PhD Fellowship in Meaning-Centric Bio-Inspired Communication Systems

University of Oslo

Job description​ A Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1352) in gesture-vocalization relations in song performance is available in connection with the research project, SongGesture: Co-singing gesture and vocal performance across three musical traditions​, funded by the Research Council of Norway. The project is affiliated with RITMO Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion at the University of Oslo (uio.no). All RITMO researchers are co-located and work in a unique interdisciplinary constellation, with world-leading competence in musicology, psychology and informatics. It is expected that all members of the centre contribute to the general activities and collaborations within RITMO.  The researchers have access to state-of-the-art facilities in sound/video recording, motion capture, eye tracking, physiological measurements, various types of brain imaging (EEG, fMRI), and rapid prototyping and robotics laboratories. Applicants are required to upload a Research outline (uio.no), stating research questions and theoretical and methodological approaches that will further the goals of the project. The project description must present a feasible progress plan. It is expected that the applicant will be able to complete the project during the period of appointment. It is suggested that candidates should carefully read the Project website (uio.no) and details given below, in order to align their research plan appropriately. About the project​ The project, SongGesture, aims to significantly advance knowledge on how expert vocalists use gesture in support of their performance goals. Building on recent research showing an effect of gesture on co-occurring vocalization, SongGesture will advance the theorization of gesture-vocalization relations in musical contexts by considering also the physical interactions between gesture and vocal production movements (e.g., breathing and articulation). The project looks at co-singing gesturing practices in three different vocal performance traditions: beatboxing, European art song, and karnatak vocal music from South India. The candidate is not expected to have previous experience with these musical traditions, as this is covered by other project personnel. The successful candidate for this position is expected to investigate multimodal correspondence between gesture, vocalization and vocal production movements through computational analysis and to explore the implications of the results for multimodal sense-making (how different modalities combine to create meaning). Tasks will include contributing to project theory and methods development for the analysis of multimodal communication in song performance; audio feature extraction; pose tracking from video and preparation of kinematic time-series data; dataset preparation; manual annotation of audiovisual data; pattern finding; computational multimodal analysis (including time series analysis); data visualization; exploration of multimodal sense-making; and co-writing articles. About the position​ The position is available for a period of 3 years. There is a 10% component of the position devoted to teaching and administrative duties. Given additional funding, the position may be extended to 4 years, with a 25 % duty component. This would depend on the qualifications of the recruited candidate, the department’s needs for teaching, and the centre’s need for assistance. The successful candidate is expected to become part of the research environment and contribute to its development. The main purpose of postdoctoral research fellowships is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines. A career plan shall be developed for the Postdoctoral Fellow, specifying the competencies the Postdoctoral Fellow should acquire. UiO is responsible for following up on the career plan and ensuring that the Postdoctoral Fellow has access to career guidance throughout the postdoctoral term. If the Postdoctoral Fellow does not already have educational qualifications that meet the requirements for an associate professor position, UiO shall facilitate the acquisition of such competence during the employment period. Selection criteria ​ Mandatory requirements​ • PhD or equivalent academic qualifications with a specialization in fields such as gesture studies, computational musicology, cognitive science, informatics, data science, cognitive semiotics, linguistics, psychology, or other related fields. As this is an interdisciplinary project, the range of possible PhD qualifications is quite broad. However, the applicant is required to demonstrate that their degree corresponds to the profile of the post. • Experience with several of the following: computational analysis of human movement and/or vocalization, time series analysis, pattern finding, statistical modelling, audio feature extraction, music information retrieval, machine learning, manual annotation of audio and video data, analysing and theorising sense-making (e.g., cognitive semiotics), dataset preparation, programming in R, Matlab or Python. • Excellent skills in written and oral English. • Personal suitability and motivation for the position. The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the application deadline. Appointment will be dependent on the defence of the doctoral thesis. Requirements for the Research outline​ • The candidate's research outline must align with and further the goals of the main project, focusing in particular on gesture-vocalization correspondence and its implications for sense-making. • High scientific merit and innovation of the research outline • Feasible research plan and outcomes  What are we looking for in you?​ • Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to successfully join in academic teamwork within and across disciplines • Excellent time-management and ability to carry out the project within the allotted time frame • Adaptability and willingness to contribute to a good working environment Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications and assessment of the Research outline. We need different perspectives in our work ​ UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no. We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one? We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures. If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian). The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. We hope you will apply for the position with us.  We offer​ • Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development. • Committed colleagues in a good working environment.  • Good welfare schemes. • Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours. • A workplace with good development and career opportunities.  • Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes. • Salary in position as Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK from 595 000 to 677 000 depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund. Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal. Application​ Your application should include: • Application letter describing your qualifications and motivation for the position • CV (complete list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities) • A complete list of publications with links to the full versions of published papers • Research outline: approx. 3 pages, maximum 9,000 characters. See Research Outline - template for PhD and Postdoctoral applications to RITMO (uio.no). • If available, a code repository (e.g., GitHub), representative of your work • Contact information for 2-3 references Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language. Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position". General information​ The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.  Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us. Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian) and Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO. The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

