The posting
Are you interested in exploring the following questions?
- How are artificial intelligence (AI) and automation reshaping individuals' transitions to entrepreneurship?
- How do individuals' skills, experience, and technological readiness influence the types of businesses they create and their subsequent performance?
- How do these patterns vary across countries and institutional contexts?
DTU Entrepreneurship invites applications for a three-year PhD scholarship as part of an international research project entitled The New Landscape of Necessity Entrepreneurship: Understanding Entrepreneurial Transitions in an Era of AI- and Automation-Driven Labor Market Disruption.
The project investigates how AI and automation reshape entrepreneurial transitions, with particular attention to individuals who start businesses following unemployment. The PhD candidate will join an international research team involving Associate Professor Argyro (Iro) Nikiforou at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Professor Marc Gruber at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, and Professor John C. Dencker at Northeastern University, USA. Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), the project combines large-scale surveys, Danish administrative registry data, and qualitative interviews across Denmark, Switzerland, and Greece.
The position offers an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge entrepreneurship research, work with rich international datasets, and collaborate with leading scholars in the field.
Responsibilities and qualifications Your primary responsibility will be to conduct high-quality research within the international project, with opportunities to develop your own research questions within its overall scope.
Your tasks will include:
- Developing research questions and theoretical frameworks concerning entrepreneurship, human capital, AI, and labor market transitions.
- Applying quantitative and qualitative research methods to investigate entrepreneurial transitions and outcomes.
- Collecting, managing, and analyzing quantitative data, including large-scale surveys and Danish registry data.
- Contributing to the design and implementation of surveys and qualitative interviews in collaboration with international research partners.
- Preparing research papers for submission to leading international academic journals.
- Presenting research findings at international conferences and contributing to dissemination activities targeting policymakers and other stakeholders.
- Collaborating with researchers at DTU, EPFL, Northeastern University, and other project partners.
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest in entrepreneurship research and technological change.
We expect you to have:
- A Master’s degree.
- A strong interest in developing quantitative research and analytical skills.
- Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international research environment.
The following qualifications would be considered an advantage, but are not required:
- Experience working with large-scale datasets, registry data, or longitudinal data.
- Experience with statistical software such as Stata or R, and familiarity with econometric techniques, including regression analysis and panel data methods.
- Experience with survey design, qualitative interviewing, or mixed-methods research.
You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.
Approval and Enrolment The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education.
Assessment The assessment of applicants will be conducted by Associate Professor Argyro (Iro) Nikiforou, who will serve as the principal supervisor.
We offer DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.
Salary and appointment terms The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please see DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures.
The period of employment is 3 years. The expected starting date is as soon as possible or as agreed with the successful candidate.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Argyro (Iro) Nikiforou, DTU Entrepreneurship, Technical University of Denmark, at [email protected].
You can read more about DTU Entrepreneurship at www.entrepreneurship.dtu.dk.
If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.
Application procedure Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 8 November 2026 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:
- A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
- Curriculum vitae
- Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.
DTU Entrepreneurship is amongst the leading international entities in technology entrepreneurship and helps develop an entrepreneurial culture across DTU. As part of a dynamic and evolving ecosystem, we combine practice-oriented education and research in entrepreneurship with real start-up opportunities from all DTU departments. With rigorous research at its core, the Center builds the entrepreneurial capabilities of students, industry leaders, academics and policymakers to address unsolved problems, and together create new knowledge, methodologies and initiatives. We enable ethically minded entrepreneurs to build solutions that benefit people, society and the world. The Center experiments with new entrepreneurial methodologies and activities to push boundaries within research and education.
DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829 DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.
