Doctoral Research Fellow (PhD) in Creative Human-AI Interaction

About the position

A Doctoral Research Fellowship in Human-AI Interaction is available at the Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics at Østfold University College (ØUC). The Doctoral Research Fellowship is a full time (100%) fixed term position for 3 years funded by Østfold University College and the Research Council of Norway. 

The doctoral position is part of the Mish Mash Centre for AI and Creativity. The MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity is a Norwegian AI centre funded by the Research Council of Norway (2025-2030). It comprises more than 200 faculty members from several 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 www.mishmash.no for more information.

About the Research fellowship  

The candidate will be employed at Østfold University College. The candidate is expected to apply and be accepted in our Doctoral Programme “Digitalisation and Society”, participate actively in relevant research activities, and disseminate the project’s research findings through high-quality scientific publications. Read more on our website: Digitalisation and Society 

Application Deadline: 01.03.20025Estimated starting date: 01.09.2026 (flexible)

The candidate is expected to:

• Participate actively in relevant research activities.
• Disseminate the project’s research findings through high-quality scientific publications.

Video: https://youtu.be/UDMirdRpu4w

Project Description 

The position is part of project Work Package 1 (WP1) which focuses on how real-time interaction with AI transforms the creative process. For this position, the emphasis is on interfacing with AI and in particular designing, implementing, and evaluating novel human-AI interaction techniques. The intention is to support the performance of live, dynamic, and interactive activities by providing synchronous, rich, continuous and multimodal feedback that unfolds naturally and does not obstruct user activities. We are specifically interested in interaction with embodied AI systems that can sense, act, and behave in a way that is intuitively understood by humans and offer opportunities for spontaneous co-creation. Our primary focus is on artistic performance in music and the sonic arts.

The PhD candidate will have the possibility to perform basic research and contribute to ongoing research activities in Human-Computer Interaction. The candidate is expected to design and evaluate novel interaction techniques by integrating ideas from multimodal interaction, biofeedback, and physiological computing in designing performative interactions with AI. Use cases from sound and music computing are most relevant but it is possible to work more broadly towards problems in interaction design, multimedia, gaming and beyond through interdisciplinary collaborations.

The PhD candidate will  join the Sound and Interaction Laboratory and is expected to actively participate in the laboratory activities. The candidate is expected to coordinate activities with one doctoral and one post-doctoral researchers locally and with doctoral and post-doctoral researchers in WP1 at the Department of Informatics, University of Oslo and the Norwegian Academy of Music. The PhD candidate is also expected to actively participate in the relevant activities of the MishMash centre and collaborate with the wider MishMash network which extends over institutions all over Norway and internationally.

Qualification requirements 

The successful candidate is required to have: 

• completed a master's degree (normally equivalent to 120 credits according to Norwegian standard definitions) or second degree within the fields of Computer Science or related disciplines, such as Human Computer Interaction, Interaction Design, Music Technology, Sound Engineering, Psychology, or other fields relevant for the position. Candidates that are close to completion may also be evaluated. Any appointment is conditional upon submission of documentation confirming completion of a master’s degree at the required level.
• been awarded the grade B or better for the Master thesis - in terms of the Norwegian grading scale. If the research outline is of excellent quality, grade C candidates can be considered. 
• excellent oral and written communication skills in English. For international candidates (outside of EU/EEA area), approved TOEFL English proficiency test with min score 90 or IELTS test with minimum score 7.5.

