PhD in Informatics - Befattningen är under tillsättning eller redan tillsatt, och det är inte längre möjligt att lämna in en ansökan

The department of Informatics offers a position as a PhD in informatics, with a focus on digital transformation. 

The research
Digitization has meant revolutionary changes in several different industries. Recently, traditional industries have begun to experience disruptions associated with digitalization. While both researchers and practitioners recognize the transformative powers of digital technology, little is known about how associated changes should be implemented in practice. What we do know, however, is that firms are resource-dependent: They operate with a plethora of existing IT systems, established organizational structures, and professional roles. A challenge for larger firms in traditional industries is how the digital transformation of the organization is to be conducted, managed, and coordinated. Some Swedish firms and authorities have, for example, established new roles focusing on digitalization, responsible for coordinating digital initiatives conducted at their IT, marketing, and business development departments. However, as research in this area is still limited, we know little about which governance models and management approaches are best suited for successful digital transformation. The focus of this doctoral position is to explore how actors in traditional industries and sectors can organize themselves to generate value based on new digital innovations and manage the overall digital transformation process: How can the organization's form, structures and business processes be adapted to support and deliver both existing and new digital services?

This doctoral student position is associated to MIT graduate school where the doctoral student takes part of the courses and participates in doctoral student conferences at other universities. The employment is also associated to the research environment Swedish Center for Digital Innovation (www.scdi.se) which is located at the Department of Informatics. The research at the center is largely carried out in collaboration with partners from business, research institutes and other universities and colleges. In your studies, the doctoral student is expected to include the forest industry as one of the areas for data collection.

The employment
You will be employed and admitted to the doctoral programme at the Department of Informatics, Umeå University. The employment is four years full-time and means that you carry out your doctoral studies within the department with a doctoral degree as a goal. A Ph.D. student can also participate in teaching or other departmental activities up to 20% of the time. Salary is paid according to agreement for doctoral positions. The employment starts autumn 2021 or by agreement. For this position, you are expected to perform your work at the department at Umeå University Campus.

Employment will only be filled provided that the necessary decisions on financing are made.

Eligibility
The applicants must have a degree at advanced level in informatics or equivalent. For employment as a doctoral student, admission to doctoral education is required. Basic eligibility for admission to doctoral education is a completed degree at advanced level or completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, which of at least 60 credits at an advanced level, or in some other way within or outside the country acquired essentially equivalent knowledge. In order to meet the requirement for special eligibility to be admitted to doctoral education in informatics, the applicant must have a university education in informatics of at least 90 credits, and 60 credits on advanced level in informatics (master's level) or other education of equivalent scope and specialization. The requirements are also considered to be met by those who in other ways, within or outside the country, have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge.

Other qualifications
In selection among eligible applicants, great emphasis is placed on the ability to assimilate the education, previous study results and the quality of the submitted research plan. In other aspects, reference is made to agreement on employment as a doctoral student (Chapter 5) and access to education (Chapter 7) in the Higher Education Ordinance.

Application
The application must include:

• An introductory letter / personal letter (1 page)
• Research proposal (research sketch) presenting your research ideas (max. 4 pages excluding references)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Copies of previous thesis (MSc / MA and / or BSc / BA)
• Copies of study grades including documentation of completed academic courses and grades and other merits
• Copies of published own research (if any)
• Contact information for two reference persons

The application must be complete for it to be processed in the recruitment process. The application must be made via the e-recruitment system Varbi.

The Department of Informatics conducts research and education with a focus on the digitalisation of
society, organizations and interaction. Digital technology has become an enabler for changing ways of living and doing business. In our research, we study these changes and processes of change and we study the interaction between humans and technology to understand the possibilities of technology and its limitations. In our studies of digitalisation we conduct research in many contexts such as the public sector, media, games, entertainment, finance, entrepreneurship, IT sector, manufacturing industry, and trade. As a doctoral student at the department, you become part of and are expected to contribute to our research environment. Read more about our research environment at www.umu.se/en/department-of-informatics/