Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Recommender Systems at MediaFutures

There is a vacancy for a postdoctoral research fellow position at MediaFutures within Recommender Systems in WP2 – User Modelling, Personalization & Engagement. The position is for a period of 3 years.  We are looking for an ambitious and self-motivated colleague to join us in MediaFutures: Research Center for Responsible Media Technology & Innovation.

MediaFutures is a new center for research-based innovation at the Department for information science and media studies, University of Bergen, and will be located at Media City Bergen. The center is a part of the Norwegian Research Council’s Research-based Innovation scheme. MediaFutures will in cooperation with industry partners from news media and media technology research topics like media experiences, recommender technology, content production and analysis, content interaction and availability, and Norwegian language technology. The goal is to develop responsible technological solutions to societal challenges like AI, fake news, echo chambers and political polarization. The results will be new digital tools, analytical methods, and content types for the future of media. The center will also perform research training within media technology and innovation. This will create outputs such as new patents, prototypes, research articles and software, as well and innovative start-up companies.

Read more about the center at www.mediafutures.no.

About the work package:

  • WP2 in Media Futures will develop user modeling and personalisation techniques capable of effectively eliciting user preferences in order to enhance the user experience when interacting with media content while taking into account important competing factors (e.g., business values, societal values, individual values).
  • Research questions are: To what extent can we effectively and fairly model online user behaviour and predict this behaviour? To what extent can we personalise and engage users online to efficiently keep them informed, and at the same time do this responsibly?

About the tasks:

This position is linked to two tasks:

  • Novel Computational methods for Fair Delivery of Media Content to Consumer. This task aims at designing novel computational methods that ensure effective and fair delivery of media content to the consumer, thereby addressing a societal need for fair and diversified provision of information. We investigate the fairness factor to ensure that all stakeholders benefit.
  • Development of Impactful Recommendation Approaches. The goal is to develop next-generation user modeling, personalisation and recommendation approaches that take into consideration additional factors beyond accuracy. We will study the impact of the developed approaches from a wide range of perspectives such as user engagement or retention.

You will perform simulation studies (offline experiments) based on historical datasets describing media consumption by consumers. In addition, user studies will be conducted to investigate in which ways different forms of explanations are suited to increase the perceived transparency of the recommendations at the consumer’s side. Finally, field tests will be run with our user partners with novel technical approaches for user modeling and recommendation.

We expect a high volume of publications reporting on the work package results in interdisciplinary publication venues.

The position reports to the Center Director.

Qualifications and personal qualities:

  • The applicant must hold a Norwegian PhD or an equivalent degree within Computer Science or related fields, or must have submitted his/her doctoral thesis for assessment prior to the application deadline. It is a condition of employment that the PhD has been awarded.
  • Strong Machine Learning and programming skills (e.g., in Python) are a must.
  • Experience from scientific work (e.g., previous conference and journal publications) is required.
  • We value candidates that can work structured and in a team.
  • Proficiency in both written and oral English (this is the working language of the project).
  • A background within recommender systems is an advantage.
  • Experience in grant writing and proposal authorship is an advantage.
  • Personal qualities will be emphasized.

Potential candidates may be invited to the departments for an interview.

About the position of postdoctoral research fellow:

The position of postdoctoral research fellow is a fixed-term appointment with the primary objective of qualifying the appointee for work in top academic positions. The fixed-term period for this position is 3 years. Individuals may not be hired for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoctoral research fellow at the same institution.

We can offer:

  • An excellent and professionally challenging working environment.
  • Salary at pay grade 61 – 63 (code 1352) on the government salary scale upon appointment (equivalent to NOK 545 300 – 566 700,- per year). Further promotions are made according to length of service in the position. A higher salary may be considered for a particularly well qualified applicant.
  • Enrolment in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
  • Good welfare benefits

For more information about moving to Bergen and Norway, please visit https://www.uib.no/en/node/133625/, and https://www.uib.no/en/hr/74243/what-can-university-bergen-offer-its-employees.

Your application must include:

  • A brief account of the applicant’s research interests and motivation for applying for the position.
  • 3 key publications highlighting the candidate’s qualifications for this position.
  • The names and contact information for two reference persons.
  • CV
  • Transcripts and diplomas and official confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted.
  • Relevant certificates/references.
  • List of any works of a scientific nature (publication list).

The application and appendices with certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded at Jobbnorge

General information:

Additional information about the position can be obtained by contacting the Center Director Christoph Trattner, christoph.trattner@uib.no.

Practical questions about the application process should be directed to Adviser – HR, Bodil Hægland, bodil.hagland@uib.no.

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. Age and gender balance among employees is therefore a goal. It is also a goal to recruit people with immigrant backgrounds. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.

The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.

Further information about our employment process can be found here.