Personal qualifications

The successful candidate should demonstrate: 

• motivation and potential in the field of research
• ability to work independently and in collaboration with other researchers
• innovative and creative personality with attention to detail 
• positive and enthusiastic attitude, even in challenging situations

Emphasis will be placed on the following

In the evaluation of the applicants, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on the following:

• quality and relevance of proposed activities to MishMash’s WP1 aims and objectives
• relevant publications and their quality and writing style 
• prior academic and/or research experience particularly within the field of human computer interaction, interaction design, artificial intelligence, music technology, and/or sound and music computing 
• prior relevant research experience (if applicable) 
• good collaboration skills and an ability to join interdisciplinary academic and artistic communities

We offer

• an exciting job opportunity at Østfold University College (Norway) with working locations at Halden and shared office spaces in Fredrikstad and Oslo
• membership in the MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity
• access to the Sound and Interaction Laboratory featuring multichannel surround sound, motion tracking, and advanced recording and playback capabilities 
• access to a Maker Space, Digital Fabrication facilities, a local Machine Learning Cluster, and Virtual Reality infrastructure
• a gross annual salary of NOK 550 800 - 570 000 pending on the qualifications ,- and automatically development with a 3 % annual increase during the period. In addition to taxes, a further 2% is deducted for the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• beneficial pension arrangements with the Norwegian State Pension Fund and good employee welfare arrangements 
• a vibrant AI community

Submitting an application  

Please submit your application electronically via our recruitment system Jobbnorge.no. All attached documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language. 

 Application must include the following 

• Letter of motivation: a short (1-2 page) cover letter describing your motivation, your suitability for the position, relevant qualifications, and research interests for this position. 
• A research outline presenting the activities you would like to pursue providing relevant research questions, short description of activities, and a rough timeline (up to three A4 pages, 11pt, excluding references) 
• Curriculum Vitae: please use the CV template in Jobbnorge. Your CV must clearly demonstrate that the academic requirements are met.
• List of publications (if applicable): Include a short description of your contribution in multi-authored publications and highlight relevant publications. 
• Degree certificates and transcripts of academic records. Higher education taken outside the Scandinavian countries must be documented by the submission of a dated and signed diploma/certificate and a transcript of grades in the original language. If the original language is not English or a Scandinavian language, you must also enclose an official translation.  Foreign applicants must attach an official description of the grading system issued by the university where the degree was obtained, if not included in the Diploma Supplement.
• Relevant English proficiency documentation: approved TOEFL English proficiency test with minimum score 90 or IELTS test with minimum score 7.5 (for international candidates outside of EU/EEA area or candidates whose mother tongue is not English)

All attachments should be included electronically within the application deadline. Other documentation may be claimed at a later stage.

Documents to be sent as hard copies by post

Applicants with degrees from: Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines and the USA must send their transcripts and diploma of master’s and bachelor’s education as hard copies directly from the relevant college/university, in addition to uploading them online. The hard copies must be received by us within 4 weeks after the application deadline expires. 

To send hard copies to HiØ, please use the following address:

Høgskolen i Østfold
HR-section
Postboks 700
1757 HALDEN

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

Admission and appointment 

Admission to the doctoral programme Digitalisation and Society is a condition for appointment as a research fellow. The final plan for research training shall be approved and regulated by contract at the latest three months after the appointment is taken up.

The successful candidate will receive assistance in the application process to the PhD programme Digitalisation and Society at Østfold University College when starting in the position.  

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the State Employees law, the act relating to Universities and Universities Colleges and the national guidelines for appointment as a PhD student, a postdoctoral fellow or a research assistant. 

Contact persons 

For further information about the project, please contact the supervisor(s). For other information, please contact the Vice-Dean or the advisors:

• Main supervisor: Dr. Georgios Marentakis,  e-mail: georgios.marentakis@hiof.no 
• Dean: Dr. Susanne Koch Stigberg, +47 69 60 83 44, e-mail: susanne.k.stigberg@hiof.no  
• Senior advisor for the PhD programme: Liv Simensen, +47 69 60 85 61, e-mail: liv.simensen@hiof.no  
• HR Senior Advisor: Hilde Gunn Avløyp (hildegav@hiof.no)

Other information

The university college is committed to fostering a diverse and gender-balanced workforce. We seek employees with diverse skills, academic backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives. If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in their CVs, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups for an interview.

In accordance with the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25, paragraph 2, information about the applicant may be disclosed even if the applicant has requested not to be included on the list of applicants.

If you disclose that you have an immigrant background, disability, or gaps in your CV, this information, in anonymized form, may be used for statistical purposes.