PhD Fellow in Clinical Adult Psychology

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About the position

Are you interested in the intersection of psychological treatment and data and information technology? We are seeking a ph.d. fellow for the project Responsible AI Support for Sleep-Restriction Adherence in Insomnia. The goal of the project is to develop and quality-assure a conversational agent based on artificial intelligence that can help patients undergo digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. As a fellow with us, you will work towards achieving your doctoral degree, while simultaneously gaining valuable experience that qualifies you for further careers in higher education and research, both within and outside academia.

The position will be at the Department of Psychology and affiliated with the Trondheim Sleep Group (TSG) at the Unit for Research, Innovation and Teaching (FIU), Clinic of Mental Health Care, St. Olavs hospital, with office premises at the Østmarka campus.

The research group TSG has high activity and an interdisciplinary profile that includes clinicians and researchers with backgrounds in medicine, psychology, neuroscience, cybernetics, statistics, linguistics, and machine learning. In 2023, the research group was awarded status as a Clinical Academic Group by Helse Midt-Noreg.

TSG's research focus concerns sleep and chronotherapy within mental health, neurology, and public health. Technology and innovation are central to the group, through the use of digital treatment and observation methods, service innovation, personalized medicine, and furthermore prediction to improve diagnostics and treatment.

TSG has an established collaboration with the Data and Artificial Intelligence (DART) group, Norwegian Research Center for AI Innovation, and Norwegian Open AI Lab through the project AI-MENT. The doctoral candidate will be part of this working group. If desired and relevant, arrangements can be made for a clinical part-time position.

Your immediate supervisor will be the deputy head of research.

About the project

In a collaboration between the Department of Psychology, Trondheim Sleep Group, and the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, we have received funding from NTNU Helse for the project Responsible AI Support for Sleep-Restriction Adherence in Insomnia. The goal of the project is to develop and quality-assure a conversational agent based on artificial intelligence that can help patients undergo digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (dCBT-I).

There is great pressure on the health service in general and mental health services specifically. We do not have enough resources, neither economically nor in terms of personnel, to meet current and especially future needs in the health service. In addition, we know that many patients who actually receive treatment offers in the healthcare system do not receive the best available, evidence-based treatment. One of several ways to meet these challenges is to offer people with mental health issues healthcare in the form of digital treatment. Digital treatment allows us to offer treatment to many more people and allows us to ensure in a different way that this treatment is evidence-based. An example of this is the treatment of sleep disorders. Insomnia affects 10–15% of the population and has major consequences for functioning, mental health, and use of health services. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a recommended first-line treatment, but few patients gain access to treatment due to both limited resources and the fact that few clinicians have training in the treatment method. Digital CBT-I is a documented effective treatment for insomnia that is scalable, but the effect of the treatment is reduced due to low adherence. Sleep restriction is perhaps the most important and most effective treatment component in CBT-I, but also the most demanding for many patients to carry out and adhere to. Digital CBT-I implements sleep restriction in a rule-based manner and lacks the personal approach and alliance that a therapist uses. To increase adherence, we will try to develop, test, and quality-assure a clinically informed, generative AI-based conversational agent that better facilitates the sleep restriction program in dCBT-I.

Tasks

• Complete the doctoral education until the doctoral degree is obtained
• Conduct research of high quality
• Academic publications and popular science communication
• Participate in the research group Trondheim Sleep Group
• Participate in international activities such as participation in conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
• Clinical work in connection with data collection, given necessary qualifications
• Be prepared that changes in your tasks may occur after employment.

Qualification requirements

A relevant master's degree in clinical psychology, medicine, mental health, or equivalent. Your educational path must at least correspond to a five-year Norwegian study, where at least 120 ECTS credits are obtained at the master's level.

Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position.

You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies, and have an average grade from the master's studies, or equivalent education, that is equivalent to B or better according to NTNU's grading scale . If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a ph.d. education.

You must meet the requirements for admission to the doctoral program at the faculty.

Good oral and written expression in English, and in Norwegian an equivalent level of B2.

We refer to NTNU's guidelines for recruitment positions and the Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

Desired qualifications

• Authorization as a healthcare professional, preferably psychologist or physician
• Knowledge of and experience with psychological treatment of sleep difficulties
• Interest in and knowledge of data and information technology

Personal qualities

To complete a doctoral degree (ph.d.), it is important that you are able to:

• Work independently
• Work structured, set goals, and create plans to achieve them
• Work constructively under pressure or when facing adversity
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the project plan as needed

Personal qualities will be emphasized.

We offer

• an exciting job with an important societal mission
• developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• career guidance and follow-up during the doctoral period
• An open and inclusive working environment with engaged colleagues
• operating funds that can be used to carry out the project
• a mentor scheme for new employees at NTNU
• favorable terms in Statens pensjonskasse

You will be employed as a fellow at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits .

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU, we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity of society and utilizes the potential in the collective competencies of the population. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive, and respectful . We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse, and gender-balanced is crucial for us to achieve our goals together.

We desire employees with different competencies, combinations of subjects, life experiences, and perspectives to contribute to even better task solving of our societal mission within research and education.

If you find this position relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, and cultural background, or if you have been outside the workforce for a period.

Salary and terms

In the position as a fellow, code 1017, your salary will normally be NOK 580,000.- gross per year, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, a 2% statutory contribution will be deducted to Statens pensjonskasse.

The employment period is 3 years.

The position is contingent on external funding. For employment in a fellow position, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the ph.d. program in psychology within three months after starting, and that you participate in an organized doctoral program within the employment period. As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you stay updated on professional and organizational changes and adapt to them. For necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis. The employment is carried out according to the principles in the State Employees Act , and legislation regulating the export of knowledge, technology, and services. Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter law, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The application and attachments, (including a description of your scientific work) must follow the application as these will be used as the basis for the assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/Scandinavian or English. We point out that the application will only be assessed based on the information we have at the application deadline. Therefore, ensure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments are sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The application must contain:

• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees
• CV
• Copy of the master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your master's thesis, you can attach the submitted version of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• A short motivation letter (400 words/1 page)
• Possible publications or other relevant research work
• Possible certificates
• Name and contact information for three relevant references

If all or part of your education was taken abroad, documentation regarding the scope and quality of your entire educational path, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to any other higher education, must be attached. If your institution offers a "diploma supplement" (common for most European educational institutions), this should be attached. A description of other necessary documentation can be found here . If you have a statement from HK-dir , you should also attach this. We take into account work you have done together with others. If it is difficult to identify your contribution in collaborative work, you must attach a short explanation of your contribution. When assessing the most qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience, and furthermore personal qualities. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates. NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and the commitments in CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's societal mission).

Useful information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title, and municipality of residence will be prepared after the application deadline expires. If you wish to reserve yourself from being listed on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not honored.

If you have questions about the position, you can contact Joar Øveraas Halvorsen, e-mail: joar.halvorsen@ntnu.no

If you have questions about the recruitment process, you can contact Ina Halvorsen, e-mail: Ina.g.Halvorsen@ntnu.no

Application deadline: 01.11.2026

Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is Norway's technology capital with a population of over 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens, and general equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized childcare is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers good educational opportunities (including international schools) and opportunities to enjoy nature, culture, and family life, and has low crime and clean air quality.