The posting
Aarhus BSS Graduate School, Aarhus University, invites applications for a PhD scholarship in connection with the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network EMANAIRE (Empowering Human Agency in AI-Augmented Futures of Work) at the PhD Programme in Management, Department of Management. The position is available from 1 February 2027 and is a full-time, 36-month position.
The research project EMANAIRE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network bringing together 15 doctoral candidates at nine European universities to study how AI is changing work. The network examines the implications of generative and agentic AI for areas such as leadership, everyday work practices, team communication, professional learning, careers, and inclusion. Doctoral candidates become part of an international research and training network involving universities and practice partners across Europe.
The PhD project at Aarhus University focuses on AI and workplace inclusion. AI is increasingly used in organizational practices such as recruitment, evaluation, communication, coordination, learning, and career development. These developments may create new opportunities for workplace inclusion, while also potentially reproducing existing inequalities or generating new forms of exclusion.
The overall aim of the PhD project is to develop new knowledge about how the introduction and use of AI in organizations may influence inclusion and exclusion at work. Of particular interest are the ways in which AI may shape interpersonal work relations and interactions and thereby influence employees’ opportunities to participate, contribute, learn, develop, and pursue careers in organizational settings.
Job description Applicants are invited to develop their own PhD project within the broad theme of AI and workplace inclusion. The proposed project should formulate a theoretically and practically relevant research problem concerning how AI may support or constrain inclusion at work.
Possible topics include the influence of AI on interpersonal work relations and interaction affecting issues such as belongingness, authenticity, employee participation, visibility, learning and development, or career opportunities. The project may examine the use of AI in different organizational practices and settings and may focus on employees, managers, teams, or other relevant organizational actors.
Projects may examine inclusion in relation to, for example, ethnicity, cultural or linguistic background, gender, age, disability, or other relevant dimensions of diversity. These are examples rather than predefined target groups, and applicants are not expected to examine all or any particular combination of these groups.
Applicants are encouraged to develop their own theoretical perspective, empirical focus, and methodological approach within the overall framework of the project. Depending on the research question, possible methods could include qualitative fieldwork, interviews, case studies, surveys, experiments, or other relevant forms of data collection and analysis.
Applicants are required to submit a project description outlining how they would develop and conduct their research within the overall theme of AI and workplace inclusion and the objectives of EMANAIRE. The selected candidate’s exact research questions, theoretical perspective, empirical focus, and methodological approach will depend on the candidate’s proposed project and will subsequently be further developed in collaboration with the supervisory team.
As part of EMANAIRE, the selected candidate will participate in international research and training activities, including network schools, seminars, workshops, and collaboration with other doctoral candidates and researchers across the network. The position also involves international academic mobility and a secondment of at least three months with a practice partner. The secondment is intended to connect the candidate’s research with organizational practice through mutual exchange of knowledge, ideas, and insights relevant to the PhD project.
Your qualifications We are looking for a candidate with an interest in AI, digitalization, organizations, and workplace inclusion who wishes to develop an original PhD project within this broad research area.
Applicants should hold, or expect to complete before the start of the position, a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent that meets the admission requirements of Aarhus BSS Graduate School. Relevant academic backgrounds may include management, organization studies, HRM, international business, psychology, sociology, information systems, or related fields. Applicants with other academic backgrounds are also encouraged to apply if their qualifications and proposed project are relevant to the research area.
We are particularly interested in candidates who can formulate a clear, original, and feasible research problem, engage critically with relevant theory and research, and develop a methodological approach appropriate to their research question. Experience with specific methods or particular groups of employees is not a requirement.
Candidates should also be interested in participating actively in an international doctoral network and in engaging with academic and practice partners during the PhD.
MSCA eligibility requirements Applicants may be of any nationality. In addition to the admission requirements of Aarhus BSS Graduate School, candidates must meet the eligibility requirements of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks.
At the time of recruitment, applicants must not hold a doctoral degree. Applicants must also comply with the MSCA mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in Denmark for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding the date of recruitment. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.
The appointment is conditional on documentary verification of the MSCA eligibility requirements and fulfillment of Aarhus University’s requirements for admission to the PhD programme.
Research environment and supervision The PhD project will be based at the Department of Management, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, and will also draw on research expertise from the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences.