University of Oslo

About the position​ We are offering one PhD position with specialisation in either comparative politics, political data science, or public administration. The successful applicant will be part of the research project “Waging of War” (WOW), which is funded by the European Research Council. The PhD fellowship period is three years and devoted to carrying out research and pursuing a PhD in the context of the WOW project. The position may also include other career-enhancing activities: depending on the candidate’s competence and the teaching needs of the department, the fellowship period can be extended up to four years for qualification work consisting of e.g. teaching duties. The primary aims of WOW are to investigate how the organization of warring parties influences the conduct of war, and conversely, how the fighting impacts the organizational structure of the belligerents. WOW will theorize, identify, classify, and code the characteristics of state military organizations and non-state armed groups and collect data relating to the dynamics of warfare. We will answer questions such as: • How are wars fought? • How does the organization of a belligerent party affect the way they wage war? • How do the dynamics of the war affect the organization of the fighting parties? More information about the project can be found here: https://www.sv.uio.no/isv/english/research/projects/wow/index.html  The PhD Fellow is expected to develop a research project within the overarching thematic scope of the larger project, namely the organizational basis and conduct of warfare. While the PhD project should align with the framework of the main project, the candidate has significant flexibility to pursue their own approach and research agenda. The project proposal should above all include a tentative overall thematic and theoretical framework, along with at least three ideas for academic articles (see below).  The successful candidate will be part of the Faculty’s PhD programme. The work is expected to lead to a PhD in political science. To promote a strategic career path, all PhD fellows are expected to submit a career development plan, specifying career goals and the competencies that the PhD fellow should acquire, no later than one month after commencement of the fellowship period. The department is responsible for ensuring that the plan is followed up and that the PhD fellow has access to career guidance throughout the duration of the fellowship. Qualification requirements​ Formal qualifications​ • Education equivalent to five years at university level in Norway, with two years (120 credits) at Master’s level in a relevant field. The MA thesis must be equivalent to at least half a year’s workload, i.e. 30 ECTS. • The Master’s degree must include relevant education in research methods or game theory. Other qualifications​ • Applicants must have a very good to excellent command of English (written and oral). • Language skills in other widely spoken languages, such as Arabic, French, Hindi, Mandarin, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili are an advantage, but not a requirement. • Applicants are required to possess robust empirical research knowledge within the realm of conflict research, and they must be well-trained in conducting either quantitative analyses or game theoretic analysis. • Experience with large language models, machine learning, and/or programming in R or equivalent programs is an advantage but not a requirement. The evaluation of applicants primarily hinges on their documented academic qualifications and the research proposal. During the initial screening phase, a strong emphasis is placed on formal qualifications and academic grades, where top-tier grades and a highly commendable MA thesis are generally prerequisites for shortlisting. In the subsequent phase, the importance of the research proposal increases significantly. Additionally, factors such as academic suitability, motivation, and alignment with the project team are considered.  We need different perspectives in our work ​ UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no. We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues — could you be the next one? We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures. The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds. If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian). The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. We offer​ • Salary according to “SKO 1017 PhD fellow”, NOK 550 800-595 000 per year. • Personal research funds that can be used for e.g. travel and research assistance (currently NOK 35 000 per year). • A stimulating and international research environment with multiple research groups and seminar series. • Involvement in a large research project that provides opportunities to build a network with scholars researching political elites around the world, including an annual workshop on the topic. • A friendly and inclusive workplace allowing for a good work-life balance. • Attractive UiO welfare benefits • Access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare (including the University’s kindergarten). • Norway’s capital with its easy access to beautiful nature and rich cultural life. • Introduction course for PhD Fellows: Teaching as a PhD candidate • Annual career development conversation based on the submitted career plan.  • Various courses and workshops supporting career development (e.g., on dissemination and presentation skills, op-ed writing, and stress-management). • Financial and practical support for international staff moving to Norway (https://www.uio.no/english/about/jobs/ismo/) (international staff may also benefit from tax cuts in their first years) How to apply​ The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system. Please follow the link “apply for this job”. The online application must include the following items, which are to be submitted before the deadline (all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language): • A cover letter (maximum 2 pages), including a statement of motivation • A research proposal (maximum 3,000 words including all references and footnotes - a word count must be provided on the front page). The proposal should clarify the research theme, main research questions, how the research contributes to existing literature and the project, theoretical approach, methodology, article ideas, and a timeline. A final research proposal must be developed in cooperation with the project leader within three months of the start date.  • A CV summarizing education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities. Career breaks, including parental leave, that are noted in the CV will be taken into consideration when evaluating applicants' academic record. • Copy of Master’s thesis (in English or in a Scandinavian language). • Copies of transcripts: All applicants must submit their Master’s degree diploma and transcript(s), preferably together with a class distribution of grades. The transcript must specify the grade achieved for the Master’s thesis. • Official explanation of the grading and credit system at your university (foreign applicants). • Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relationship to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letters are not needed. The application deadline is September 1, 2026. The screening and evaluation of candidates will begin immediately. The most promising candidates will be invited for interviews. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer being made, to take 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the number of applications. The expected start date is January 2027 or earlier but is subject to negotiation.   Formal regulations​ Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us. Please see the regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of postdoctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident - University of Oslo (uio.no) (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/regulations-employment-conditions-postdoc.html) Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

