PhD Research Fellow in Documentary Production and Ethics (Artistic Research) University of Stavanger in Norway

The University of Stavanger is offering a three-year full-time PhD Fellow position in Documentary Production and Ethics within Artistic Research at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Media and Social Sciences. The position is based in Stavanger, Norway, and is scheduled to start on 1 January 2027.

This is an educational PhD position designed for promising documentary practitioners who work in film or audio and want to develop their artistic practice through doctoral-level research. The successful candidate will be admitted to the PhD programme in Artistic Research, offered by the University of Stavanger in collaboration with the University of Agder. In this programme, documentary production is the central component of the doctoral work and must be accompanied by written reflection and analysis.

The research topic focuses on ethical issues in documentary practice in the context of technological change. The project should explore how documentary storytelling, truthfulness, authenticity, and trust are affected by new technologies, including artificial intelligence. Possible angles include AI and documentary representation, the use of new technological tools in production, verification and dissemination, audience encounters with documentary forms, and ethical dilemmas arising in concrete production processes. The project must be grounded in the applicant’s own documentary practice, and may draw on both national and international perspectives.

The candidate will be affiliated with the Documentary and Ethics Research Group and will receive supervision and support for academic and professional development. The programme aims to qualify candidates for artistic research at an international level and to strengthen their ability to identify, reflect on, and address ethical issues in documentary work with professional integrity.

Applicants must hold a relevant master’s degree or equivalent qualification, preferably of recent date. Documented artistic competence and production experience may also support admission after individual assessment. The master’s thesis grade and overall weighted average must correspond to B or better on the Norwegian grading scale. Applicants using other grading systems must provide a verified conversion scale. Strong English communication skills are required, and relevant artistic documentation such as written work, documentary productions, and other creative outputs must be included with the application.

Funding is provided through a salaried PhD fellowship at State Salary Scale code 1017, with a gross annual salary of NOK 580,000 plus progression during the employment period. Benefits include pension membership, Norwegian language courses, relocation support, health and welfare services, and an inclusive research environment.

The application deadline is 20 November 2026. Applications must be submitted through Jobbnorge and should include a project proposal, CV, diploma supplement or equivalent, grade conversion scale if needed, publications or other relevant artistic/research work, and references. The application letter should explain the candidate’s research interests, motivation, and fit with the project.