Postdoctoral position in studies of automated welfare provision in Europe

Updated: over 1 year ago
Deadline: 26 Oct 2022

The Department of Communication, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral position focusing on empirical studies of automated welfare and its implications to be filled by 1 March 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The position is for 17 months.

Job content 
The position is part of the Automated Welfare (AUTO-WELF) research project which runs 2022-2025 and is funded by CHANSE. AUTO-WELF approaches automated welfare from the perspective of the people implicated in the processes of automated decision-making (ADM)—the infrastructural engineers and designers of automated decision-making systems, the case workers who collaborate with automated decision-making systems about welfare and service provision, and the people whose data feed the systems and who are targeted in processes of enhancing welfare through automation. AUTO-WELF addresses digital transformations of work by focusing on development, data work and human-machine collaboration in ADM processes; as well as the role of technological, social, and cultural dynamics in enhancing or hindering advances in automating welfare for the benefit of the people.

The candidate’s research activities will contribute to the aims of the project through the planning and execution of empirical studies of case workers and citizens’ experiences of automated welfare provision in Denmark, and to comparative studies of these across EU countries. The candidate will be expected to work with a team to conduct qualitative and possibly quantitative research to understand the dilemmas and new opportunities associated with automated welfare provision for the flourishing of citizens, and to contribute to assessing the implications of automated decision-making in public services for the values underpinning the Danish welfare state.

As postdoc in AUTO-WELF you will be expected to, independently and in collaboration with the other researchers in the team, contribute to the comparative empirical studies devised by the project framework. You will be expected to publish scientific articles within the context of the project and to participate in the organization of activities and research events within the project.

As postdoc at the Department of Communication you will be part of an internationally-oriented interdisciplinary environment focused on advancing theoretical, methodological and empirical research about digital society. You will be affiliated with the Center for Tracking and Society.

Qualification requirements
To be considered for the position, applicants must have research qualifications at least corresponding to what can be achieved as part of a successfully completed PhD within a relevant field. We particularly welcome applicants with a background in media and communication research, organizational studies, anthropology, sociology or political science to add to our interdisciplinary team.

For further details about the qualification requirements for postdocs, please refer to the job structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2013: https://ufm.dk/en/legislation/prevailing-laws-and-regulations/education/files/job-structure-for-academic-staff-at-universities-2013.pdf

For further information about the position, please contact project PI Stine Lomborg, e-mail: [email protected].

Application
Submit the application online in Adobe PDF or Word format.

Please click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page.

The application must be written in English and include the following enclosures:

  • Application letter/cover letter (max 1 page)
  • Curriculum vitae (with applicant’s e-mail & telephone number)
  • Documentation of qualifications (examination certificates/PhD diploma, etc.).
  • Complete and numbered list of publications. The enclosed publications must be marked with *.
  • Research plan, including a short description of previous research and a plan for the coming years that includes an account of how the applicant will contribute to the deliverables in the project description.
  • Documentation of research dissemination, if any
  • Publications. Applicants may choose a maximum of three publications for assessment. Publication dates must be clearly marked on the publication list. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and listed from 1 to 3.

Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavours, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly stipulated. The faculty may ask for a signed statement from the co-authors stipulating the extent and nature of each individual’s contribution.

Only material in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and English can be expected to be assessed.

Appointment procedure
After the application deadline, the Head of Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointment Committee.  All applicants are notified whether their application has been accepted for assessment. The Dean subsequently appoints an expert assessment committee tasked with carrying out an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee. Applicants are ultimately offered the opportunity of commenting on the part of the assessment relating to themselves before the appointment is finalized.

Further information about the application procedure is available from HR, e-mail: [email protected] . Please refer to ID number 211-1137/22-2I #1

Salary and conditions of employment

Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts at DKK 35,624.36 (EUR 4,800) + a 17,1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) have further agreed on a protocol that makes it possible for international researchers employed by the University to achieve a pension exemption, whereby the pension contribution will be paid out as salary. For more information about the different pension schemes, please read more here: https://ism.ku.dk/salary-tax-pension/pension/

If you consider applying from abroad, you may find useful information on how it is to work in Denmark and at UCPH here : http://ism.ku.dk , http://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-us/frontpage.htm and https://www.workindenmark.dk/

UCPH wishes to encourage everyone interested in this post to apply, regardless of personal background.

The closing date for applications is 23:59 CET 26 October 2022

Applications or supplementary material received thereafter will not be considered.


Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.



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