PhD in AI and Workplace Inclusion

Aarhus University; Denmark; Sur place; DKK 360 000 - 420 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

International networking

Supportive research environment

Career development opportunities

Résumé du poste

Aarhus University invites applications for a PhD scholarship under EMANAIRE to study how AI shapes inclusion at work. The position is a full-time, 36-month fellowship starting 1 February 2027, based at the Department of Management, Aarhus BSS, with international networking across Europe.

The project seeks theoretical and empirical insights into belonging, participation, and career opportunities, with a secondment to practice partners and collaboration across the EMANAIRE network.

Qualifications

• Candidates should hold, or expect to complete before the start of the position, a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent.
• We value an original research mindset and ability to engage with theory and empirical work.

Responsabilités

• Develop an original PhD research project within AI and workplace inclusion.
• Contribute to international research schools, seminars, and collaborations across EMANAIRE.
• Publish in international journals and present findings within the network.

Connaissances

Interdisciplinary interest

Analytical thinking

Formation

Master’s degree or equivalent

Description du poste

PhD Scholarship – EMANAIRE (Empowering Human Agency in AI-Augmented Futures of Work)

Department of Management University of Aarhus invites applications for a PhD scholarship in connection with the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network EMANAIRE at the PhD Programme in Management, Department of Management.

The position is available from 1 February 2027 and is a full-time, 36-month position. The research project EMANAIRE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network bringing together 15 doctoral candidates at nine European universities to study how AI is changing work.

Doctoral candidates become part of an international research and training network involving universities and practice partners across Europe.

The PhD project at Aarhus University focuses on AI and workplace inclusion.

AI is increasingly used in organisational practices such as recruitment, evaluation, communication, coordination, learning, and career development. These developments may create new opportunities for workplace inclusion, while also potentially reproducing existing inequalities or generating new forms of exclusion.

The overall aim of the PhD project is to develop new knowledge about how the introduction and use of AI in organisations may influence inclusion and exclusion at work. Of particular interest are the ways in which AI may shape interpersonal work relations and interactions and thereby influence employees’ opportunities to participate, contribute, learn, develop, and pursue careers in organisational settings.

Job Description

Applicants are invited to develop their own PhD project within the broad theme of AI and workplace inclusion.

The proposed project should formulate a theoretically and practically relevant research problem concerning how AI may support or constrain inclusion at work.

Possible topics include the influence of AI on interpersonal work relations and interaction affecting issues such as belongingness, authenticity, employee participation, visibility, learning and development, or career opportunities.

The project may examine the use of AI in different organisational practices and settings and may focus on employees, managers, teams, or other relevant organisational actors.

Projects may examine inclusion in relation to, for example, ethnicity, cultural or linguistic background, gender, age, disability, or other relevant dimensions of diversity.

These are examples rather than predefined target groups, and applicants are not expected to examine all or any particular combination of these groups.

Applicants are encouraged to develop their own theoretical perspective, empirical focus, and methodological approach within the overall framework of the project.

Depending on the research question, possible methods could include qualitative fieldwork, interviews, case studies, surveys, experiments, or other relevant forms of data collection and analysis.

Applicants are required to submit a project description outlining how they would develop and conduct their research within the overall theme of AI and workplace inclusion and the objectives of EMANAIRE.

The selected candidate’s exact research questions, theoretical perspective, empirical focus, and methodological approach will depend on the candidate’s proposed project and will subsequently be further developed in collaboration with the supervisory team.

As part of EMANAIRE, the selected candidate will participate in international research and training activities, including network schools, seminars, workshops, and collaboration with other doctoral candidates and researchers across the network.

The position also involves international academic mobility and a secondment of at least three months with a practice partner.

The secondment is intended to connect the candidate’s research with organisational practice through mutual exchange of knowledge, ideas, and insights relevant to the PhD project.

Your Qualifications

We are looking for a candidate with an interest in AI, digitalisation, organisations, and workplace inclusion who wishes to develop an original PhD project within this broad research area.

