PhD Position 100% – AI Literacy & Regulatory Learning (m/w/d)

Universität St.Gallen (HSG); Schweiz; On-site; CHF 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Doctoral network

International cohort

Summer schools

Mentor network

Job summary

The Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG) at the University of St.Gallen invites applications for a doctoral position within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network REGULAIRE. You will join an international cohort and contribute to AI governance and regulatory learning research.

The role includes cross-institutional supervision, three residential summer schools, monthly seminars, a planned intersectoral secondment, and engagement with policy networks while pursuing a doctoral

Qualifications

• Experience with case studies and evaluation designs.
• Interest in AI governance and public administration research.
• Strong analytical and writing skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Refine research questions and design with supervision team.
• Prepare ethics, data-management and open-science materials.
• Complete a doctoral thesis and related publications.
• Engage in REGULAIRE training, reviews, and dissemination.

Skills

Case studies

Intervention research

English proficiency

Analytical thinking

Education

Master's degree

Job description

Your tasks

• Examine how AI-literacy frameworks cultivate individual and organisational absorptive capacity in public bodies and support regulatory learning.
• Use case studies and pre/post assessments to measure how literacy interventions affect evidence generation, procurement choices, escalation paths and the circulation of lessons across units and agencies.
• Build an inventory and typology of AI-literacy frameworks, validate interventions, report on literacy effects, and develop guidance for integrating literacy with procurement and review cycles.
• Refine the research questions and design with the supervision team; prepare ethics, data-management and open-science materials; complete a doctoral thesis and related publications.
• Participate in REGULAIRE training, network reviews, dissemination, practitioner engagement, summer schools and monthly paper development seminars.

Secondment

Within the position, a secondment to a partner organization is planned.

Supervision

Primary supervision by Prof. Aurelia Tamò-Larrieux (HSG), co-supervision by Ass. Prof. Sandra Cortesi, plus a sectoral mentor at the secondment host. The secondment provides direct insight into the design and evaluation of AI-literacy initiatives in a public administration.

Your profile

• Master's degree (or equivalent qualification giving access to doctoral studies at the University of St. Gallen) in public administration, political science, learning sciences, information systems, communication, law, or a related social science/interdisciplinary field, completed by the start date.
• Skills or demonstrable interest in case studies and intervention research, including pre/post assessment designs.
• Strong interest in AI literacy, public administration, AI governance and interdisciplinary research.
• Excellent written and spoken English; reliable, independent and analytical working style.
• Willingness to engage in international mobility and network-wide activities, including the planned secondment.
• Fulfilment of the doctoral admission requirements of the University of St.Gallen and the MSCA eligibility conditions.

Eligibility

• Applicants may be of any nationality and must not hold a doctoral degree at the start of MSCA employment.
• Applicants must comply with the MSCA mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity in Switzerland for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding the start date (subject to the standard MSCA exclusions).
• Applicants must be eligible for timely enrolment in the relevant doctoral programme at the University of St.Gallen.

The Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG) conducts research at the interface of law (tax law and public law) and business (corporate governance, reporting and tax & trade). www.ile.unisg.ch .

We offer

• A doctoral position within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network REGULAIRE, with an international cohort of 15 doctoral candidates across ten European universities.
• Cross-institutional supervision, network-wide methods training, three residential summer schools, monthly paper development seminars and practitioner engagement.
• A stimulating interdisciplinary research environment at the University of St. Gallen with opportunities to contribute to national and international research and policy networks.
• A planned three-month intersectoral secondment as part of the doctoral project.

The opportunity to complete a doctoral thesis and develop an independent research profile in AI governance, law and technology, and regulatory learning.

Documents

Motivation letter; CV; academic credentials/transcripts; at least two reference letters; a short research proposal engaging with the doctoral project.

Application Deadline

07.11.2026

Inspirational Work Environment

At the HSG, as Europe's leading business university, we operate in an entrepreneurial environment where you will meet highly qualified, ambitious experts - both regionally and internationally. For example, you benefit from a modern IT infrastructure and, in our library via HSGswisscovery, from nationwide access to the wealth of scientific information available.

Executive Education

We support internal and external executive education opportunities. Our internal executive education programme offers you a practical, dedicated and didactically mature transfer of knowledge in the form of seminars, e-learning, coaching and collegial advice. We support task-specific external training and executive education financially as well as with regard to the time required.

Network

We promote our culture of cross-functional collaboration and create space for forging valuable relationships - also with external partners. Regular exchanges and internal events help to strengthen these relationships and make them long-lasting.

Family & Career

• We provide our employees with flexible work time models with a variable number of hours per week. As a family-friendly employer, we offer part-time positions, 16 weeks of maternity leave and a subsidised crèche, as well as support with childcare during the vacations.

Equal Opportunities

The University enables equal opportunities for all employees and students. This applies to degree courses and work, as well as academic careers, university management positions and the reconciliation of studies, work and private commitments. We are committed to this with various measures in the areas of teaching, research, administration and the Presidency.

Fit and Healthy

We help you stay fit and healthy. In addition to our diverse range of sports activities at the university, most of which are free of charge, and campaign weeks for corporate health management, we also offer you fruit in the workplace. In our canteen you will find a wide selection of freshly prepared meals - from vegetarian to fish dishes - at discounted prices.

Further information on working at the HSG can be found here.

University of St.Gallen

«A place where knowledge is created» - As one of Europe's leading universities of economics and business administration, the University of St.Gallen (HSG), Switzerland, is committed to the education of over 10'000 students. The HSG is one of the largest employers in the region and provides an attractive and innovative environment for more than 3'800 researchers, educators and professional staff.