Two postdoctoral positions in communication research at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen

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.

Introduction
The successful applicants will become part of the project entitled, NewWorkTech. From the margins to the masses: Standard practices and innovative uses of technology in augmenting different abilities of people in the world of work, funded through a Horizon Europe Grant, 2025-2029.

The project focus on technologically mediated tasks and interaction among people with impairments. It explores how people with disabilities – as forerunners of technology use – perform tasks and interact at work. The project uses the data for theoretical innovation regarding the nature of socio-material assemblages and what constitutes technology, to policy recommendations and the development of new technological solutions, including AI-based technologies. NGO partners are actively involved as facilitators in the empirical research and as drivers of application and dissemination. It is a large EU project with several partners and different work packages. The two postdocs will be employed at NorS, where Associate Professor Brian L. Due leads one work package in the project. This work package focuses on collecting and analysing video ethnographic data from workplaces.

Duties and Responsibilities
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.

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.

Application
Applications must be submitted online in PDF or Word format. Click on the “Apply now” button at the bottom of this advertisement to apply.

Applications may be written in English or a Scandinavian language and must include the following attachments:

1. Letter of motivation

2. CV

3. Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates and PhD diploma)

4. Complete publication list (attached publications must be marked with an asterisk). The list must be structured systematically and divided into the following categories:

• Peer-reviewed publications:
  • Monographs and anthologies
  • Articles in journals
  • Book chapters/anthology contributions, etc.
• Non-peer-reviewed publications:
  • Publications disseminating research findings, etc.

Applicants can attach a maximum of 3 publications. The publication dates must be clearly marked on the list. The selected publications must be uploaded as attachments and numbered 1-3.

5. Research plan.

6. Documentation of teaching competencies/teaching portfolio (see the UCPH guidelines for teaching portfolios here) and other work on the dissemination of research.

Only documentation in English or a Scandinavian language will be assessed.

Applicants are invited to familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Humanities’ strategic landmarks here: Strategic landmarks – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Salary and terms of employment
Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range for Postdocs starts at DKK 38,575 (roughly EUR 5,170) + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The recruitment process
Once the deadline for applications has expired, the Head of Department will consider advice from an appointment committee and select applicants for further assessment. All applicants will be notified whether they have been shortlisted. The Head of Department then sets up an expert assessment committee to consider the applications. The selected applicants will be informed who is serving on the committee, and will be offered the opportunity to comment on the committee’s assessment of their application before an appointment is announced.

Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here: Recruitment process – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

An Equal Opportunity Workplace
The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment, and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity, etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, please see HR Excellence in Research – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during relocation and career counselling for expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here:
For international researchers at the University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Contact information
Further information about the recruitment process is available from HR, email: [email protected]. Please refer to ID number: 211-1978/24-2I #1

Additional information about the position, including an outline of the project, can be obtained from associate professor Brian Due, email: [email protected].

The deadline for applications is 7 November 2024 CET (Central European time).

Any applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered.