The posting
Description of the Position Aalborg University invites applications for a PhD position in Sustainability and Planning Research focusing on urban resilience from a systemic and planning-oriented perspective. The PhD project explores the dynamic relationships between people, places, and material environments and is situated within an emerging research agenda investigating how design thinking and planning practices can support circularity and sustainability initiatives in cities.
This PhD position, funded by the project “Co-creating regenerative green-social infrastructures for urban circular economies” (WeGrowCircle) through the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership, is part of a new interdisciplinary thematic research initiative addressing Urban Social Resilience (USR) with particular attention to care ethics, participatory processes, and social innovation as guiding perspectives. The successful candidate will contribute to interdisciplinary research activities, empirical studies, and scholarly publications in close collaboration with other members of the USR initiative across the Department of Sustainability & Planning and the Department of Architecture, Design & Media Technology. The position further offers engagement in a wider research network spanning urban sustainability, innovation, planning, design, and architecture.
The position is available from 1 January 2027 or soon hereafter, and with employment in the Sustainability, Innovation and Policy research group. The duration of the position is three years.
Research Focus The PhD project addresses the pressing challenge of developing urban social resilience in cities, with a particular focus on how social actors, relations, and practices can gain agency in resilience-building processes through inclusive, collaborative, participatory, and planning-based approaches across actors, organisations, and institutions. The project is grounded in a socio-material planning and design perspective, where urban resilience is understood as an emergent quality produced through interactions between social dynamics, institutional frameworks, and material and spatial configurations. Within this framework, the PhD project must in particular contribute to:
- establishing a shared conceptual and methodological foundation for the WeGrowCircle project, e.g. as a Resilient Urban Commons Framework
- mapping and analysing actor landscapes, relations, and key dynamics in the development of urban social resilience and regenerative green-social infrastructures (GSIs)
- developing and testing an inclusive co-creation process for GSI design,
- exploring stewardship and governance models for resilient and collective land management,
- evaluating how GSIs can improve biodiversity, circular practices, sufficiency, and social well-being; and
- generating evidence and recommendations for integrating GSIs into local planning, climate action and community practice.
The PhD project may adopt different disciplinary perspectives, empirical focus areas, and methodological approaches within the broader field of urban social resilience and planning. At the same time, it is expected that the project will relate to and further develop the research environment’s work with socio-material approaches, participatory and interactive planning, as well as co-design and co-production in the context of urban resilience. Applicants are therefore expected to develop and outline a preliminary research proposal (1–3 pages) that presents their initial considerations regarding research focus, research design, and methodological approach in relation to urban social resilience within a planning and design perspective.
Research Context The specific empirical context of the PhD project is closely linked to the WeGrowCircle project and thus mainly to the Aalborg Living Lab. However, engagement with one or more of the other three living labs (Brussels, Gothenburg, Bucharest) in the project is expected. Decision about which one(s) is intentionally left open at this point, and need not be considered in the application.
Your Competences Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in exploring how urban resilience is shaped through the interplay between social and material dimensions. The PhD project is expected to investigate planning and design processes with particular attention to participatory, co-design, and co-production approaches, as well as the use of mapping as an analytical and generative research method.
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in sustainability and planning, urban studies, sustainability and design, geography, or a related discipline. Experience with qualitative, participatory, and design-oriented research methods—including co-design or co-production—is considered a significant advantage.
The ideal candidate is motivated to work in interdisciplinary research environments and is interested in collaborating across disciplines and with a wide range of urban stakeholders, including planners, designers, and public sector actors. The candidate should demonstrate curiosity, independence, and initiative, and be motivated to develop and conduct a PhD project involving co-design and co-production in close collaboration with supervisors and research partners.
Qualification requirements PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.
What we Offer The position offers a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment rooted in contemporary sustainability and planning research. The PhD candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to and shape a growing body of research on design and planning for urban social resilience. The position includes support for scholarly publications and public communication of research, and carries an obligation for teaching, supervising, and involvement in the Department’s bachelor and master programmes on planning and sustainability.
How to apply Your application must include the following:
- Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Diplomas (bachelor's and master's degree diploma, including grades)
- A preliminary research proposal (1–3 pages)
- Other relevant documents
The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.
Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.
Do you have any questions? You may obtain further information from Associate Professor Martin Lehmann [email protected] concerning the scientific aspects of the stipend.
For further information about stipends and salary as well as practical issues concerning the application procedure contact Lisbeth Diinhoff, The Doctoral School at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, email: [email protected]
Further information Read more about our recruitment process here.
The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts. Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.
The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.
Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design
Salary and terms of employment The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities. Furthermore, your terms of employment and salary are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement).
You can find information about the salary and salary structure for the position in the Salary Overview for Recruitment - Scientific positions (VIP). Please refer to the introductory section of the page and the section entitled “PhD Fellow”.
There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.
Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.
