PhD Position in User Modelling, Personalisation & Engagement at MediaFutures

Overview

There is a vacancy for a PhD position at MediaFutures: Research Centre for Responsible Media Technology & Innovation. The position is for a fixed-term period of 3 years.

MediaFutures is a centre for research-based innovation hosted by the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, and located at Media City Bergen. The centre operates under the Norwegian Research Council’s Research-based Innovation scheme in collaboration with industry partners from news media and media technology. MediaFutures addresses research topics such as media experiences, recommender technology, content production and analysis, content interaction and availability, and Norwegian language technology. The overarching goal is to develop responsible technological solutions to societal challenges, including AI, fake news, echo chambers, and political polarization. The centre’s outputs include prototypes, research articles, software, and innovative start-ups.

For more information about the centre, visit https://www.mediafutures.no.

About the Project/Work Tasks

This position will be part of Work Package 2: User Modelling, Personalisation & Engagement at MediaFutures, focusing on developing novel user modeling and personalisation techniques for the media tech industry in Norway.

The primary research question is: To what extent can we effectively and responsibly engage users in online news and streaming platforms?

Key tasks include:

• Conducting literature reviews and surveys.
• Developing responsible personalisation and engagement technology.
• Creating prototypes and performing studies using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Evaluating prototypes through user studies employing statistical methods.
• Conducting field tests with industry partners to assess the impact of the technology.

Expected outputs include high-impact research papers, code repositories, novel datasets, and insights presented in reports for academia and industry partners.

The candidate will:

• Work closely with industry partners.
• Be supervised by the work package leadership.
• Complete secondments at industry partner organizations.
• Submit a PhD plan to the Faculty of Social Sciences within 3 months of starting, in collaboration with the work package leaders and approved by the centre's director.

The position must commence no later than June 1, 2025. The personal manager for this position is the centre director at MediaFutures.

Qualifications and Personal Qualities

Required:

• Master’s degree in information science, data science, computer science, or equivalent. Applicants who have submitted their master’s thesis for assessment may also apply, but the degree must be awarded before employment.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R.
• Strong command of written and spoken English.
• Enthusiasm for research, teamwork, and high work capacity.

Preferred:

• Skills in data analysis tools like Python, R, or STATA.
• Experience in quantitative research methods and data analysis.
• Background in user research or recommender systems.
• A Master’s degree grade of B or better (or equivalent) on the thesis and overall.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.

About the PhD Position

The position is for 3 years. If the candidate has previously held a PhD position, the employment period may be reduced.

As a PhD fellow, you will:

• Enroll in the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB.
• Undertake a programme corresponding to three years, leading to a PhD degree.
• Meet eligibility requirements, including having a Master’s degree with a scope of 120 ECTS credits, which builds on a Bachelor’s degree of 180 ECTS credits (typically 2 + 3 years), or an integrated Master’s degree of 300 ECTS credits (5 years). Degrees must include an independent work of at least 30 ECTS credits and align with the academic field of the PhD position.

Benefits

• Exciting professional development opportunities in a dynamic environment.
• Annual salary as a PhD candidate (code 1017): NOK 540,500 (pay grade 55 on the state salary scale), with further promotions based on length of service.
• A cross-disciplinary, interactive, and challenging working environment.
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• Good welfare benefits.
• Workplace location: Media City Bergen.

For information about relocating to Bergen and Norway, visit:

• https://www.uib.no/en/node/133625/
• https://www.uib.no/en/hr/74243/what-can-university-bergen-offer-its-employees

Application Requirements

Applicants must include:

1. Cover letter detailing research interests and motivation.
2. Names and contact information of two references (one must be the main advisor for the master’s thesis or equivalent).
3. CV.
4. Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
5. Relevant certificates/references.
6. Academic publications or conference presentations (if any).
7. (Optional) A sample of code (e.g., from a thesis, assignment, or personal project) via a file or GitHub link.

Applications must be submitted via Jobbnorge, and all attachments must be in English or a Scandinavian language. Applications sent via email will not be considered.

Important Dates

• Closing date: January 5, 2025.
• Application reference number: 24/14614.

General Information

For position-related inquiries, contact the centre’s director, Christoph Trattner. For application procedure questions, contact HR Adviser Pernille Hole (pernille.hole@uib.no).

Diversity and inclusion are core values at UiB. Qualified applicants of all genders, ethnicities, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and ages are encouraged to apply. UiB applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions. Applicants requesting confidentiality will be notified if their request cannot be met.

Appointed fellows must comply with applicable guidelines for the position. Applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or CV gaps may receive favorable consideration and are guaranteed an interview if qualified.