Stipendiat i dokumentarproduksjon og etikk (kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid)

About the Position

The University of Stavanger invites applicants for a three-year position as PhD Fellow in Documentary Production and Ethics at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Media and Social Sciences. The position is available from 1 January 2027.

This is an educational position primarily intended to provide promising documentary practitioners with the opportunity for professional development through education in the PhD programme in Artistic Research.

The successful applicant will be admitted to the PhD programme in Artistic Research, established by the University of Stavanger in collaboration with the University of Agder. The programme represents the artistic disciplines’ equivalent of doctoral research education, with documentary production serving as the central component of the doctoral work. The production must be accompanied by explicit written reflection and analysis. More information about the doctoral programme in Artistic Research can be found on our website.

As a PhD Fellow at UiS, you will receive supervision and support for your academic and professional development through mentoring, skills development, and career planning.

In accordance with good academic practice and research ethics standards, the doctoral education shall qualify candidates to conduct artistic research at an international level, as well as to undertake other work in society requiring a high level of artistic insight and competence.

Research topic

We are seeking a documentary practitioner working in film or audio who, through artistic research, wishes to investigate, develop, and critically reflect on their own artistic practice in relation to documentary storytelling, ethics, and new technology.

The core focus of the project is ethical issues in documentary practice and how these are challenged and transformed in response to new technologies. Fact-based storytelling raises fundamental questions concerning, among other things, truthfulness, authenticity, and trust. Technological developments have long influenced how documentary practitioners engage with such questions, both through new possibilities for production and dissemination and through the emergence of new ethical dilemmas. Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have brought renewed attention to and intensified many of these issues, including those related to verification, production, dissemination, and audiences’ encounters with documentary forms of expression.

The PhD project shall investigate ethical issues in documentary practice in light of technological developments and consist of documentary production and written reflection and analysis. The artistic production shall constitute the primary and most substantial component of the project. Central questions concern how documentary truthfulness and ethical principles are challenged, and how the documentary field can respond to these challenges through the development of knowledge, practice, and critical reflection.

Possible approaches may include exploring how AI influences the ethics of documentary representation, authenticity, and trust; how documentary practitioners relate to new technological tools; or how ethical issues manifest themselves within various relevant societal contexts. Ethical dilemmas emerge and become visible in concrete production processes and artistic choices, where questions of fact, authenticity, trust, and technology must be addressed in practice. Through the combination of documentary production and critical reflection, the candidate may investigate these dilemmas from within the artistic process itself and develop knowledge about how they arise, are negotiated, and are managed in documentary work.

The specific research question shall be developed by the candidate within this thematic framework of documentary practice and ethics in a new technologically changing environment. The project must be grounded in the candidate’s own documentary practice and may include both national and international perspectives.

The candidate is expected to be at the forefront of knowledge regarding current developments, practices, approaches, and discussions in the field of documentary production. Upon completion of the programme, the candidate should be able to develop, articulate, and realise documentary projects of high complexity and professional relevance, and to communicate their work in ways that generate attention and engagement around the issues addressed. Through the doctoral education, the candidate shall be able to identify and address relevant ethical issues and pursue their artistic practice with professional integrity.

The candidate will be affiliated with the Documentary and Ethics Research Group.

Qualifications

We encourage applications from active practitioners working in film or audio documentary production. Production must constitute the core of the project.

To qualify for admission to the PhD programme, you must hold a master’s degree in a relevant field from a Norwegian or international institution, or possess equivalent qualifications that provide a basis for admission to doctoral studies. The degree should preferably be of recent date.

Following individual assessment, documented artistic competence and production experience may provide a basis for admission to the programme.

The academic relevance of the master’s degree (or equivalent qualification) will be assessed in relation to the proposed project. Relevant documentation, such as written work, documentary productions, and other artistic work, must therefore be included with the application.

The grade awarded for the master's thesis and the weighted average grade for the master's degree should both correspond to a grade of B or better. Applicants educated at institutions using grading systems other than the Norwegian A–F scale must submit a verified conversion scale showing how their grades correspond to the Norwegian grading system. You may use these conversion tables to calculate your admission score.

Further emphasis will be placed on whether you:

• are a practising documentary practitioner at a professional level that will enable you, upon completion of the three-year PhD programme in Artistic Research, to demonstrate artistic practice at a high international level
• have the willingness and ability to reflect on your own documentary practice and to collaborate within an academic and artistic environment
• are motivated and possess the academic and personal qualifications necessary to complete the doctoral education within the employment period
• work well both independently and in collaboration with others, and are innovative and creative
• are well organised and capable of handling a demanding workload
• have good oral and written communication skills in English.