The Department of Management conducts internationally oriented research and teaching within areas including management and organization, international and cross-cultural management, organizational behavior and HRM, digitalization, and the changing organization of work. The Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences conducts research across major areas of psychology, including work and organizational psychology, learning, social processes, and the implications of digital technologies for work and human interaction.
The project thereby offers an interdisciplinary research environment combining expertise in international and cross-cultural management, work and organizational psychology, workplace inclusion, organizational learning, digitalization, virtual collaboration, and AI-supported work.
The PhD project will be supervised by Professor Jakob Lauring, Department of Management, Aarhus University; Associate Professor Charlotte Jonasson, Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University; and Professor Katja Einola, Stockholm School of Economics. The international collaboration within EMANAIRE provides the candidate with access to a broader European research network working on AI and the changing world of work.
Further information For further information about the academic content of the position, please contact Professor Jakob Lauring, Department of Management, Aarhus University, e-mail: [email protected].
If you need assistance with uploading your application or have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Aarhus BSS HR & PhD at [email protected].
Place of work Department of Management, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 61–63, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Assessment Criteria
- Applications are assessed based on an overall evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications. Particular emphasis is placed on:
- the quality, originality, and relevance of the research proposal
- academic performance in both bachelor’s and master’s degree studies
- evidence of a demonstrated ability to produce substantial written work, such as a master’s thesis, during studies or in other contexts
- The final decision regarding admission is made by the management based on an assessment of both the quality of the proposed project and the applicant’s ability to complete it within the prescribed timeframe.
- Applicants are encouraged to include documentation of their class ranking (e.g. ranking or percentile), as this provides additional context for the assessment. However, this is not a requirement.
Framework for the PhD Programme
- The PhD programme is conducted in accordance with the current Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme and the rules and guidelines for PhD students at Aarhus BSS, both of which can be found here.
- It is not essential that your educational background matches the PhD programme exactly. The most important consideration is that your project is academically relevant and can be anchored within the research area of the PhD programme.
How to apply You can read more about the application requirements in the application guide and find answers to frequently asked questions concerning the application process in our FAQ.
What do we offer?
- Aarhus BSS is part of Aarhus University, an internationally recognised research university with well-established academic environments and close engagement with society and industry. As a PhD student, you will gain:
- access to renowned researchers and international networks
- an engaging and supportive research environment
- a pathway to a research career or a career in the private or public sector
- We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and recognize diversity as a key asset. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply.
Formal Requirements You can read more about how to apply in the application guide and find the rules and regulations of the PhD education here.
The following criteria are decisive in the assessment of the candidates:
- the applicant’s academic qualifications (assessed on the basis of the qualifying degree)
- the quality and relevance of the project proposal
- the applicant’s level of academic aptitude and assessed ability to complete the project within the framework of the PhD programme
You can read more about the assessment procedure and committees appointed by the dean here.
Applicants are very much encouraged to supply documentation as to how they rank compared to their class (both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees). This may for example be in the form of a letter from your University stating either how you rank as an individual student compared to other students the year you graduated ("ranks as no. 6 out of 111" or "ranks as among the best 8 percent") or if that is not possible, general information from your University as to how grades were distributed in the year of your graduation, will be appreciated.
Please note that Aarhus BSS Graduate School reserves the right to evaluate the applications on the basis of the documentation received before deadline, and you will not necessarily be asked for further documentation. Furthermore, Aarhus BSS Graduate School reserves the right to reject application that do not comply with the limitations as stated in the application guide (see link above).
Terms of enrolment and employment PhD students at Aarhus BSS Graduate School are always enrolled at one of the six PhD programmes. It is not a prerequisite for admission to a PhD program to have an educational background within the specific program. What matters is that the PhD project is relevant to the program. Relevant professional experience may also serve as an additional qualification when assessing applicants. The enrolment happens in accordance with the Ministerial PhD Order no. 1124 of 19 September, 2025 and the terms stated in the Rules and Regulations for the PhD programmes at Aarhus BSS Graduate School. Both can be found here.
Salary and employment terms are governed by the collective agreement for academics employed by the Danish state. You will be appointed as a PhD fellow at base pay level 4–8, depending on your educational background and qualifications.
The appointment is made in accordance with the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities as well as the circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State (in Danish). The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
You can read more about the structure of the PhD education here.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
Aarhus University Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 37,000 students (FTEs) and 8,700 employees and has an annual revenue of EUR 1.106 billion. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/
