To Ph.d.-stipendier i AI:EMBODY‑labben, Aalborg Universitet

AI:X is an ambitious initiative at Aalborg University that aims to advance AI research and create real-world impact through interdisciplinary collaboration, and nine labs will be initiated in 2026 with a total of 18 PhD stipends.

The AI:EMBODY Lab is part of the AI:X initiative with two PhD stipends and is a collaboration between the Department of Culture and Communication at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology at the Technical Faculty of IT & Design.

AI:EMBODY focuses on how individuals communicate nonverbally during therapy sessions, utilizing cues like facial expressions, posture, and movements. These signals are crucial for understanding the therapy process but can be difficult to measure. The lab develops AI technology that analyzes video recordings to identify these subtle cues. This advancement helps therapists gain a better understanding of their clients and the psychotherapy process, ultimately improving mental health treatment.

The two stipends are open for appointments from 15 August 2026 or soon hereafter. The duration of the position is three years.

Your work tasks

The two PhD candidates in AI:EMBODY lab will collaborate towards the shared goal of understanding the non-verbal communication of client and therapist in a real psychotherapy setting and analyse how the non-verbal communication is linked to good vs. bad outcomes of therapy.

The lab is looking for candidates for the following two stipends:

• Stipend 1: Computer Vision-Based Analysis of Humans. This PhD candidate will focus on developing new AI/computer vision methods for analysis of the non-verbal communication of humans in a therapy setting (client + therapist). This includes working with human pose estimation, facial expressions and micro-expressions, and video-based heart rate estimation.

• Stipend 2: Non-Verbal Communication and Alliance Development in Psychotherapy. This PhD candidate will study the non-verbal communication and coordination in short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, focusing on interactions within and between therapist-client dyads over time. The study will examine how these interactions may vary between positive and negative change processes as well as good and bad outcome cases. It will involve analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data to explore aspects such as emotional communication, the working alliance, and instances of alliance ruptures and repairs. Additionally, output from AI-generated analyses of video-recorded therapy sessions will be included in the study.

Your competencies Applicants for Stipend 1: must have an MSc degree in Computer Science or a related field, which is completed by the date of appointment. Experience with computer vision is a requirement, and experience with human pose estimation or analysis of facial expressions is an advantage. The ideal candidate must have excellent programming skills and experience with deep learning frameworks. Given the interdisciplinary character of AI:EMBODY Lab, you must be interested in collaborating with people from a completely different research field and be curious about interdisciplinary collaboration and communication.

Applicants for Stipend 2: candidates must hold an MSc degree in Psychology by the time of appointment. A strong interest in psychotherapy research and its practical applications is essential. Experience in psychotherapy research and practice, along with a keen understanding of psychotherapeutic processes, will be advantageous. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the AI:EMBODY Lab, candidates should also be interested in collaborating with colleagues from the Computer Science field and be open to utilizing AI for analyzing interactions in psychotherapy. The candidate for Stipend 2 must understand and speak fluent Danish, as the therapy sessions are conducted in Danish.

Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design (stipend 1) or the Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities (stipend 2) in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

Who we are

Besides the integration in the AI:EMBODY Lab, the candidate for Stipend 1 will be hosted by the Visual Analysis and Perception (VAP) Lab - an internationally recognized lab working on different aspects of AI, with main focus on visual data. You may read more about VAP Lab, including current projects and members, here: https://vap.aau.dk/ The candidate will also be part of the Pioneer Center for AI – a large national centre for AI research.

Stipend 2 will be part of the AI:EMBODY Lab and will be hosted by the Cognition, Development, and Clinical Psychology section within the Department of Culture and Communication at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Aalborg University. The selected candidate will join the staff at the Department's University Clinic, where research data for the project will be collected. The University Clinic provides free short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy to local residents, accommodates 16 psychology graduate students for internships each year, and conducts research on clinical processes and outcomes.

How to apply

Your application must include the following:
o Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
o Curriculum Vitae (CV)
o Diplomas (bachelor’s and master's degree diploma, including grades)
o Project description containing the research project title, an outline of the course of study and a description of the overall problem areas
o For Stipend 2, approx. 8 pages is expected (1 page = 2400 typing units)
o For Stipend 1, approx. 2-3 pages is expected
o If you are applying for stipend 2 : Applicants WHO are planning to complete a doctoral thesis in English and who do not have English as a first language or WHO have not completed an English language-based Master's programme (or an equivalent educational achievement in English) shall provide documentation that they have passed one of the following official tests with the respective minimum score: IELTS (band score): 7, TOEFL (paper-based): 600, TOEFL (internet-based): 100. The language test must be no more than five years old at the time of the application.
o If you are applying for stipend 2: Applicants must have achieved the grade 10 or above in the Danish grading system (or the equivalent in a different grading system) for their Master’s Thesis/final exam. The PhD candidate may be exempted from the grade requirement, if he/she is able to provide other forms of documentation of his/her qualifications.
o Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

The interviews are held in week on 5th and 6th of May 2026.

Further informationRead more about our recruitment process here.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design - Stipend 1.

Read more about The Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities - Stipend 2.

Salary and terms of employmentThe employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish)

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.