Academy offers a five-year Integrated Master’s Programme in Music Therapy. This study program combines practice-based education and scientific approaches with a focus on the relationship between music and health in clinical and everyday life contexts.
The research milieu is organized in the twin-centre GAMUT (The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre), which brings together researchers from the Grieg Academy – Department of Music and from NORCE (Norwegian Research Centre). GAMUT fosters international and interdisciplinary perspectives on music therapy research in diverse areas applying a broad range of research methods.
Project proposal:
The application must include a detailed project plan that provides a clear presentation of the proposed scientific project, including research background, main research questions, theory, method, and relevant ethical aspects. Proposal content and aims should align with the detailed information provided in the “About the project” section. The application must also include a progress plan for the implementation of the project outlining milestones, planned research stays with MishMash partners and/or abroad, and how the mandatory training component is incorporated into the plan. See section 2.1 of the Programme Plan for more information on what the application should normally contain.
About the PhD position (applies to university PhD positions):
About the PhD position:
A PhD position shall lead to the completion of a doctoral degree and contribute to qualifying the candidate for relevant careers in higher education and research institutions, as well as in other sectors of the workforce where research expertise is required.
The total employment period is 4 years. Three years will be dedicated to the doctoral research work. The remaining time will be allocated to other career-promoting activities including teaching, supervision etc., aimed at qualifying the candidate for relevant careers requiring research expertise. A career plan shall be developed specifying the competencies that the research fellow is expected to acquire. The institution is responsible for ensuring that the career plan is followed up and that the research fellow has access to career guidance throughout the doctoral programme.
There is a residency requirement for candidates employed at the faculty.
About the doctoral education:
PhD candidates in music therapy will be employed at the Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design and will be enrolled in the PhD program at the Faculty of Humanities (HF). The PhD programme includes a training component of 30 credits, which together amounts to one semester. It is a prerequisite that you meet the requirements for admission to the PhD programme at the University of Bergen. The final plan for the completion of the doctoral education must be approved by the faculty within three months after you have taken up the position.
The Grieg Academy is also a partner in the regional Grieg Research School in Interdisciplinary Music Studies, which brings together doctoral candidates from a broad interdisciplinary music field. Research fellows will also relate to relevant research groups at the department. Courses within other disciplines and research schools can also be included in the training component, where relevant.
Qualifications and personal qualities:
Applicants must have a Norwegian master's degree or an equivalent degree within music therapy, computational musicology, music technology, or sound and music computing (or closely related field) and significant programming fluency relevant for AI or interactive system development. Applicants with a master's degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, health technology or a closely related field and experience or training related to engagement with music may also be considered. The degree must be completed before the application deadline.
Applicants should possess a basic understanding of key AI concepts (machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, prompt engineering, human-machine interaction, algorithms, training data, bias etc.) and express willingness to increase technical proficiency through programming coursework.
Applicants should possess understanding of the discipline and profession of music therapy, and willingness to engage and participate in the research environment at GAMUT.
Fluency in programming and digital tools used in AI or interactive system development (e.g., Python, Max/MSP, Unity, Unreal, etc) is an advantage.
Applicants should possess understanding of user-centred or participatory design methods and have interest in applying them to health, accessibility or well-being contexts.
Applicants should be familiar with ethical, cultural, or societal perspectives on AI and creative technology.
Applicants should possess interest and experience in engaging with music.
Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and have good collaboration skills.
Applicants must have proficient written and oral English skills (and will have the opportunity to learn Norwegian during their employment at UiB, if applicable).
Applicants should have interest in and ability to collaborate across disciplines and to engage in cross-institutional research networks.
Applicants will be assessed according to the admission requirements from the Faculty of Humanities, according to section 2.1 of the PhD programme.
Personal and interpersonal qualities will be emphasized, with consideration given to ambitions and potential.
We can offer:
Exciting development opportunities as part of your role in a strong professional environment
Salary according to the civil service salary scale. This currently constitutes a gross annual salary of NOK 568 700. Further promotion is made according to length of service.
Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
This includes diplomas/degree certificates and academic transcript of records for completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
In addition:
For education completed in the Nordic countries or within the EU/EEA, a Diploma Supplement or an authorized translation must be provided if the diploma and academic transcript of records are in a language other than Scandinavian or English.
For education completed outside the EU/EEA, recognition from HK-dir is required. This recognition must be obtained by the application deadline. In addition, an authorized translation must be provided if the diplomas/degree certificates and academic transcript of records are in a language other than Scandinavian or English.
Project proposal (up to five pages / 12,000 characters including spaces, excluding the reference list) aligning with expectations expressed in the “About the project” section
Bibliography for the project proposal
Progress plan.
Cover letter containing a brief explanation of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
CV
A short summary of the master's thesis or equivalent assignment (up to three pages).
List of any professional publications (publication list).
Any publications or text excerpts (up to three).
Relevant Certificates.
Name and contact info for at least two references. One of these should be the main supervisor of the master's thesis.
An application and attachments with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded to JobbNorge.
NB! Applications that lack documentation at the application deadline will not be considered, and there is no opportunity to resubmit.
A written assessment of the application will not be sent out. Shortlisted candidates will be called in to an interview.
General information:
For more information please contact:
Head of Department Randi Rolvsjord, phone. +47 97514878, email: randi.rolvsjord@uib.no or
Professor Claire M. Ghetti (WP3 leader), e-mail: claire.ghetti@uib.no, phone +47 46508095.
For technical questions related to the application process, please contact HR at KMD, email: hrkmd@uib.no
Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.
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.
We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.
For further information about the recruitment process, click here.
