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.
PhD position in media studies at MediaFutures: Research Centre for Responsible Media Technology & Innovation
UiB - Knowledge that shapes society
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 in media studies at MediaFutures: Research Centre for Responsible Media Technology & Innovation
There is a vacancy for a PhD position in media studies, researching news audiences, at MediaFutures: Research Centre for Responsible Media Technology & Innovation. The position is for a fixed-term period of 3 years.
MediaFutures is a new centre for research-based innovation at the Department for information science and media studies, University of Bergen, and will be located at Media City Bergen. The centre is a part of the Norwegian Research Council’s Research-based Innovation scheme. MediaFutures will in cooperation with industry partners from news media and media technology research topics like media experiences, recommender technology, content production and analysis, content interaction and availability, and Norwegian language technology. The goal is to develop responsible technological solutions to societal challenges like AI, fake news, echo chambers and political polarization. The results will be new digital tools, analytical methods and content types for the future of media. The center will also perform research training within media technology and innovation. This will create outputs such as new patents, prototypes, research articles and software, as well and innovative start-up companies.
Read more about the centre at https://mediafutures.no.
About the project/work tasks:
This PhD candidate will be part of work package WP1 Understanding media experiences, more specifically the task 1.4 Understanding future and hidden news audiences.
The successful candidate will be part of a team that will provide fundamental knowledge on how users will interact with the media of the future, by monitoring and understanding users across media through advanced quantitative and qualitative approaches. Specifically, the candidate should contribute to the task of understanding news hidden and future news audiences. The goal is to conduct research about news and information practices amongst media users that leave few digital traces (e.g., listening, lurking, reading online) out of reach of traditional social science methods. To achieve this goal, applicants are invited to propose innovative qualitative methodologies or lab experiments. Proposed research ideas will be developed further in collaboration with the WP-leaders.
The duration of the PhD position is 3 years. The employment period for the successful candidate may be reduced if he or she previously has been employed in a PhD position.
Applicants are advised to familiarize themselves with the teaching and research profile at the Department, please see this link, and particularly with Bergen Media Use Research Group, please see this link.
Qualifications and personal qualities:
The applicant must hold a master's degree or the equivalent in media studies or a related discipline.
The degree has to be completed by the application deadline
The requirements are generally a grade B or better on the Master thesis and for the master’s degree in total
As an applicant you should be able to work independently, have a considerable work capacity as well as an enthusiasm for research.
Insight into relevant fields such as audience and media use research, political communication research, or journalism research
Proficiency in both written and oral English
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.
About the PhD position (applies to university PhD positions):
The duration of the PhD position is 3 years. The employment period may be reduced if you have previously been employed in a recruitment position.
As a PhD research fellow, you will take part in the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB. The programme corresponds to a period of three years and leads to the PhD degree. 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. It is expected that the topic of the master’s degree is connected to the academic field to which you are seeking admission.
We can offer:
Exciting development opportunities as part of your role in a strong professional environment
Salary at pay grade 54 upon appointment (Code 1017) on the government salary scale (equivalent to NOK 479.600 per year). Further promotions are made according to length of service in the position
A cross-disciplinary, interactive and challenging working environment
Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
For more information about moving to Bergen and Norway, please visit here, and here.
Your application must include:
A cover letter including a brief account of your research interests and motivation for applying for the position
An idea sketch of maximum three pages for a PhD project responding to the work tasks, briefly outlining potential case studies, methods, and progress plans
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
CV
Transcripts and diplomas showing completion of the bachelor's and master's degrees.
Relevant certificates/references
A list of academic publications
Academic publications that you want to submit for assessment (including your master’s thesis or equivalent)
If you have a master's degree from an institution outside of the Nordic countries, 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
The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge.
Incomplete applications or applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.
General information:
Additional information about the position can be obtained by contacting work package co-leader Hallvard Moe, hallvard.moe@uib.no or Centre Director Christoph Trattner.
Practical questions regarding the application procedures should be directed to Adviser – HR, Bodil Hægland, bodil.hagland@uib.no.
Appointed research fellows will be admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Questions about the programme may be directed to Adviser-PhD: Hanne.Gravermoen@uib.no.
The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. Age and gender balance among employees is therefore a goal. It is also a goal to recruit people with immigrant backgrounds. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.
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.
