Researcher (code 1109) at MediaFutures

There is a vacancy for a fixed-term full-time position as Researcher (code 1109) at MediaFutures, Research Centre for Responsible Media Technology & Innovation, University of Bergen. The position is for a period of two (2) years and is externally funded.

Latest start date: 1st of October 2026.

Place of service: Media City Bergen, Bergen, Norway.

About MediaFutures and the position

About MediaFutures

MediaFutures is a Centre for Research-based Innovation (SFI) funded by the Research Council of Norway and hosted by the University of Bergen. The centre is located at Media City Bergen and is closely connected to the Department of Information Science and Media Studies, the DARS research group, and adjacent computational social science and AI research environments at UiB.

MediaFutures conducts interdisciplinary research on responsible artificial intelligence and media technologies, including media trust, recommender systems, AI-driven content production and analysis, content interaction and accessibility, Norwegian language technology, and broader questions in computational social science and behavioural data science.

The centre produces scientific publications, prototypes, tools, and innovation outputs in close cooperation with industry partners. In the coming years, MediaFutures is also expected to play an important role in shaping possible post-SFI research structures and future research trajectories at UiB, including activities linked to DARS and to the broader scientific agenda associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab.

Read more about the centre at https://mediafutures.no/

Strategic Context

As MediaFutures enters the final phase of the SFI period, the centre is strengthening the scientific execution capacity needed both to deliver on ongoing externally funded projects and to support the exploration of possible post-SFI organisational models and future research trajectories at UiB.

This position is designed as a project-delivery role and will work closely with the Centre Director across strategically important ongoing projects, while also helping consolidate methods, outputs, and research capacity around a coherent scientific agenda linked to DARS and to the broader research themes associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab.

The position will collaborate closely with the Centre Director on a daily basis and report formally to the Centre Director at MediaFutures.

About the Position

The position will be affiliated with the DARS research group. The successful candidate is also expected to conduct research relevant to the broader scientific agenda associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab at UiB and to demonstrate an understanding of the research themes, methods, and long-term academic ambitions connected to this environment.

This position contributes directly to the scientific execution of ongoing and newly awarded externally funded projects within MediaFutures, including projects such as VaccAI and CuratedAI, while also contributing research that strengthens DARS and the broader scientific agenda associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab.

The successful candidate will strengthen research delivery, milestone completion, publication output, empirical validation, and structured execution in the centre's final SFI phase while also helping position the Centre’s research portfolio for a focused post-SFI future.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research in behavioural data science, computational social science, AI, recommender systems, and related areas, with clear relevance to DARS and the broader scientific environment associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab.
• Develop and evaluate AI-driven models of trust, misinformation, user behaviour, and content interaction.
• Contribute to multimodal modelling, experiments, surveys, and empirical validation.
• Support execution of project milestones, work packages, deliverables, and reporting obligations.
• Contribute to scientific publications, datasets, prototypes, and other research outputs.
• Assist in the supervision and coordination of PostDocs, PhDs or research assistants and structured follow-up of project tasks where relevant.
• Contribute to continuity of methods, data resources, and research practices across projects linked to the Centre Director's portfolio, the DARS research group, and the broader scientific environment associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

The applicant must:

• Hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent degree within Data Science, Computer Science, Information Science, Computational Social Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related field.
• Have submitted the PhD thesis at the time of application and have been awarded the degree before the starting date of the position.
• Demonstrate strong competence in statistical analysis, computational methods, and data-driven research.
• Have experience working with behavioural, multimodal, or large-scale user data.
• Demonstrate ability to combine independent research with collaborative project work and to contribute to a broader research environment beyond a single project.
• Have strong organisational, collaboration, and communication skills, and demonstrate motivation to contribute to DARS and to the broader scientific environment associated with the Norwegian Computational Behaviour & AI Lab, while collaborating constructively with other relevant research environments at the department.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English, as English is the working language of the centre.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• Experience with externally funded collaborative research projects.
• Experience with interdisciplinary collaboration and co-authored publication development.
• Experience with experimental or user-oriented research designs.
• Experience supporting supervision or coordination of junior researchers or assistants.

Potential candidates may be invited to the centre for an interview.

We can offer:

• A professionally stimulating and interdisciplinary research environment.
• Close collaboration with the Centre Director and integration into the DARS research group and related research activities at Infomedia.
• Participation in nationally and internationally competitive research projects.
• Salary according to the Norwegian government salary scale (code 1109). Salary is currently NOK 657 000, - per year before tax. Further promotion follows standard regulations.
• Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Good welfare benefits
• An inclusive workplace at Media City Bergen and the University of Bergen.
• For more information about moving to Bergen and Norway, please visit: https://www.uib.no/en/international/128545/international-staff

Your application must include:

• A cover letter describing research interests and motivation for applying.
• CV.
• Publication list.
• Up to five selected scientific publications.
• Transcripts and diplomas, including confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted.
• Names and contact information for two reference persons (one normally being the PhD supervisor).
• Relevant certificates/references.

The application and any attachments along with certified translations in English or another Scandinavian language must be uploaded to JobbNorge.

Applications sent by e-mail or without requested documents will not be evaluated.

Application deadline: May 3, 2026.