University of Oslo

About the position​ We are offering one PhD position in political science. We invite applications from excellent candidates in all sub-fields of political science, including public policy and administration, comparative politics, political theory, international relations and research methods.  The appointment is for a fixed, non-tenured term of 3 years. The position may also include other career-enhancing activities: depending on the candidate’s competence and the teaching needs of the department, the fellowship period can be extended up to four years for qualification work consisting of e.g. teaching duties. The department teaches in all the sub-fields mentioned above. The successful candidate will be part of the Faculty’s PhD programme. The work is expected to lead to a PhD in political science. To promote a strategic career path, all PhD fellows are expected to submit a career development plan, specifying career goals and the competencies that the PhD fellow should acquire, no later than one month after commencement of the fellowship period. The department is responsible for ensuring that the plan is followed up and that the PhD fellow has access to career guidance throughout the duration of the fellowship. Qualification requirements​ Formal qualifications​ • Education equivalent to five years at university level in Norway, including a two years (120 ECTS) Master’s degree in a relevant field, with an MA thesis equivalent to at least half a year’s workload, i.e. 30 ECTS. • The Master’s degree must include relevant education in research methods.  Other qualifications​  •  Applicants must have a very good to excellent command of English (written and oral). The evaluation of applicants is based on documented, academic qualifications and the research proposal. During the initial screening phase, a strong emphasis is placed on formal qualifications and academic grades, where top-tier grades and a highly commendable MA thesis are generally prerequisites for shortlisting. The quality of the proposal will be an important part of the assessment of the shortlisted applicants in particular. Personal suitability and motivation are also considered.  We need different perspectives in our work ​ UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no. We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues — could you be the next one? We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures. The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds. If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian). The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. We offer​ • Salary according to “SKO 1017 PhD Fellow”, NOK 550 800 - 595 000 per year per year • Personal research funds (currently NOK 35,000 per year) • A stimulating and international research environment with multiple research groups and seminar series • A friendly and inclusive workplace allowing for a good work-life balance • Attractive UiO welfare benefits • Access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare (including the university’s kindergartens)  • Norway’s capital with its rich cultural life and easy access to beautiful nature • Introduction course for PhD Fellows: Teaching as a PhD candidate • Annual career development conversation based on the submitted career plan.  • Various courses and workshops supporting career development (e.g., on dissemination and presentation skills, op-ed writing, and stress-management). • Financial and practical support for international staff moving to Norway (international staff may also benefit from tax cuts in their first years) How to apply​ The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system. Please follow the link “apply for this job”. The online application must include the following items, which are to be submitted before the deadline (all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language): • A cover letter (maximum 2 pages), including a statement of motivation • A research proposal (maximum 3,000 words including all references and footnotes - a word count must be provided on the front page). The proposal should clearly state the main research question(s) and explain how the research will contribute to existing literature. It should also be specified whether the applicant plans an article-based dissertation or a monograph, and outlines of articles/chapters should be provided. Further, the proposal must contain a detailed account of the theoretical approach and the methodology that will be applied, as well as a realistic timeline. • A CV summarising education, positions, research and pedagogical experience, administrative experience, and other qualifying activities. Career breaks, including parental leave, that are noted in the CV will be taken into consideration when evaluating applicants’ academic record. • Copy of Master’s thesis (in English or in a Scandinavian language). • Copies of transcripts: All applicants must submit their Master’s degree diploma and transcript(s), preferably together with a class distribution of grades. The transcript must specify the grade achieved for the Master’s thesis • Official explanation of the grading and credit system at your university (foreign applicants) • Names and contact details for 2-3 reference persons (name, relationship to candidate, e-mail, and phone number). Reference letters are not needed The application deadline is September 1, 2026. The screening and evaluation of candidates will begin immediately. The most promising candidates will be invited for interviews. We expect the whole evaluation process, from the application date to an offer being made, to take 3–4 months, depending on the number of applications. The expected start date is January 2027 but is subject to negotiations.  Formal regulations​ Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us. Please see the regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of postdoctoral research fellow, research fellow, research assistant and resident - University of Oslo (uio.no) (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/regulations-employment-conditions-postdoc.html) Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.