项目介绍

2026年5月14日

PhD Research Fellow

We welcome you to apply for a position as a PhD Research Fellow at the Department of Information Science and Media Studies. The position is for a fixed-term period of 4 years, where 25% of the total employment time is dedicated to career-promoting work to be performed at the department.

PhD Position within Digital Sovereignty, Artificial Intelligence, and Media Innovation

At the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, there is a vacant PhD position focusing on the development of the media industry in light of technological changes and opportunities. The position is oriented toward the fields of digital sovereignty, artificial intelligence (AI), and media innovation, with a focus on societal relevance. The appointment is for 4 years, and 25% of the total employment time consists of career-promoting duties to be performed at the department.

Digital sovereignty, AI, and media innovation are important fields within social science research and hold great societal relevance. The media sector is particularly hard hit by disruptive forces such as digitalization and globalization and has long been forced to think innovatively. Artificial intelligence represents technology with disruptive potential, and global media and technology actors are intervening in the Norwegian media sphere and society. All organizations and companies experience pressure to be innovative and inventive while simultaneously being able to understand and master both volatile and permanent change. Artificial intelligence is linked to potentially major societal consequences and challenges regarding digital dependency, democratic development, and the sustainability, traditional roles, and positions of national and local media.

The Ph.d. Research Fellow will be affiliated with the department’s media studies environment, including the department’s branch in the media cluster Media City Bergen.

The successful candidate will develop their own research project leading to a doctoral degree.

PhD Project and Research Area

The Research Fellow shall strengthen research and insight at the intersection of digital sovereignty, artificial intelligence, and media innovation within media technology or production, and/or at an overarching strategic institutional level. The candidate will thus investigate the development of media professions, media production, and/or media institutions in light of AI technology—preferably within media and technology companies in the Media City Bergen cluster. Methodological approaches for the project may include qualitative methods such as case studies, interviews, observation, fieldwork, and document analysis. Central theoretical perspectives may include political economy, democracy, and media innovation.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• A Master’s degree in Media Studies or an equivalent foreign education. Applicants who have submitted their Master’s thesis by the application deadline may apply.
• The minimum requirement for applicants is normally a grade of B or better on both the Master’s thesis and for the Master’s degree as a whole.
• Applicants must be able to work independently and structured and have good collaboration skills.
• Applicants must have excellent written and oral English skills.
• Personal and interpersonal qualities will be emphasized. Ambition and potential will also be considered when evaluating candidates.
• Good written and oral proficiency in English 
• Good written and oral proficiency in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language.

The workplace for the position is Bergen, and the work requires a physical daily presence at the department.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the department for an interview. 

The teaching language is usually Norwegian, but some of teaching is given in English.

About the PhD position:

About the PhD position (applies to university PhD positions): The duration of the PhD position is 4 years. At least three years of work should be dedicated to the doctoral research. The remaining time is allocated to other career-promoting work that will help the employee qualify for relevant careers that require research competence. The employment period for the successful candidate may be reduced if he or she previously has been employed in a PhD position.

About the PhD training:

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.

Project proposal:

A research proposal of 5-8 pages (including references) 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. Admittance to the PhD programme will be based on the research proposal. The faculty has prepared a guide for writing project descriptions.

We can offer:

• Salary as PhD (code 1017) NOK 593 700, – per year. Automatic salary increases for up to 4 years with a 3% annual increase
• A good and professionally challenging working environment
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits

Your application must include:

• A cover letter including a brief account of your research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• 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
• A project proposal (5-8 pages including references) must be included in the application
• 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 following the link on this page marked “Apply for this job”.

Closing date: June 14, 2026.

Applications submitted without a project description or applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.