Two postdoctoral positions in communication research at the Faculty of Huma

at  KU HUM Fakultetet

The Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics (NorS), Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH) invites applications for two postdoctoral positions in communication research beginning 1 February 2025 or as soon as possible after that.
Both positions are fixed-term - one for two years and the other for three years.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Employment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level.

Applicants must have theoretical and methodological competencies in research on communicative practices and insights into technologies. We seek applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• doing ethnographic fieldwork
• doing interaction analysis with a focus on body and space
• working with people with impairment
• working with emerging trends, especially in terms of technologies and the rapid development of AI
• working interdisciplinary
• working with innovation and design thinking methodology
• high level of public engagement

The applicant can suggest which position she/he primarily aims for, choose to apply for both positions or just one of them, and make arguments for those choices.
More information on careers at UCPH and the requirements for different academic positions is available at: Career at The University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
For more about postdoc positions and qualification requirements, see the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities: Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (ufm.dk)
Applicants will primarily be assessed in relation to their research qualifications, including their publications, ability to conduct independent research and participate in research collaborations, and their experience with keeping track of emerging trends and technologies from an analytical overview. In addition, the applicant’s research plan and research potential will be assessed in relation to the project described above.

Postdoc # 1 – digital collaboration platforms, video-mediated interactions (2 years)
The successful applicant will undertake video ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and observations to study the actions and experiences of people with disabilities who regularly work from home using collaborative platforms, video-mediated services, and telepresence robots, smart glasses and spatial computing (VR/AR/mixed) or similar for interacting with colleagues and conducting computer-supported work. We observe 1) individuals who are blind or have low vision, 2) wheelchair users. Data will be collected in Denmark, Finland, and Germany. Applicant must be fluent in Danish.
Postdoc # 2 – AI as assistive technology and spatial AI in office environments (3 years)
The successful applicant will undertake video ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and observations to study the actions and experiences of people with disabilities who use assistive AI (e.g. computer vision, generative AI and natural language processing) to accomplish their work and interact with colleagues. AI as assistive technology (as robot assistants) is one of the focus areas. We observe 1) individuals who are blind or have low vision, 2) wheelchair users, and 3) people with intellectual disability or neuropsychiatric conditions. Data will be collected in Denmark, Finland, Germany and Italy. Part of this postdoctoral work is participating in creative, collaborative processes leading to prototypes and prototype testing. Applicants who understand Italian are preferred.