The Game School has a vacant position as PhD fellow in spatial computing and virtual productions

About the position

The Game School at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN) is pleased to announce the opening of a new position for a PhD fellow in artistic research with focus on spatial computing and virtual productions. The place of work is at The Game School, located at  Campus Hamar in Norway. Other workplaces can be arranged for shorter or longer periods in connection with project work, international exchange, etc. The position is for a fixed term of three years. Depending on the faculty's needs and the candidate's and preferences, employment can be made for a 4-year position, including 25% teaching.

The research community at The Game School, the UPEXRE research group, and researchers from the TV and Film Schools are investigating the potential of game engine technologies and spatial computing in the arts. UPEXRE stands for User perception and engagement in XR experiences, and the aim is to aid and inform the design process and outcomes of XR applications and interventions in both art and science. As a PhD fellow, you will be connected to the research group and wider research community and actively participate in seminars and ongoing research.

The position requires admission to the new joint PhD programme in artistic research soon be established between The Faculty of Film, TV and Games at INN and art educations at Østfold University College and UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The final plan for the artistic PhD project must be approved and agreed upon three months after taking the position.

About the project

In the coming years, we expect a significant increase in the development and use of spatial computing. We envision significant impacts in existing forms of augmented reality (AR), and virtual production (VP), for use in game- TV, and film production as well as in other areas such as installation works. The focus of the PhD position is to explore and develop new forms of expression and perhaps new art forms, where actual and projected space meet. The increasing capacity and ubiquity of multiple layers of imagery, computing, and AI will facilitate this blending of physical and virtual spaces towards new hybrid forms of augmented imagery and space. These hybrids are most obvious in head-mounted displays, such as the Apple Vision Pro and in virtual production (VP). But we view this as the beginning of many new and emergent platforms and possibilities.

We seek propositions for an artistic PhD project aiming to explore and manifest through examples how this new technology can offer emergent forms of creative expression and lead to new forms of experience.

Potential areas of focus for artistic research can be the impact of spatial computing on new forms of:

1. Spatial experience systems
2. Games and game design
3. Virtual production for film and multi-camera TV studio set-ups
4. Interactive installations and blended spaces and sites
5. AR assisted production

You will be part of building new research and production capacity at INN.

1. Building research and production capacity for the arts 
2. Being part of building a new community of researchers and research fellows working across Games, TV and Film
3. Being involved in a new master’s degree in virtual productions
4. Working together with other researchers and master students, exploring the cultural opportunities afforded by these new technologies.

Qualifications

The fellow must qualify for admission to the institution’s joint PhD programme in artistic research. To be eligible for admission, the applicant must normally have a five-year master's degree in the relevant field. For admission to the artistic PhD, the master's degree must be in performing or creative arts. After special assessment, the PhD committee may approve other equivalent education or artistic competency as a basis for admission. For applicants with a master's degree with letter grades, an average grade of B or better is required.

If you have an education from abroad, you must contact the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills HK-dir to apply for recognition of the education: https://hkdir.no/en/foreign-education/education-from-outside-of-norway/recognition-of-foreign-higher-education-bachelor-master-and-phd

The applicant should demonstrate a capacity for independent artistic exploration, production and reflection. An extensive artistic background is required, for instance, in fields such as new media art and design, creative coding, game design, or animation.

Furthermore, emphasis is placed on the following:

• Experience in programming C++ and/or in game engines is an advantage
• Experience in virtual 3D graphics is an advantage
• Having the professional and personal prerequisites to complete the doctoral education within the employment period 
• Being able to work independently and as part of a team 
• Being structured and having a high work capacity 
• Demonstrating the ability for reflection and communication 
• Teaching experience is desirable 

Language:

Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must document English competence through an approved test (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

The evaluation of candidates for the position will be based on a total assessment of educational background, experience, and personal suitability, as well as motivation and other eligibility requirements, as defined in the advertisement. In addition, the quality of the project description and documented artistic and creative practice, research, and experience relevant to the project will be emphasised.

How to apply

The application should include:

• Application letter including a brief account of the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position
• Project description outlining the artistic research project (max. 8 pages) with the following elements
  • Presentation of the topic and description of the project's relevance 
  • Research question or field of enquiry
  • How the given field is to be investigated through artistic practice and reflection
  • Plan for dissemination of artistic processes, results, and reflection
  • Progress plan
  • Draft financing plan
  • Account of infrastructure needs for the implementation of the artistic research project.
• CV with an overview of education and experience (to be filled out in Job Norway's application form).
• Transcripts and diplomas from secondary and higher education. A certified English translation of all educational documents is required unless documenting education in Scandinavia. Norwegian applicants are asked to upload via Vitnemålsportalen (velg å vise studieresultater for grad og emner).
• Documentation of relevant experience.
• A portfolio documenting up to five (5) artistic works and/or research projects pertinent to the application.
• Names and contact details of two references.

Attachments should be uploaded as separate files. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all attachments have been uploaded. Documents submitted after the application deadline will not be considered.

Formal requirements for the project description:

The project description should be a maximum of 8 pages, including any reference list. The page format should be A4 with 2 cm margins, 11 pt. font (Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman), and single-line spacing. A font size of 9 can be used for the reference list and figure text.

The project description can be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, or English. The quality of the project description is an important factor in determining whether applicants are called for an interview.

Formal requirements for documentation of artistic work and development work:

Documentation may provide information about and show excerpts from up to five (5) artistic works or research projects relevant to the application. The documentation material should, through excerpts, demonstrate artistic breadth and quality, with particular emphasis on examples that relate to the area of the proposed doctoral project. The documentation material must be gathered in one PDF file attached to the application, if relevant, with links to where additional audiovisual material can be experienced online, e.g., on YouTube or Vimeo. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that links remain available while the application is being evaluated. Remember to provide a password if online documentation is password-protected.

If the attachments exceed 30 MB, they must be compressed before uploading.

We offer

• An exciting and challenging position at a developing institution
• Position is paid and placed in position code 1017, PhD candidate in the Government Salary Scale
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension, with among other things, good pension and insurance schemes.

For more information about INN University as an employer, please see here.

General information

For more information about the position, please contact:

• Steven Bachelder, professor, The Game School, steven.bachelder@inn.no, T: +46 (0) 70-819 13 09
• Marit Christine Berg Strandvik, Head of Department, The Game School, marit.berg@inn.no, T: +47 62 51 77 84
• Trond Lossius, professor & Head of PhD, trond.lossius@inn.no, T: +47 95 92 26 13
• Linda Tangen Børge, PhD coordinator, linda.tangen.bjorge@inn.no, T: 61 28 85 78

HINN believes that there is strength in inclusion and diversity. We desire employees with different competencies, professional combinations, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to an even better way of solving problems. We will facilitate for employees who need assitance to realise their goals. Relevant adaptations can be, for example, technical aids, adapting furniture or adjusting routines, work tasks and working hours.

To be considered an applicant in these groups, the applicant must meet certain requirements. You can read more on this here: https://arbeidsgiver.difi.no/positivsaerbehandling.

We encourage applicants to tick the appropriate check box in JobbNorge if they have a disability, a gap in their CV or an immigrant background. The ticks in the JobbNorge portal form the basis for anonymised statistics that all state-owned enterprises report in their annual reports.

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.