As a PhD Fellow at UiS, you will receive

• a PhD education at a university with a strong societal mission and ambitious academic goals
• an ambitious and inclusive research environment. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure.
• free Norwegian language courses if you do not have proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish at level A2 at the time of employment.
• access to Lifekeys, a digital service that supports mental health and well-being
• salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, code 1017, NOK 580 000 gross per year, with salary progression during the employment period. A statutory 2% contribution is deducted for membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
• membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens pensjonskasse), which provides favourable pension and insurance schemes
• favourable membership terms at SiS Sports Centre and the university sports club
• employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation committed to reducing sick leave and promoting and inclusive working life
• access to the Hjem-jobb-hjem programme, offering discounted public transportation to and from work
• relocation support
• access to comprehensive health services, generous parental leave arrangements and a well-developed welfare system.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity is a strength at the University of Stavanger. Different experiences, perspectives and backgrounds contribute to better solutions and a positive working and learning environment. We welcome applicants with diverse qualifications, life experiences and perspectives, and encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of gender, age, disability, cultural background, or whether they have experienced periods outside the workforce. UiS is committed to supporting employees in different stages of life and to providing reasonable accommodation for employees with individual needs.

In accordance with applicable regulations, at least one qualified applicant with a disability, a gap in their CV, or an immigrant background will be invited for an interview. If this applies to you, you may indicate this in the application portal. Read more about the scheme here.

The University seeks to improve gender balance in PhD positions within this field and therefore particularly encourages men to apply. In cases where applicants are considered equally qualified, men may be given preference in accordance with applicable regulations.

How to Apply

Apply for this job by clicking "Apply for this job" button on this page.

In Jobbnorge, you must register at least your application, relevant education and work experience, as well as language skills. In your application letter, please describe your research interests, your motivation for applying for the position, and how your background is relevant to the research project.

The following documentation must be uploaded as attachments to your application:

• project proposal, see template available on our website.
• CV with a complete overview of your education, experience and any artistic work
• Diploma Supplement or equivalent documentation, and a confirmed grade conversion scale if required
• publications or other relevant research/artistic work
• references and other documentation considered relevant to the application

The documentation must be provided in a Scandinavian language or in English

Applications will be assessed based on the information available in Jobbnorge when the application deadline expires. Please ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your qualifications and experience meet the requirements described in the announcement, and that all required documentation has been uploaded. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 100 MB, the files must be compressed before upload.

UiS only considers applications and attachments submitted through Jobbnorge.

Information about applicants may be made public even if an applicant has requested not to be included on the public list of applicants, cf. Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act. If such a request is not granted, you will be notified.

Terms of Employment and Recruitment Process

UiS is subject to the Norwegian Security Act. Employees are expected to demonstrate security-conscious behaviour and comply with applicable security and export control procedures. In the appointment process, attributes such as reliability, sound judgement and loyalty will be emphasised.

Employment as PhD Fellow is regulated in Regulations to the Universities and Colleges Act, chapter IV. Admission to the doctoral programme is governed by the Regulations for the degree of Philosophia Doctor (PhD) at the University of Stavanger.

Your qualifications for the position, based on the documentation registrered in Jobbnorge by the application deadline, will be assessed by an internal committee. Based on the committee's assessment, selected candidates will be invited to an interview. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. Read more about the recruitment process on our website.

The PhD work will primarily be carried out at the University of Stavanger. It is a condition of employment that the successful candidate resides in a location that enables regular presence at and active participation in the academic environment during normal working hours.

The position is advertised in both Norwegian and English. In the event of any discrepancy between the texts, the Norwegian version shall prevail.

UiS - challenge the well-known and explore the unknown

The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for green and sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.

In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.

Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has approximately 2,000 students and 180 employees. The faculty offers degree programmes at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, as well as a professional degree programme. The studies are based on a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, interdisciplinarity, and collaboration with public and private organisations. The faculty consists of the Department of Media and Social Sciences, the Department of Psychology, and the Department of Social Sciences.

The Department of Media and Social Sciences offers one-year, bachelor’s, and master’s programmes across a range of areas: a one-year programme in Communication, Political Science, and Sociology; bachelor’s programmes in Sociology, Political Science, Journalism, and Television and Multimedia Production; and master’s programmes in Change Management, Digitalisation and Society, Energy/Environment/Society, and Documentary Production. Research is conducted within all of these areas. The department also has its own PhD research school (POLSOC). Today, there are 70 employees (including doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers) and approximately 900 students affiliated with the department.