PhD student position in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Updated: about 2 years ago
Deadline: 01 Oct 2022

- AI-driven circular business model innovation for sustainable resource extraction

Luleå University of Technology experiences rapid growth with world-class expertise within several research domains. We shape the future through innovative education and groundbreaking research results, and drawing on our location in the Arctic region we create global societal benefit. Our research is carried out in close collaboration with companies such as LKAB, Ericsson, Boliden, ABB and Epiroc and with leading international universities. We also have a well-functioning collaboration with regional authorities, school authorities and other organisations in both our scientific and artistic research and education. Luleå University of Technology has an annual turnover of SEK 1.8 billion. Today, we have 1,770 staff and 17,200 students.

In the coming years, multi-billion investments will be made in large projects in the regions of Norrbotten and Västerbotten in Northern Sweden to create a fossil-free society. Luleå University of Technology is involved in several of these cutting-edge research projects and in the societal transformation that they entail. We offer a broad range of courses and study programmes to match the skills in demand.

Entrepreneurship and innovation include organizational development with a particular focus on business development based on innovative products, services, business models and production solutions, as well as ways to manage and organize operations. The research group collaborates with large national and international companies, small and medium-sized companies, policy makers and other research groups. Research results are produced in close cooperation with industry and other actors. In order to strengthen our research within business model innovation, we are now looking for a PhD student. The PhD student will also be part of the graduate school within SUN , Natural resources for sustainability transitions, one of Luleå university of Technology’s future areas.

Subject description
Entrepreneurship and Innovation comprises organizational development with a specific focus on firm development based on innovative products, services, production solutions or management modes.

Project description
The Swedish industry faces major challenges as new technologies related to AI, automation, electrification and digitization radically change the way in which companies create, deliver and capture value. These technological transformations provide opportunities for companies to grow and realize the vision towards circular and sustainable industry, i.e. simultaneously realizing economic, social and environmental benefits. To meet these visions, companies need to innovate their offerings, business models, and organizational configurations. Also, companies need to increasingly look beyond organizational boundaries and form new kinds of collaboration with ecosystem partners.

This specific project aims to support the industrial “circular economy” by investigating how AI and automation can accelerate a sustainable natural resource management in the Swedish mining and forestry ecosystems. Important issues will focus on how new radical technology such as AI, and autonomous solutions can be applied on company’s business model to increase value creation and reduce environmental impact. The project also includes creating a basis for industrial development and communicating it with participating companies through workshops, conferences and academic publications.

Duties
A PhD student position involves being part of a research group where you, in collaboration with others conduct scientific work. It includes collecting and analyzing data, and writing scientific articles, together with others in the research group and individually. The scientific work for this PhD student position will be conducted within the above-described project, and the PhD students will be responsible for relationship building and interaction with industrial partners. A PhD student position also involves participating in research courses, presenting research nationally and internationally, and participating in seminar activities within the research group. The tasks also include participating in seminar activities and other forms of research exchange within the SUN Graduate School.

In the doctoral student position, departmental duties such as teaching can also be included (max 20%). Completed postgraduate education after a corresponding four-year full-time postgraduate education (consisting of both approved postgraduate courses and an independent doctoral thesis) results in a doctoral degree in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Qualifications
We are looking for a candidate who preferably has a master's degree in business administration or in industrial engineering and management or equivalent. You need to have a strong interest in the research project/topics described above. The position requires good knowledge of oral and written communication in English. Good knowledge of the Swedish language is a merit. At the same time as the position requires good ability to work closely with the rest of the project group, it also requires a strong own drive to be able to independently plan and manage one's own work and be responsible for carrying out tasks within given time frames. Being a PhD student is about developing new knowledge which means that creativity and ability to handle uncertainty and ambiguity is needed. The industrial nature of the research project with many partner companies also implies that you need to have high social and communication skills as well as being good at managing different stakeholders' expectations.

For further information about a specific subject see general curricula for the Board of the faculty of science and technology

Information
Employment as a PhD student is limited to 4 years, teaching and other department duties may be added with max 20%. Salary is paid in accordance with current agreements. We look positively on you being able to get started as soon as possible. Placement: Luleå, Sweden.

For further information, please contact PhD candidate of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Linus Thomson, [email protected]  

Union representatives: SACO-S Kjell Johansson, +46 920-49 1529 [email protected] och OFR-S Lars Frisk, +46 920-49 1792 [email protected]

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application
We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below where you attach:
- a personal letter reflecting on the theme of the project (about one to two A4 pages) and why you are a suitable doctoral student for this project
- CV / qualifications
- diploma (or certificate of result) and grades
- a master thesis / essay / report or other text that you have written that demonstrates your scientific competence 

Please mark your application with the reference number below. CV and personal letter must be written in English. The diploma must be written in Swedish or English.

Reference number: 4001-2021
Last day of application: January 10, 2022 

URL to this pagehttps://www.ltu.se/ltu/Lediga-jobb?l=en&rmpage=job&rmjob=5181&rmlang=UK



Similar Positions