PhD Fellowship position in Design and Health - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Are you interested in design and health, product design and technology?

The Department of Product Design at The Faculty of Technology, Arts and Design has an interesting research fellow position available in the field of design and health. The study context is to explore opportunities for the sustainable use of AR technologies combined with physical product design in trauma patient rehabilitation. As a research fellow with us, you will be part of our research group Design for Health, which researches personal healthcare services. The group offers you an innovative environment to carry out the study. The work is done as a collaboration with Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital in Norway. 

The PhD position will be for a period of three years, alternatively four years with 75% research and 25% other tasks (teaching, supervision and/or administrative work). The position is located at OsloMet's campus in Kjeller.       

Area of research

Physiotherapy and rehabilitation are important for recovery in patients suffering from traumatic injuries. Many patients do not perform exercise regimens as prescribed due to cost, logistical reasons and lack of patient motivation. Therefore, there is a need for new rehabilitation techniques that can support patient motivation, improve treatment outcomes and reduce overall costs for society.

New emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR) have developed rapidly in recent decades. Currently, these technologies are promising due to their applicability in the healthcare sector to improve current clinical practice. AR is particularly interesting for product design because, although these variants of AR technologies can be seen as mixed reality, the technology also allows virtual objects to be mixed with the physical products such as mobile phones, tablets, furniture, textiles or aids such as wearable technologies.

The aim of the PhD project is to explore opportunities for the sustainable use of AR technologies combined with physical product design in trauma patient rehabilitation. It is often very challenging to find AR solutions that suit expert and patient needs and that are successful in sustainable use. In your project, it may be useful to see which areas of physiotherapy and rehabilitation will benefit most from this technology. What kind of AR technology solutions, combined with physical product design, should be created for pediatric patients and their parents to enable sustainable technology adoption and use that directly benefits patient rehabilitation?

Possible supervisors of the PhD will be:

• Minna Pikkarainen, professor in digitization of healthcare services, Department of Product Design, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, OsloMet and Department of Rehabilitation and Health Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, OsloMet
• Nenad Pavel, associate professor, Department of Product Design, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, OsloMet
• Sophia Charlotta Hamre, physiotherapist, Sunnaas hospital

The team working with the PhD student will also involve Professor Anne Catrine Martinsson from OsloMet and Sunnaas Hospital and doctor Frank Becker from Sunnaas Hospital.

Qualification requirements

• Master's degree in design or equivalent related disciplines. The degree must contain 120 credits
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English 
• Proficiency in a Scandinavian language is an advantage

Admission to the doctoral program Innovation for sustainability at the faculty will be applied for within three months of employment. Approval of this application is a condition for taking up the position. The admission requirement involves a minimum grade of B on the master's degree and a minimum grade of C on the bachelor's degree. Candidates who already have a doctorate in a related field will not qualify for the position.

General criteria for appointments to academic positions are covered by the Forskrift om ansettelsesvilkår for stillinger som postdoktor, stipendiat, vitenskapelig assistent og spesialistkandidat.

We are looking for applicants who 

• relevant design experiences
• relevant design, health or welfare service work experiences
• capacity to work independently and systematically
• excellent cooperation skills
• interest in the health & design research

Personal suitability will be emphasised.

It is important to OsloMet to reflect the population of our region, and all qualified candidates are welcome to apply. We make active endeavours to further develop OsloMet as an inclusive workplace and to make adaptations to the workplace where required. You are also welcome to apply for a position with us if you have had periods where you have not been in employment, education or training.

We can offer you        

• an exciting job opportunity at Norway’s third largest and most urban university
• opportunities for professional development and participating in the interesting research group Design for Health
• a nice working environment at the Department of Product design at Kjeller
• beneficial pension arrangements with the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (spk.no/en/)
• beneficial welfare schemes and a wide range of sports and cultural offers
• free Norwegian language classes to employees

Practical information about relocation to Oslo and living in  Norway (oslomet.no/en/work)

Expert evaluation

As an applicant, you will be assessed by an expert committee. In the application, you must upload the following documents:

• Application letter describing your motivation for applying, and what makes you particularly suitable (experience, competence, personal qualities and skills).
• Project description in English or a Scandinavian language of up to two pages.
• CV and copies of diplomas and transcripts of bachelor´s and master´s degree (which list subjects and grades) and certificates. Diplomas and certificates must include credits and grades (A–F). Please note that a description of the grading system at the university/country in which you took your degree must be included. This must be a public document with a stamp from your university. Foreign diplomas must be translated into English by the institution that has given the diploma.
• Your master's degree/second degree thesis, and any other scholarly work that you wish the expert committee to take into consideration.
• Approvals from ethical committees or other necessary permits/approvals, if relevant.
• Name and contact information of two references (name, relationship, e-mail and telephone number).
• Applicants from countries where English is not a first language must be able to present the result of an official language test. The following applicants are exempt from this language requirement:
  • Applicants from EU/EEA countries.
  • Applicants who have completed one year of university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or USA.
  • Applicants with an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.
  • The following tests qualify as such documentation: TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). Minimum scores are:
    
    • TOEFL: 600 (paper-based test), 92 (Internet-based test)
    • IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic IELTS test is accepted)

You must upload all of these documents. Original documents and valid passport must be presented if you are invited for an interview. OsloMet performs document inspections in order to give you as a candidate a proper evaluation and ensure fair competition.

If you have documents that cannot be uploaded electronically, please contact hrtkd@oslomet.no. 

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.  

Other information

If you would like more information about the position, feel free to contact:

• Professor Minna Pikkarainen, +47 41231716 minna.pikkarainen@oslomet.no
• Associate professor Nenad Pavel, +47 45270158 pnenad@oslomet.no  
• Head of Department, Einar Stoltenberg, +47 67238589 estolten@oslomet.no 

The salary for the position is in accordance with the pay scale for Norwegian state employees, code 1017 PhD fellow, state salary 532 200 NOK per year. 

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to OsloMet. 

OsloMet has adhered to the principles in the DORA declaration (sfdora.org/read/) and obliged the institution to follow the recommendations in this declaration.

If you would like to apply for the position, you must do so electronically through our recruitment system.

Deadline for applications: December 13th 2023

Ref.: 23/08020