PhD Candidate in Children’s Media in English

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, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.     Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0 About the position The Department of Teacher Education, Section for English and Foreign Languages, invites applications for a full-time, 4-year position as a PhD candidate connected to the project “Global Childhoods on Screen: Children’s Film, English Learning, and Critical Media Literacy”. The position is affiliated with the research group CLEAR: Children’s Literature in Education and Research . The project leaders are Associate Professor Alyssa Christine Magee Lowery and Professor Libe García Zarranz, and the successful applicant will be supervised within an active research environment focused on children’s literature, media, and pedagogy. For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education leading to an obtained doctoral degree. The project examines how globally circulating children’s and family films from the English-speaking world shape young learners’ understandings of language, culture, and childhood. It is also interested in how such films can be integrated in English language education in critical and ethical ways. Positioned at the intersection of children’s media studies, critical literacy, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) pedagogy, the project addresses the growing role of screen media in children’s everyday encounters with English. The successful applicant will contribute to research on selected children’s and family films and their pedagogical use in English teaching. The doctoral project is expected to combine one or more of the following approaches: multimodal textual analysis, qualitative educational research, teacher interviews, creative methods, arts-based methods, and/or classroom-oriented inquiry related to film in English education. Applicants must submit an individual project proposal of at least two pages, clearly connected to the advertised theme. The proposal should explain the project’s research questions, theoretical orientation, proposed material and methods, and planned contribution to CLEAR’s ongoing work in children’s literature, media, and education. Projects with relevance for critical media literacy, multimodal literacy, and pedagogical work in English classrooms will be particularly valued. The successful applicant will be based at NTNU in Trondheim and is expected to participate actively in CLEAR seminars, relevant conferences, and collaborative research activities within and beyond the department, including collaboration with the research group TransLit: Sustainable Ethics, Affects, and Pedagogies. The position is a 4-year appointment with 25 per cent teaching and other career-promoting work. Teaching duties will primarily be connected to English and English education in the Department of Teacher Education and may include teaching, supervision, assessment, and course-related development work at bachelor’s and master’s levels. The distribution and content of these duties will be agreed with the department and adapted to the successful applicant’s qualifications. Your immediate leader is the Head of Section for English and Foreign Languages Duties of the position • Develop and carry out a PhD project on the topic “Global Childhoods on Screen: Children’s Film, English Learning, and Critical Media Literacy” • Complete the required coursework and other components of the PhD programme • Conduct and disseminate research of high academic quality through publications, conference participation, and other relevant channels • Participate actively in CLEAR and contribute to seminars, workshops, conferences, and collaborative research activities, including relevant collaboration with the TransLit research group • Contribute to teaching, supervision, assessment, and academic development work in English and English education • Other duties may arise in consultation with the PhD supervisor and immediate leader. Be prepared for possible changes to your work duties after employment. Required selection criteria • Completed MA degree with a strong academic background in English, English education, children’s literature, media studies, film studies, pedagogy, or a closely related field • Applicants who will complete an MA degree in 2026 can be considered, provided that documentation of completion is submitted by 1 January 2027. • Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree programme, where normally 120 credits are obtained at master’s level including a master’s thesis or equivalent work with a scope of at least 30 credits. • You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master’s degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU’s grading scale . If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD degree.  • You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s doctoral program • Excellent written and oral English skills The appointment is to be made in accordance with  NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria • Academic background in children’s literature, children’s media, critical literacy, film analysis, and/or multimodal analysis • Experience with qualitative educational research, textual analysis, teacher interviews, and/or classroom-based inquiry • Knowledge of English teaching in school and/or teacher education contexts • Documented teaching experience at the university level or previous experience that will support the candidate in their teaching duties • Familiarity with critical media literacy perspectives or children’s media cultures • The academic quality, feasibility, originality, and relevance of the proposed project to “Global Childhoods on Screen” and to CLEAR’s research profile Personal characteristics Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities, including: • Ability to work independently, systematically, and with academic curiosity • Good listening skills, flexibility, and openness to new ideas and approaches • Strong collaborative and communication skills, including the ability to participate constructively in interdisciplinary and international academic communities • Preparedness to plan and complete a demanding research project and doctoral education within the given time frame • Motivation to contribute actively to the research environment, teaching activities, and collegial life of the department • Interest in teaching and pedagogical innovation • Personal suitability for the position We offer • exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment • opportunities to participate in Norwegian language coursework if desired • an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues • favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK) • 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 we strive to be 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 educat