PhD or PostDoc with a focus on digital ethics

RISE in Umeå, Sweden is currently looking for a PhD/PostDoc.

The candidate will be hired for the duration of a PostDoc or a PhD, affiliated to the Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Industrial Design, Systemic Change. Possible continuation as a researcher at RISE will be considered after finishing. 

RISE, as the Swedish research institute, in collaboration with the Eindhoven University of Technology, is working to design sustainable futures together with all actors in society: with its ability to gather stakeholders from industry, academia, public sector and the civil society, RISE undertakes projects and builds programs to systemically tackle cases that require an ability to design for ethics, in particular when digital technologies play a part. For this reason, RISE has chosen Digital Ethics as a strategic area to explore and develop, not only to define normative directions, but to establish an applied and actionable field of design knowledge, shaping how to realize future material or immaterial artefacts.

Growing and consolidating deep knowledge in all ethical aspects related to digital technologies is practice-driven and being built by implementing solutions and proposals, such as design interventions, pedagogical initiatives, debates, workshops. The candidate that we are looking for will play a crucial role in this phase of the area’s definition.

About the position
As a PostDoc/Phd you will:

- carry out a PostDoc Research or a PhD research project, jointly decided between the candidate, the supervisor(s) at Eindhoven University of Technology and the supervisor(s) at RISE.
- contribute, with design-driven knowledge production, to the development of the area of Digital Ethics within RISE: - o carrying out applied-research projects
- o creating new projects and collaborations
- o develop knowledge through reflection-on-action using prototyping


- be a contributing part of multidisciplinary teams
- design, facilitate, wrap-up and communicate the results of workshops; dredge knowledge out of the workshop and contextualise them in a context of multistakeholder transformation
- work on research application for Swedish national funding for projects related to the research topic, with the due support of the organisation
- write academic publications (papers, journals, books) and present the results in both academic and non-academic contexts

Who are you?
For this position you will need the following:

- Master’s degree in a design related field or in humanities/social sciences with an affinity with design (diploma in Swedish or English to be submitted)
- PhD in similar disciplines as the mentioned above, if the candidate wants to pursue the Postdoc (diploma in Swedish or English to be submitted)
- Excellent reading and writing skills in English
- Documented interest and/or previous experience in working with design and digital technologies (clear in the motivation letter and/or in the statement of research interest)
- Documented interest and/or previous experience in designing for value-driven societal transformation and eagerness in creating a positive impact in society (visible in the portfolio and emerging from the statement of research interest)

The candidate that we are looking for has a clear drive and vision on how design can contribute to society and how you intend to work with design. You have excellent abilities in working in transdisciplinary teams, being respectful of people’s point of view, while being able to develop your own position, sensitivity, stance and work. With an intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial attitude, you are capable or eager to learn to develop a theoretical background and applying it to practice. You are enthusiastic and self-driven, electrified by new challenges, while at the same time able to finish and package results.

Furthermore, you have strong analytical skills, are a doer, team-player and eager to engage in critical thinking and acting, in collaboration with your team. You are skilled in handling constructive critique in a way that fuels your creativity and reflective ability. You bring thoughts forward, with a designerly sensitivity, by exploring through making and discussing ideas through prototypes and prototyping.

Welcome with your application!
Would you like to learn more? Please feel free to get in touch with Malin Johansson, Director, +46 70-344 74 60, or Ambra Trotto, Senior Researcher, +46 72-527 90 91. The closing date for applications is August 10, 2020.

Documents to send in:

- Diploma (Master Degree, PhD diploma)
- Motivation letter
- Statement of Research Interest with a proposal on what digital ethics means for the candidate and what the candidate wants to reach
- Design Portfolio

Interviews will be conducted throughout the application period. At RISE we like differences and we are convinced that diversity contributes to an innovative environment where we together can challenge boundaries and develop new knowledge and skills for the future.

Main Supervisor: Prof.dr.ir. Caroline Hummels, Systemic Change, chair Transformative Practices. Co-supervisor: Dr. Ambra Trotto

Our union representatives are: Linda Ikatti, Unionen, +46 10-516 51 61 and Ingemar Petermann, Sveriges Ingenjörer, +46 10-228 41 22. 

Research, Postdoc, PhD, digital ethics, digitization, RISE, Umeå


RISE Research Institutes of Sweden är Sveriges forskningsinstitut och innovationspartner. I internationell samverkan med företag, akademi och offentlig sektor bidrar vi till ett konkurrenskraftigt näringsliv och ett hållbart samhälle. Våra 2 800 medarbetare driver och stöder alla typer av innovationsprocesser. RISE är ett oberoende, statligt forskningsinstitut som erbjuder unik expertis och ett 100-tal test- och demonstrationsmiljöer för framtidssäkra teknologier, produkter och tjänster. www.ri.se.