PhD Research Fellow in ICT: Multimodal Agentic AI for Virtual Coaching Assistant

About the position

A 100 % position is available at the University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering and Science as a PhD Research Fellow in ICT, affiliated to the Department of Information and Communication Technology at, for a period of three years, or four years with 25% other career-promoting work. The position is located at Campus Grimstad. But, the candidate is expected to spend substantial time collaborating with project partners, particularly Initial Force in Trondheim, Norway.

The starting date is negotiable with the Faculty. 

Responsibilities

This PhD position is directly linked to an ongoing Research Council of Norway Innovation Project, Virtual Coaching Assistant: Towards a Sustainable Coaching Industry, where UiA is a core research partner. The candidate is expected to contribute toward answering key research questions related to development of personalized AI agents and their interactions. The position is embedded in the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) and will contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of AI, multimodal data, and real-world deployment within sports and health science. 
The project will be conducted in close collaboration with industry and research partners, including Initial Force AS and NTNU, and will involve applied research in realistic, data-intensive environments.

The research will combine theoretical understanding, methodological development, and practical experimentation, contributing both scientific publications and reusable evaluation frameworks.

Key research activities include:

• Designing and implementing benchmarking pipelines for multimodal agentic AI systems, focusing on robustness, reliability, and trustworthiness.
• Developing evaluation methodologies that combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert assessment.
• Investigating model behavior, failure modes, and uncertainty in AI systems operating on complex, heterogeneous data.
• Contributing to open, reproducible research practices within CAIR.

A prerequisite for employment is that the candidate is to be admitted to UiA’s PhD programme at the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences.

Required qualifications

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, ICT, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related field. This year’s candidates/candidates who are in the closing stages of their master’s degree can also apply
• Solid background in artificial intelligence and machine learning, including deep neural networks
• Programming proficiency, particularly in Python
• Experience with or strong interest in, Language models (SLMs/LLMs), Agentic AI systems, Deep learning architectures, Multimodal AI (e.g., text, time-series, sensor data, video), Explainable and trustworthy AI andModel deployment in real-world settings
• Familiarity with modern AI development workflows, including: Collaborative software development practices, Data and machine-learning frameworks, Language model customization and agentic AI frameworks, Cloud platforms 
• Written and spoken English proficiency. International candidates that are not exempt from the English language requirements pursuant to the guidelines of the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) must document this through one of the following tests with the stated results or better: 
  • TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language with a minimum score of 600 for the Paperbased Test (PBT), or 92 for the Internet-based Test (iBT) 
  • IELTS - International English Language Testing System, with the result of 6.5 

Criteria for positions as PhD Research Fellow (in Norwegian).

Desired qualifications

• Hands-on experience with AI-based workflows and generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude Code, or similar systems)
• Experience or strong interest in: Benchmarking and evaluation of complex AI systemsm Robustness, uncertainty estimation, and failure-mode analysis, Deployment of AI systems in high-stakes or data-intensive environments, Interest or background in sport science, movement analysis, coaching, biomechanics, or related applied domains
• Prior research experience, including scientific publications or advanced project work
• Familiarity with open, reproducible research practices

Personal qualities

• Research-oriented mindset with the ability to reason critically about assumptions, limitations, and evaluation methodologies
• Strong motivation to push the boundaries of current AI technology
• Ability to work independently in a structured, goal-oriented manner
• Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail
• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams
• Inventiveness, curiosity, and a proactive approach to research challenges
• Willingness to engage actively in an international research environment and industry collaboration

We offer

• professional development in a large, exciting and socially influential organisation 
• a positive, inclusive and diverse working environment 
• modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare offers 
• membership of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 

More about working at UiA.

The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.515, code 1017 PhD Research Fellow, NOK 550 800 gross salary per year. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions. 

General information

UiA is an open and inclusive university. We believe that diversity enriches the workplace and makes us better. We, therefore, encourage qualified candidates to apply for the position independent of gender, age, cultural background, disability or an incomplete CV.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply for the position. 

The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning the acts relating to Control of Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology.

A background check may be carried out to verify information stated in the CV and available documents. Background checks are not conducted without the applicant's consent, and relevant applicants will receive further information about this. You can find more information about background checks at UiA here (in Norwegian): Ansvarlighet i internasjonale ansettelser og mottak av gjesteforskere - For ansatte

Appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions. 

Short-listed applicants will be invited for interview. With the applicant’s permission, UiA will also conduct a reference check before appointment. Read more about the employment process.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right. 

Application

The application and any necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) are to be sent electronically. Use the link "Apply for this job".

The following documentation must be uploaded electronically: 

• Certificates with grades
• Master’s thesis
• References
• Academic work and R&D projects, as well as a list of these
• Project description with a maximum scope of x pages, including reference list. The outline should present and discuss possible research questions, theory perspectives, material, a progress plan, and methods within the given framework
• Any other relevant documentation

The applicant is fully responsible for submitting complete digital documentation before the closing date. All documentation must be available in a Scandinavian language or English. 

Application deadline: 25.02.26

Contact

For questions about the position: 

• Professor Morten Goodwin, tel. +47 37 23 31 05, e-mail morten.goodwin@uia.no
• Daniel Groos, tel. +47 400 46 736, e-mail daniel@initialforce.com
• Head of Department Folke Haugland, tel. +47 37 23 32 20, e-mail folke.haugland@uia.no 

For questions about the application process:

• HR-advisor, Linda H. Kristiansen, tel. +47 38 14 11 88, e-mail: linda.h.kristiansen@uia.no

Creating knowledge together

When people who are committed come together to further knowledge, anything is possible.

The University of Agder combines the unique warmth and charm of Southern Norway with first-class scientific, technological and artistic expertise.

Would you like to work with us to create better solutions to our shared challenges?

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