Postdoctoral position 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 a two-year postdoctoral position in communication research beginning 1 April 2025 or as soon as possible after that.

Introduction
The successful applicant will become part of the project entitled Making hybrid senses: Helping the visually impaired sense and act in the world funded through a Villum Synergy Grant.  

The project is a collaboration between two co-PIs: Barry Brown from the Department of Computer Science (DIKU) and Brian Due from the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics. The project will employ a total of two postdocs. One employed at NorS with competencies in interactional research, and one at the Department of Computer Science (DIKU), Faculty of Science, with technical and computer science competencies.  

The project addresses recent advances in AI and robotics, which have enabled new assistive technologies for visually impaired persons. In this project, our approach combines sensory inputs with new actions and abilities rather than 'simulating sight' with technology. For instance, a robot guide dog can act as a hybrid sense, with the visually impaired person sensing the environment through the robot’s movements, but they can also move with the dog’s guidance. Technically, this combines computer vision, haptics, new interfaces, and robotics to explore new ways of sensing and acting. In the project, we will study the current uses of sensing technologies, build new prototypes, and explore their usage.

Duties and Responsibilities
The successful applicant will undertake video ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and observations to study the actions and experiences of people with disabilities. The postdoc will collect video ethnographic data of visually impaired persons in their everyday environments, engage in workshops with practitioners, provide input to technical designs and prototype developments, and conduct video-recorded experiments, including data analysis. Although the primary focus is on visually impaired persons, other types of impairments and people with other sensory difficulties will also be included in the project.

Data will be collected in Denmark, and there will be a lot of engagement with Danish practitioners (impaired persons). Understanding Danish is, however, not a requirement.

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 basic insights into new 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, space and sociomateriality
• knowledge of and experience with ethnomethodological conversation analysis
• 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  

More information on careers at UCPH and the requirement for the different academic positions is available on 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 Danish and must include the following attachments:

• Letter of motivation
• CV
• Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates and PhD diploma)
• 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.
• Research plan
• Documentation of other work on the dissemination of research.

Only documentation in English or Danish 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 counseling 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: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk - please refer to ID number: 211-2031/24-2I #1.

Additional information about the position, including an outline of the project, can be obtained from associate professor Brian Due, email: bdue@hum.ku.dk.

The deadline for applications is 23:59, 12 January 2025 CET (Central European time).

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