1-2 Postdocs in Human-computer Interaction

The section on Human-Centered Computing invites applicants for one to two postdoctoral fellowships in Human-Computer Interaction. The two-year fellowships are part of an ERC project MOVR that by using motor learning aims to build theoretical and methodological foundations for VR interaction techniques. The start date is September 1st or soon thereafter.

The project

The distinctive potential of Virtual reality (VR) is to give people experiences of being in worlds they otherwise could not be in, having a body that is unlike their real one, and doing things they could not do in real life. That potential can be realised with VR interaction techniques that map physical movements to virtual ones. Yet, their development is largely based on designers’ intuition.

In MOVR, we will start from the assumption that the use of such VR interaction techniques requires motor learning. We will investigate how models and paradigms from motor learning literature can inform systematic approaches to design and evaluate VR interaction techniques. The intended impact is to provide HCI research a scientific foundation to shift the development of VR interaction techniques from a craft to science.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates across the field of Human-Computer Interaction, and adjacent disciplines, with an outstanding track record of contributing to the development of HCI research by applying theories or methods from studies of the human sensorimotor system. These contributions may reside for instance in:

• Computational interaction, such as modeling or optimizing HCI in terms of sensory feedback or motor task performance. This could include work on modelling user behaviour, analysing motor learning in VR tasks, or exploring computational approaches to interaction design.
• Design of interaction techniques, such as pointing and selection techniques ranging from desktop user interfaces and mobile devices to virtual reality. This could include work on developing and evaluating interaction techniques in terms of specific aspects of motor control or sensory feedback.
• Human sensorimotor phenomena in interaction, including motor control and learning as well as related conscious sensations such as of agency, embodiment, and presence. This could include work on developing experimental paradigms for studying VR interaction or investigating the roles of multisensory feedback (e.g., visual and proprioceptive cues).

The candidate may also have a background in computer science, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, relevant engineering programs (e.g., robotics, biomedical engineering, human-centered AI), or any other discipline related to human-computer interaction. In addition, the ideal candidate will have strong recommendations from supervisors and mentors, and possesses a high level of intellectual humility. The specific research direction will be developed together with the successful candidate, depending on their background and interests.

The research environment: what do we offer?

The MOVR project will be a five-year endeavor funded by the European Research Council. This call is part of a first wave of hiring up to four junior researchers at the PhD and postdoctoral levels, and more in the future. The postdoctoral fellows will be members of the Human-Centered Computing (HCC) research section at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Computer Science. At the HCC section, we are currently over 10 faculty members, and over 20 postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and research assistants. We hold joint weekly research meetings, many annual retreats, and have a thriving social environment from daily lunches to larger events. We attend the most important international conferences, such as CHI, and are the top-ranked HCI research group in Europe (https://csrankings.org/#/index?chi&europe). The postdoctoral fellows will further be members of the Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence, a 5-university Danish research endeavor, where some of MOVRs collaborations will be located. With these, we offer intellectually stimulating, international, active, and ambitious research environment.

The principal investigator of the project and the mentor for the fellow will be Associate Professor Joanna Bergström (joanna@di.ku.dk).

Terms of employment
The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff. Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

1. Cover Letter (max. 1 page) detailing your motivation and background for applying for this position;
2. Research Statement (max. 2 pages) outlining your interest, earlier work, and your ideas of working in sensorimotor HCI based on the text in this call.
3. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
4. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and PhD, and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If PhD is not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records and a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
5. Separate reprints of three particularly relevant papers.
6. Up to three reference letters or contact information for people who have agreed to provide a reference letter.

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 22 May 2026 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in June-July 2026.

Questions
For specific information about the fellowship, please contact the principal investigator.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.