About the position
The Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages (ILOS) at the University of Oslo is announcing a Doctoral Research Fellowship (SKO 1017) affiliated with the research project NxtGenFake. The project examines how generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models, affects the production, dissemination, and understanding of digital content that may challenge democratic values and public trust.
More about the NxtGenFake project and the position
The NxtGenFake project, funded by the Norwegian Research Council, investigates how large language models shape political narratives and strategic communication in digital environments. The project focuses on so-called disinformation narratives, meaning narratives of a misleading or inaccurate nature. Large language models enable the production of synthetic content at scale, potentially flooding information ecosystems with text that is difficult to distinguish from human-generated material. At the same time, large language models are increasingly being used for information retrieval, which may amplify the spread of biased or inaccurate representations.
A particular focus of the project is how such models—trained on large datasets including social media—may reproduce disinformation narratives from actors such as Russia and China, and influence public opinion in democratic societies, including Norway. The project analyzes how these disinformation narratives emerge, spread, and affect public discourse.
We are now seeking a motivated and skilled Doctoral Research Fellow to contribute to the NxtGenFake project, preferably with experience in handling and analyzing large datasets, and a willingness to collaborate interdisciplinarily with other project participants in studies and publications.
Applicants are required to upload/attach a research proposal (hf.uio.no) stating research questions and theoretical and methodological approaches.
The person appointed will be affiliated with the faculty’s organized research training. The academic work is to result in a doctoral thesis that will be defended at the faculty with a view to obtaining the degree of PhD. The successful candidate will be part of the NxtGenFake project and contribute to its development. Read more about the Doctoral degree: PhD in the Humanities (hf.uio.no).
The appointment is for a duration of 3 years. All PhD Candidates who submit their doctoral dissertation for assessment with a written recommendation from their supervisor within 3 years or 3 ½ years after the start of their PhD position, will be offered, respectively, a 12 or 6 month Completion Grant (hf.uio.no).
The start-up date is estimated to 1 October 2026.
Responsibilities
- Conduct empirical and theoretical research on generative AI, disinformation, and political communication in line with the objectives of the NxtGenFake project
- Analyze disinformation narratives in AI-generated content and social media
- Handle and analyze large datasets
- Contribute to scientific publications and dissemination of research results
- Collaborate with an interdisciplinary research team at ILOS and with other national and international partners
Qualification requirements
Mandatory requirements
- A Master's degree or equivalent in linguistics with a special focus on corpus and / or computational linguistics. The Master's degree must have been obtained and the final evaluation must be available by the application deadline.
- Fluent oral and written communication skills in English (preferably also in Norwegian) (see Language requirements (hf.uio.no)
- Experience with research on AI, digital media, and/or disinformation, and analysis of large datasets
- Skills in qualitative, quantitative, and/or digital methods
- Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Oslo, applicants must, as a minimum, have completed a five-year graduation course (Master’s degree or equivalent), including a Master’s thesis of at least 30 ECTS. In special cases, the Faculty may grant admission on the basis of a one-year Master course following an assessment of the study programme’s scope and quality.
Applicants who have recently graduated with excellent results may be given preference.
In assessing the research proposal (hf.uio.no), special emphasis will be placed on
- Scientific merit, research-related relevance and innovation
- Relevance to the NxtGenFake project
Employment is conditional on the candidate being assessed as personally suitable from a security perspective. In this connection, identity checks will also be carried out, as well as verification of documentation and background for relevant candidates.
Personal skills
Collaboration skills, communication skills, time management, self-motivation, perseverance / resilience, adaptability, ability to join interdisciplinary research communities, and critical thinking skills.
We offer
- Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 to 596 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
- A professionally stimulating working environment
- Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (spk.no), which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
- Attractive welfare benefits (uio.no)
How to apply
The application must include:
- Application letter describing your qualifications and motivation for the position
- Curriculum Vitae with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities
- Diploma and transcript of records of your Bachelor’s and Master's degrees.
- For applicants with education from a Norwegian higher educational institution: Please retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your Diploma and transcripts or grades.
- Applicants with education from a foreign university: Please upload copies of your diploma in addition to copies of your transcripts or grades. You must also attach an official explanation of your university's grading system.
- Do not submit other certificates, articles, master theses and the like unless specifically requested. If further documentation is wanted for assessment, you will be asked to submit it later.
- Project proposal, including a detailed progress plan for the project (3 - 5 pages, maximum 14.000 characters. See Template for project proposal (hf.uio.no)
- If applicable: Documentation of English Language requirements (hf.uio.no). The appointed applicant will be asked to document these skills prior to admission to the PhD programme.
- A list of 2–3 references (name, relationship, email, and phone number)
Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.
Application with attachments must be submitted via our electronic recruitment system Jobbnorge—click “Apply for the position.”
Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.
More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found
here.We hope you will apply for the position with us.
General information
The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.
Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.
Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.
The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.