PhD Scholarship in Digital Skills Competence Supply and Organization

The digital transformation creates new jobs that require new skills. The need for complex technical skills, such as software development and AI, is combined with the ability to utilize the new opportunities effectively in organizations. Business models with a high level of user- and market data impose demands on real-time planning and new collaborations within organizations.

Industry federations, state agencies and international institutions point at the needs of competencies of companies and organizations today, which are reportedly lacking. The shortage is considered a growth barrier. In particular, several digital skills are identified both as increasing demand for and difficult recruitment.

In the current research project, we want to explore issues related to digital skills in companies and industries where digital transformation accelerates. Possible areas may be industrial needs of digital conversion of labor, forms of higher education in relation to industry, skills gap analyses and growth issues in relation to digital transformation.

We will define final initial research questions together.

One starting point is a software development program that KTH has been running since 2017 for academics with a foreign background. The education is based on accelerated learning pedagogy as well as close collaboration with business in both requirement analysis and implementation. An evaluation of this software development program in relation to industry and the labor market will be included.

The research project is multidisciplinary and offers both a platform for developing excellent skills as a researcher and an opportunity to contribute to an innovative and fast-growing subfield in industrial economics and management.

The research is partly financed by the European Social Fund.

The applicant’s undergraduate education can be in different fields, although we believe that a Master of Science in Business Administration or Management, a degree in Business Administration with a major or similar organization is appropriate backgrounds.

In order to succeed as an doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work.

The prospective doctoral student is also expected to have a strong interest in the various possibilities of digital transformation. Problem solving and creativity is a must as well as ability to write text. Applicants must be strongly motivated for research studies, capable of independent work and critical analysis, and have good cooperation and communication skills. Very good knowledge of English in speech and writing is a prerequisite for being able to participate in international collaborations and to publish and present research results in international conferences and journals.

Only those who are or have been admitted to third-cycle studies may be employed as a doctoral student. The term of the initial contract may not exceed one year and may thereafter be extended. Doctoral students may engage in teaching, research, and administration corresponding to a maximum of 20 % of a full-time position.

Apply for the position and admission through KTH’s recruitment system. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/entral European Summer Time).