PhD Position in User Experience and XR Design for Climate Change Communication

VIA University College, in collaboration with Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH), invites applications for a fully funded PhD position focused on user-centered and participatory design for immersive XR and digital tools in relation to climate change communication. 

The PhD student will explore how extended reality (XR), including augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), along with related digital technologies such as digital twins, can be developed and co-designed to enhance stakeholder engagement and make complex climate change science and data understandable and accessible to diverse audiences. The research will  include analyzing the impact of different communication strategies addressing identified climate change challenges and adaptation measures. The project will partly be related to VIA’s existing and ongoing research activities within climate change adaptation and knowledge dissemination.

The position is part of VIA’s strong applied research environment at VIA, which includes ongoing projects in climate change adaptation, digital visualization, XR innovation, and public engagement. The PhD student will join an international research network and contribute to research that has a real-world impact on climate change adaptation strategies.

 

Project Key Components

The PhD project aims to:

• Evaluate and design immersive and user-centered digital experiences that enhance the dissemination, understanding, and trust in climate change-related information.
• Explore how storytelling, narrative visualization, and participatory co-creation can support digital public engagement.
• Deliver frameworks and methods for communicating complex climate and sustainability data through XR technologies in inclusive and intuitive ways.
• Explore user-engaging strategies such as gamification and serious games formats

Research Focus Areas

• Stakeholder engagement and participatory design through immersive and digital tools
• User-centered design and UX principles in XR/AR applications
• Visual storytelling and science communication
• Usability evaluation and trust in digital tools
• Co-design processes in climate change adaptation contexts

Qualifications
We are looking for candidates with:

• A Master’s degree related to interaction design, UX/UI analysis, digital media, science communicationor related fields
• Experience with or strong interest in the design and evaluation of immersive technologies (AR/VR/XR) and digital interactive tools
• Skills in qualitative research methods, participatory design, or UX analysis and testing
• Excellent communication skills in English; basic Danish or knowledge of Swedish is beneficial but not required

Terms of Employment 
The employment as a doctoral student (Ph.D.) at VIA University College is a 4-year position with a transition to a permanent position as an assistant professor at VIA upon completion of the Ph.D. program. 

Depending on your educational background, employment will be in accordance with either the current Overenskomst for akademikere i staten or Fællesoverenskomsten for LC/CO10 og organisationsaftalen for undervisere på erhvervsakademier og professionshøjskoler.  

Employment is in accordence with Bekendtgørelse nr. 414 af 27. april 2025 om stillingsstruktur for undervisere ved videregående uddannelser på erhvervsakademier, professionshøjskoler, Danmarks Medie- og Journalisthøjskole og maritime uddannelsesinstitutioner,and Bekendtgørelse nr. 413 af 27. april 2025 om lektorkvalificering, lektorbedømmelse og docentbedømmelse.

https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2025/414

Enrollment is in accordance with Högskolefördning (1993:100).

The position is a full time position and the primary work place is VIA University College, Campus Horsens at the Research Center for Animation, Film, and Digital Processes. The PhD student will also participate in expected PhD School and research activities to be carried out at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH), Karlskrona, Sweden. 

The application deadline is August 20th 2025 with an expected start date on September 1st 2025. The application should be submitted via the link in the job posting. Interviews are expected to be held on August 25th. 

Want to know more?
If you have any questions about the position, you are welcome to contact Research Lead Thomas Bjørnsten at email: THBJ@via.dk or phone: +45 87554034 or Head of Research Centre Jakob Sabra at email: JBSA@via.dk or phone: +45 87554991.  

We are VIA
VIA is one of Denmark’s largest educational institutions, with campuses across the Central Denmark Region. We educate, among others, teachers, nurses, engineers, designers, and many more. We develop our programmes in close collaboration with professional practice. We offer a workplace with flexibility, freedom, and great opportunities for development. 

Read more about VIA University College at http://www.via.dk/

Read information about the use of personal data in connection with recruitment at this link:
https://via.career.emply.com/persondatapolitik