Applicants should hold, or expect to complete before the start of the position, a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent that meets the admission requirements of Aarhus BSS Graduate School.

Relevant academic backgrounds may include management, organisation studies, HRM, international business, psychology, sociology, information systems, or related fields.

Applicants with other academic backgrounds are also encouraged to apply if their qualifications and proposed project are relevant to the research area.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can formulate a clear, original, and feasible research problem, engage critically with relevant theory and research, and develop a methodological approach appropriate to their research question.

Experience with specific methods or particular groups of employees is not a requirement.

Candidates should also be interested in participating actively in an international doctoral network and in engaging with academic and practice partners during the PhD.

MSCA Eligibility Requirements

Applicants may be of any nationality.

In addition to the admission requirements of Aarhus BSS Graduate School, candidates must meet the eligibility requirements of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks.

At the time of recruitment, applicants must not hold a doctoral degree.

Applicants must also comply with the MSCA mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in Denmark for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding the date of recruitment. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

The appointment is conditional on documentary verification of the MSCA eligibility requirements and fulfillment of Aarhus University’s requirements for admission to the PhD programme.

Research Environment and Supervision

The PhD project will be based at the Department of Management, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, and will also draw on research expertise from the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences.

The Department of Management conducts internationally oriented research and teaching within areas including management and organisation, international and cross-cultural management, organisational behaviour and HRM, digitalisation, and the changing organisation of work.

The Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences conducts research across major areas of psychology, including work and organisational psychology, learning, social processes, and the implications of digital technologies for work and human interaction.

The project thereby offers an interdisciplinary research environment combining expertise in international and cross-cultural management, work and organisational psychology, workplace inclusion, organisational learning, digitalisation, virtual collaboration, and AI-supported work.

The PhD project will be supervised by Professor Jakob Lauring, Department of Management, Aarhus University; Associate Professor Charlotte Jonasson, Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University; and Professor Katja Einola, Stockholm School of Economics.

The international collaboration within EMANAIRE provides the candidate with access to a broader European research network working on AI and the changing world of work.

Further Information

For further information about the academic content of the position, please contact Professor Jakob Lauring, Department of Management, Aarhus University, e-mail: [emailprotected].

If you need assistance with uploading your application or have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Aarhus BSS HR & PhD at [emailprotected].

Assessment Criteria

Applications are assessed based on an overall evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications.

Particular emphasis is placed on the quality, originality, and relevance of the research proposal, academic performance in both bachelor’s and master’s degree studies, evidence of a demonstrated ability to produce substantial written work, such as a master’s thesis, during studies or in other contexts.

The final decision regarding admission is made by the management based on an assessment of both the quality of the proposed project and the applicant’s ability to complete it within the prescribed timeframe.

Applicants are encouraged to include documentation of their class ranking (e.g. ranking or percentile), as this provides additional context for the assessment. However, this is not a requirement.

Framework for the PhD Programme

The PhD programme is conducted in accordance with the current Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme and the rules and guidelines for PhD students at Aarhus BSS, both of which can be found here.

It is not essential that your educational background matches the PhD programme exactly. The most important consideration is that your project is academically relevant and can be anchored within the research area of the PhD programme.

Salary and Employment Terms

Salary and employment terms are governed by the collective agreement for academics employed by the Danish state.

You will be appointed as a PhD fellow at base pay level 4-8, depending on your educational background and qualifications.

The appointment is made in accordance with the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities as well as the circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State (in Danish).

The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Benefits and Opportunities

• Access to renowned researchers and international networks
• An engaging and supportive research environment
• A pathway to a research career or a career in the private or public sector

Contact Information

• Professor Jakob Lauring, Department of Management, [phone], [emailprotected]
• Aarhus BSS Administrative Centre – Aarhus BSS HR and PhD Administration, [phone], [emailprotected]
• Questions about the position? Jakob Lauring, [phone], [emailprotected]
• Questions about application and process? Aarhus BSS Administrative Centre – Aarhus BSS HR and PhD Administration, [phone], [emailprotected]

Deadline

Tues 1 Dec 2026 at 23:59 CET