Doctoral student in Industrial Engineering and Management - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description 

The Faculty of Health, Science and Technology invites applications for a doctoral studentship in Industrial Engineering and Management at the Department of Engineering and Physics.  

The subject area of Industrial Engineering and Management is in an expansive phase, and this is the announcement of one of three parallel doctoral studentships. All three doctoral students will conduct their research in close collaboration with Swedish industry. This doctoral studentship is one of two included in the Knowledge Foundation’s initiative for jubilee doctoral students (https://www.kks.se/en/program/jubilee-doctoral-students/). The initiative includes 44 doctoral studentships across Sweden, at each of the foundation’s 22 target institutions. This investment in the next generation of collaborative researchers aims to strengthen collaboration between academia and society.   

The thesis project will be focused on innovation management and computer science, exploring how companies can use GenAI to increase their competitive advantage. More specifically, the intention is to investigate the possibilities of streamlining the early phases of the innovation process, for example, how to evaluate as well as generate new ideas using GenAI. The aim is also for the project to contribute knowledge regarding the organisational capabilities required to implement and apply GenAI in idea management processes, as well as to highlight the organisational challenges that follow such an implementation.   

The thesis project will be linked to our multidisciplinary research environments CTF – the Service Research Center (www.kau.se/en/ctf) and DAMI (www.kau.se/en/dami), offering you an opportunity to work and develop alongside both fellow doctoral students and senior researchers.   

Duties   

As a doctoral student, you will primarily dedicate time to your own studies. The doctoral programme, comprising 240 credits for a Degree of Doctor and 120 credits for a Degree of Licentiate, is an opportunity to study while being paid a salary in combination with work and provides a stepping stone for a career in academia. The doctoral student is expected to work independently and be prepared to contribute to the activities and development of the subject and the department. Teaching and administrative duties may also be included upon agreement, but will not constitute more than 20% of full-time. Work as a doctoral student allows for great freedom and flexibility in terms of how you structure your day. It takes commitment, discipline and a structured approach in order to successfully complete a doctoral thesis. Experienced supervisors offer guidance and support along the way.  

To contribute to a positive work environment and further the department’s activities, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

Qualifications requirements

To be eligible for a doctoral studentship, the applicant must meet the general and specific entry requirements (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35). 

To meet the general entry requirements, the applicant must have been awarded a second-cycle qualification, satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 39). 

To meet the specific entry requirements for third-cycle studies in industrial engineering and management, the applicant must have been awarded a Degree of Master of Science in Engineering, or a Master’s degree (60 or 120 credits) in industrial engineering and management or in a related area such as mechanical engineering (with a specialisation in production engineering and management) or computer science (with a specialisation in industrial IT), provided that the studies and the degree project are relevant to the intended doctoral project. The awarded degree shall include an independent degree project comprising at least 15 credits at Master’s level and be of relevance to the doctoral studies.  An applicant who does not meet the specific entry requirements but has acquired equivalent relevant knowledge in some other way may be deemed eligible following a special assessment.  

Admission and assessment criteria  

To be eligible for doctoral studies, the applicant must be considered to have the ability required to benefit from the programme (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35). Admission is based on individual assessment. 

The assessment will focus on the applicant’s performance in previous studies, the quality of independent projects completed during these studies, language skills, and whether the applicant intends to be a present and active part of the research environment. 

The applicant must have a good command of Swedish since data collection will include interviews and surveys conducted in Swedish. Applicants must also be proficient in English, especially in writing, since the doctoral thesis and reports that will be produced as part of the research project will be written in English. Special weight will be given to proficiency in programming in Python.   

Research is about being curious and exploring new directions. Therefore, we will give considerable weight to the candidate’s ability to think creatively, adopt a flexible approach and work independently. Since our research is conducted in teams with other researchers and in collaboration with external partners, we will also give considerable weight to relationship building and teamwork skills.  

Terms  

Upon admission to doctoral studies, the person will be offered the appointment of doctoral student (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5, Sect. 3). The position comprises four years of full-time studies, or five years at a study rate of 80% with 20% teaching or other departmental duties. The position is fixed-term — one year initially, followed by possible extensions by a maximum of two years at a time. Start date by agreement.  

The salary for the doctoral studentship corresponds to the standard level of salary for doctoral students and progresses in accordance with a local collective agreement. 

Application 

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi.  Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.  

The application should include: 

• a cover letter where the applicant details the reasons behind their interest in the position, 
• a list of qualifications (CV), 
• degree certificate with a complete transcript of the courses included, or a certified list of completed courses with grades and dates, 
• copy of Master’s thesis or equivalent, 
• where applicable, copies of publications or certificates for other qualifications, 
• any letters of recommendation,
• two references, such as a teacher, supervisor, or previous or current superior. 
   

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content.  Documents that cannot be submitted electronically should be sent to the following address: 

Karlstads universitet 
HR-avdelningen
HR-administratör 
651 88 Karlstad
Sweden

Application deadline: April 1, 2025 

State the reference number: REK 2025/13  

 Applicants with qualifications from abroad 

If you have qualifications from a university outside Sweden or if they have not been recognised by a Swedish authority before, it is important that you attach degree certificates and official transcripts to facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications.  
Provide a contact for the degree-awarding institution (phone number or email) who can verify your qualifications. 

We look forward to your application! 

Karlstad University has chosen advertising channels for this recruitment and firmly declines any contact with advertising or recruitment agencies.