At the Faculty of Librarianship, Information, Education and IT, education and research are conducted in Library and Information Science, Informatics, and Educational Work. The Department of Information Technology has more than 25 employees, three Bachelor's programmes, and one Master's programme in informatics. The department has a successful research environment in information technology with several significant externally funded projects, for example in data-driven innovation and service development, intelligent data analysis, and IT service management. The department also has strong collaborations with the business community in both research and education, including through the newly launched Techarena Borås.

We are now announcing several doctoral positions within the research subject of Informatics. We look forward to receiving your application!

Job description

Employees who are employed as doctoral students at the University of Borås are primarily to devote themselves to their own research studies that are intended to result in a doctoral degree. The Department of Information Technology (IIT) is a department and research environment with both male and female employees. As a doctoral student, you will be supported by your colleagues, as a co-researcher and/or supervisor. As a doctoral student in this department, you will work in one of our established research environments: InnovationLab and/or CSLABS. Your main task will be to devote yourself to research and doctoral studies in the subject of informatics. The informatics subject is defined as the scientific subject that develops knowledge about people's design and use of IT in individual, organisational, and societal contexts.

As the doctoral position is geared towards digital innovation, IIT hopes that during your studies you will develop some type of model, method, IT system, or other IT artefact that contributes to new knowledge as well as to the benefit of business and/or the public sector. You are also expected to contribute to the innovation processes carried out within the framework of Techarena Borås, which may also form a central empirical object for your studies. The direction of the research can consist of different types of study objects that correlate to IIT's research such as:

• digital innovation
• tech-oriented innovation platforms that promote the digital innovation process
• digital decision support that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence
• use of AI for effective digital innovation
• robotic process automation
• digital transformation of HR work
• digitalisation of healthcare and/or healthcare services

The doctoral student's focus and research question are discussed in collaboration with the doctoral student, supervisor, and the department's research supervisor. In case of full-time employment, at least 80% is devoted to research studies and thesis work and the remaining time, 20%, includes departmental duties at IIT.

Admission takes place at the University of Gothenburg or another university where the subject of informatics is found and IIT has an existing relationship.

Read about life as a doctoral student at the University of Borås.

Qualifications

Employment takes place under the condition that the applicant fulfils the requirements and is accepted as a doctoral student. Doctoral education is carried out according to the current general study plan at the university where the doctoral student is accepted. 

For employment, the following is required:

• advanced level degree in informatics or equivalent scientific competence in an area that is significant with regard to the subject content of the employment and the tasks that are included in the position
• approved course in English 6 or equivalent.

Merits are:

• previously published articles, publications, and reports
• experience of relevant practice within system and business development and/or innovation management
• documented experience and good ability to collaborate with business and/or public administration
• good and documented knowledge of Swedish, both spoken and written.

Contact 

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Department Hannes Göbel by phone at +46 (0)33-435 42 70. The trade union representative is Matilda Johansson, Saco-S. Trade union representatives can be reached via the university switchboard, +46 (0)33-435 40 00. The contact persons may be difficult to reach during the summer and we appreciate your patience for delayed responses.

Type of employment: Doctoral studentship employment is conducted in accordance with the regulations outlined in Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance.  The first period of employment is usually one year and is subsequently renewed by one year at a time for a maximum of eight years. The number of total years depends on full-time/part-time employment when it comes to employment rate.
Employment rate: Minimum 50% and maximum 100%. The employment rate is decided in agreement between the candidate and the employer. 
Start:  September 2023 or as agreed upon
Position location: Borås, Sweden
Registration number: PA2023/125

Application

You can apply for the position via our website by clicking on “Apply.” For more information on how to apply, see the website How to apply for a job with us. 

Write clearly in your application which position you are applying for and include the applicable reference number.  A complete application should include the following electronic documents: 

1. A personal letter.
2. Detailed curriculum vitae (CV) with at least two references named.
3. Description (max. 4 pages excl. bibliography) of one or more possible research questions that the applicant wants to research and why these questions are interesting to study. The description should also contain a brief description of the relationship of the questions to previous research as well as a brief proposal for a research method.
4. At least one and at most two independent works at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level corresponding to at least 15 higher education credits per paper.
5. Degree certificate of Bachelor's and Master's education as well as copies of grades from previous academic education.
6. Proof of completion of English 6 or equivalent

Letters of recommendation, list of publications, or other available relevant credentials can be attached to the application. 

For information on how to meet the specific eligibility requirement in English, please visit the webpage English language requirements.

After the application deadline, no additions can be made electronically.

Please submit your application by midnight 2023-08-31 (CET, Central European Time).