PhD studentship in Work-integrated Learning – with focus on human-centric perspectives in smart industry. 

The School of Business, Economics and IT at University West offers a doctoral position in the field of work-integrated learning within the context of the research project "Human-centric smart automation" to be funded by the Foundation for Knowledge and Competence Development (KKS). The research project focuses on integration of human-centric perspectives when introducing new technology, such as the development of sustainable smart automation systems in manufacturing industry. The purpose of the research is to understand how leadership and technology development interact to meet human-centric perspectives in smart automation.

The scientific part of the project

There is an increased need to highlight human-centric perspectives in research related to smart automation and digitalization. When introducing smart automation processes, the entire organization is affected and challenged, thus emphasizing the need to consider and understand effects on and opportunities for employees, leaders, organizational structure and culture, as well as for work processes. The research project's interdisciplinary approach focuses on how people and technology are integrated to achieve sustainable smart automation. The project is based on close collaboration with eight manufacturing companies that contribute with practical applications in digitalization and smart automation. The research is expected to contribute to identifying and strengthening the organizational capabilities required to be able to integrate human-centric perspectives with smart automation. Different aspects such as trust, decision-making, innovation, and learning/competence development in relation to technology development can be highlighted. Based on the framework of the research project, the PhD student is given the opportunity to identify and influence research questions and choice of methods for the doctoral project. The research takes place within the core area of industrial work-integrated learning (I-WIL) and is expected to contribute to increased knowledge about human-centric perspectives in smart industry.

Doctoral degree program: Work-integrated Learning

Research center:

The research project, in which the PhD student participates, will be conducted within the subject area of work-integrated learning (WIL) and more specifically within the core area of industrial work-integrated learning (I-WIL). The core area combines social science and technical subject expertise in interdisciplinary research projects to address complex societal challenges. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with other doctoral students and researchers at University West, as well as in collaboration with industrial companies.

Job description:

The research program includes, in addition to participation in third-cycle courses and other activities, the implementation of independent thesis work. Doctoral students shall primarily devote themselves to their own education. A doctoral student may, however, be engaged to a limited extent in education, research, and administration, mainly within Production Technology. Such duties, before a doctorate has been conferred, may not occupy more than 20 percent of full-time working hours. (Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100) Chapter 5 section 2).

Qualification requirements:

To qualify for appointment as a PhD, two eligibility requirements must be met: 1) basic eligibility and 2) special eligibility.

1. The basic eligibility requirements for doctoral programs as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance are as follows:

• a degree at master’s level,
• completed courses totaling at least 240 university credits of which a minimum of 60 at master’s levelor, or
• substantially equivalent knowledge gained in some other way whether in Sweden or abroad.

  2. To fulfil the special eligibility requirements for a doctoral degree in Work-integrated Learning, a student must hold a degree at master’s level in a subject relevant to the doctoral degree subject with a thesis project corresponding to at least half a year of study. The eligibility requirements may be fulfilled by studies in Sweden or abroad.

For more information please read 3.1 and 3.2 in General Syllabus for Third-Cycle Studies in Work Integrated Learning, daybook nr U 2021/814. 

Additional Qualifications:

Mandatory:

• Ability to communicate fluently in oral and written Swedish
• Ability to communicate fluently in oral and written English

Other relevant but not mandatory qualifications:

• Experience of research, or studies, in business administration, organization and leadership, industrial engineering and management, informatics, digitalization, social sustainable development, learning or equivalent.
• Work experience from the manufacturing industry
• Interest in interdisciplinary research approaches
• B driving license 

Selection:

The basic factor for selection among qualified applicants is the ability to profit from such a program. For more information, please read 3.3 in General Syllabus for Third-Cycle Studies in Work Integrated Learning, daybook nr U 2021/814. 

Duration and terms of employment:

Employment as a doctoral student shall be on an open-ended basis but not for longer than to a specific point in time and never for a period extending more than one year after receiving the doctoral degree. The initial appointment must not be for more than one year. The appointment may be renewed for no more than two years at a time. A person may be employed as a research student for a total of not more than eight years. The total period of employment, however, may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study at the third level of higher education. (Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100) Chapter 5 section 7). If 20% of the working hours are dedicated to education and administration, this normally means an employment of 5 years.

Application

Applications are to be submitted electronically through the University West web-based recruitment tool, Varbi.

The application must include:

• CV/Personal qualifications
• Personal letter containing
  • Interest in the research topic.
  • Previous experience regarding the proposed research topic and its research          methods and scientific theories.
  • Motive to pursue doctoral studies
• Degree project of second level of higher education
• Degree certificate of first and second level of higher education in the original language and in translation
• Diploma Supplement in original language and in translation
• Course list/transcript of all semesters for bachelor's and master's degrees in original language and in translation
• Other documents which the applicant wishes to invoke

If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that makes assessing your degree easier. If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

Approved written languages regarding papers, diplomas, grades and other relevant documents are the Scandinavian languages and English, or translations into those languages. Attach the original when submitting translated documents.

Documents that cannot be sent digitally, should be marked with ref.no R 2023/326 sent to:

University West
HR
461 86 Trollhättan
Sweden

The application should reach University West no later than 2024-01-31. Mark the application with ref.no: R 2023/326

The Department of Economics and IT strives for equality and diversity in all professions. We welcome applicants with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For us, it is natural with an inclusive working environment and that our employees can combine work with active parenthood.

Welcome with your application!

We decline any direct contact with the staffing and recruitment companies, as well as vendors of recruitment advertisers.