PhD Candidate in Psychology of Artificial Intelligence

NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim; On-site; NOK 522,000 - 638,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentor programme

Favorable terms as a member of the SPK

Free Norwegian language training

Open and inclusive working environment

Working capital to implement the plan

Job summary

NTNU in Trondheim invites applications for a PhD Candidate in Psychology of Artificial Intelligence. The project investigates trust in communication by Large Language Models within a cross-institutional aiD center.

The role combines doctoral education with research on mechanisms driving trust/distrust, using quantitative experimental methods and collaboration with partners in the aiD center and the Department of Psychology.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in psychology with a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS)
• Strong academic record with average grade of B or better on NTNU scale or equivalent
• Admission to the faculty Doctoral Programme
• Excellent oral and written English skills
• Documented skills in experimental design and quantitative analyses

Responsibilities

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the research group Citizen, Environment and Safety, and the aiD research center
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign institutions
• Networking with other partners in the aiD research center

Skills

Presentation skills

Experimental design

Quantitative analyses

English proficiency

Education

Master's degree in psychology

Job description

PhD Candidate in Psychology of Artificial Intelligence

We are looking for a

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 8,6000 employees and 44,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the position

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

Your immediate leader will be the head of the academic unit.

About the project

The position is part of the large-scale Norwegian Centre on AI for Decisions (aiD). aiD is an interdisciplinary collaboration involving 3 academic institutions, 6 research organizations, and over 50 professional organizations. Our primary objective is to advance AI for decision-making through fundamental research and real-world use cases, ensuring that AI-enhanced human decisions or fully autonomous systems are effective, safe, and trustworthy in sectors critical to society.

aiD moves beyond traditional AI models that are purely descriptive. Instead, we employ a holistic framework where the primary learning objective is the decision outcome itself. This involves backpropagating learning through the entire decision process, from converting raw data into information to predicting how actions impact the real world while modeling risk and human preferences. Our research addresses several critical challenges that currently limit AI adoption in professional organizations, including low trustworthiness, immature technology, and a shortage of expertise regarding emerging regulations.

The PhD project announced here is located in the research group for Citizens, Environment and Safety at the Department of Psychology. It will focus on research about which mechanisms drive the development of trust or distrust in communication generated by Large Language Models. It will address research questions such as the following: Is trust in communication with LLMs built following the same principles as in human to human conversation and is this different from communication with other types of AI? Does it make a difference if participants know they are communicating with an AI? Does it impact decision‑making if LLMs manage to create trust? These questions will be studied in a primarily quantitative, experimental approach, likely with selected professional partners from the center as cases.

Duties of the position

• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the research group Citizen, Environment and Safety, as well as the aiD research center
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
• Networking with the other partners in the aiD research center

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a relevant Master's degree in psychology or equivalent. Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where normally 120 credits have been obtained at master's level. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis,
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared 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 PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme
• Good oral and written presentation skills in English
• Documented skills in experimental design and quantitative analyses

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience with research on psychological drivers of interpersonal trust and/or trust in human‑machine interaction
• Experience with empirical field work
• Experience with work in interdisciplinary teams
• Good oral and written presentation skills in Norwegian/Scandinavian equivalent level are an advantage

Personal characteristics

• Work independently
• Work in a structured way, set goals and make plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Get involved and contribute constructively with feedback from professionals within or outside your field
• Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity
• Show curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyze data, assess different perspectives and draw well‑founded conclusions
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the plan for the project as needed
• Being able to work in a team with different background

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow‑up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• Favorable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. 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 essential for us to achieve our goals.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is 3 years for the doctoral work.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Social Sciences within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment. As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organisational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates 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 act, will not be able to be employed.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

Application deadline: 30.11.2026

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Prof. Christian A. Klöckner, email [e-mail]. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Ina Grønbech Halvorsen, email: [e-mail]

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidised day‑care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.