PhD Research Fellowship at the Faculty of Fine Artsin AI in the Creative and Cultural Industries

About the Position

At the University of Agder, Faculty of Fine Arts, there are two full-time (100%) positions available as a PhD Research Fellow in AI in the creative and cultural industries for a period of three years. The workplace is Campus Kristiansand. Start date by agreement with the faculty.

The Faculty of Fine Arts has approximately 530 students and 90 academic staff. It consists of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, the Department of Classical Music and Music Education, and the Department of Popular Music. The faculty has research environments in popular music, classical music, visual arts, and performing arts, with two PhD programs:PhD program in Artistic Research andPhD program in Fine Arts. This position is linked to the PhD program in Fine Arts.

Responsibilities

The positions are part of MishMash – Center for AI and Creativity, a Norwegian AI center funded by the Research Council of Norway (2025–2030). It includes over 200 professionals from various higher education institutions in Norway, in collaboration with public and private sector partners. MishMash aims to create, explore, and reflect on artificial intelligence for, and in creative practices. Researchers will investigate AI’s impact on creative processes, develop innovative co-creative AI systems and educational strategies, and reflect on the ethical, legal, cultural, and societal implications of AI in creative fields. Seemishmash.no for more information.

This PhD position is linked to Work Package 5 in MishMash – AI in the Creative and Cultural Industries. The position is rooted in the academic field of art and artificial intelligence. The candidate will investigate how AI contributes to reshaping the creative and cultural industries at a systemic level. Projects that explore power structures, economic models, legal frameworks, as well as questions related to ethics and sustainability, are particularly encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other relevant project partners from the public and private sectors within the MishMash network, if this strengthens the project.

The selected PhD candidate is expected to participate in one or more of the MishMash work packages, collaborate across the MishMash network, and take part in all relevant MishMash activities. The position is tied to the academic field of art and artificial intelligence. Applications will be assessed based on the proposed research project’s relevance to MishMash’s goals and objectives.

The PhD program in Fine Arts offers two different dissertation formats: a scientific dissertation and a combined artistic-scientific dissertation. Applicants must state in their application which dissertation format they intend to pursue. For more information, see the details about the program’s content and learning outcomes for thePhD program in Fine Arts.

It is a prerequisite for employment that the faculty has the supervisory capacity and infrastructure necessary to support the realization of the PhD project.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent higher education in a relevant field. The applicant must document that the degree aligns with the position’s profile.
• Required English skills, both written and spoken. English proficiency may be assessed during the interview.

Applicants in the final phase of their master’s degree may also apply. The degree must be completed before employment.

The working language at the University of Agder is Norwegian. The working language in MishMash is English. For this position, proficiency in Norwegian is not a requirement, but knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is considered an advantage. High proficiency in both spoken and written English is required.

It is a prerequisite for employment that the PhD candidate meets the admission requirements for the PhD program in the arts at the faculty. The admission requirements can be found in theRegulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Agder.

The terms of employment for recruitment positions are outlined in theRegulations relating to universities and university colleges (the University and College Regulations).

Preferred Qualifications

• A relevant topic in the master’s thesis for the proposed research project.
• Relevant experience/practice.

Personal Qualities

• Interest in and ability to collaborate across disciplines and institutions.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills and the ability to participate in academic teamwork across disciplines.
• Ability to work purposefully, systematically, with focus and independence.
• Academic and personal capacity to complete the project within the set timeframe.
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position.

Personalqualities and suitability will be emphasized.

We Offer

• Academic development in a large, exciting, and socially important organization.
• A good, inclusive, and diverse working environment.
• Modern facilities and a wide range of welfare services.
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

More about UiA as a workplace.

The position is remunerated according to the Norwegian State salary scale, plan 17.515, code 1017 PhD Research Fellow, NOK 550,800 gross per year. Statutory contributions to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted from the salary.

General Information

UiA is an open and inclusive university. We believe that diversity enriches the workplace and makes us better. We therefore encourage qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender, age, cultural background, disability, or gaps in their CV.

The person appointed will have rights and obligations according to the guidelines applicable at any given time. Employment is decided by the Appointment Committee for Teaching and Research Positions at the University of Agder.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. References will also be obtained by agreement with the applicant.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25, 2nd paragraph, applicants may request not to be included on the public list of applicants. The university may still decide to publish the name of the applicant. Applicants will be notified in advance in such cases.

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence.

Application

Applications and necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) must be submitted electronically via the link “Apply for the position”.

The following must be uploaded electronically:

• Diplomas with grades
• Master’s thesis/main thesis
• Certificates
• Scientific work and R&D activities, as well as a list of these
• Cover letter describing the applicant’s qualifications, how they match the position’s profile, and motivation for the position
• Project description of max. 12000 characters (approx. five pages in Times New Roman, 12 pt font, 1.5 line spacing), plus a reference list (max. 2000 characters). The sketch should present and discuss possible research questions, theoretical perspectives, material, progress plan, and methods within the given framework.

The applicant is responsible for submitting complete documentation digitally by the application deadline. All documentation must be in a Scandinavian language or English.

Application deadline: 01.02.2026

Contact Information

For questions about the position:

• Daniel Nordgård, Professor, Vice Director in MishMash, phone: +4797 08 06 11, email:[emailprotected]
• Anne Haugland Balsnes, Professor, Chair of the Doctoral Program, phone: +47 48 18 71 08 email:[emailprotected]

For questions about the application process:

• Clare Hildebrandt, PhD Coordinator, phone: +47 47 40 35 81, email:[emailprotected]

Sammen om kunnskap

Når engasjerte mennesker samles om kunnskap, er alt mulig.

Universitetet i Agder kombinerer Sørlandets unike varme og nærhet med førsteklasses vitenskapelig, teknologisk og kunstnerisk kompetanse.

Vil du jobbe med oss for å skape bedre løsninger på våre felles utfordringer?

UiA

The University of Agder has more than 1500 employees and almost 14000 students, making us one of Southern Norway's largest workplaces. Our dedicated staff engage in research, teaching and disseminationacross a diverse range of fields.

The university is located on two modern campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad.