Doctoral student in technology and society with focus on AI and the welfare state

Description of the workplace

The doctoral student will be part of the research cluster The AI ​​Welfare State. The research cluster is a cross-university and cross-disciplinary collaboration led by researchers at Lund University, Karlstad University and Södertörn University, and funded by The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program – Humanity and Society (WASP-HS).

The research group environment at LTH in Lund, led by Stefan Larsson, focuses on social science-oriented but multidisciplinary issues linked to AI, with affiliated researchers at both junior and senior levels. Collaborations exist within the Engineering Faculty as well as within the Faculty of Medicine, Law, Social Sciences and the Humanities, and universities in Finland, Germany and Japan. The research group has a working space at LTH, and is part of the Department of Technology and Society. Read more about the research group on the Research Portal of Lund University.

The doctoral student will be part of the national research school organized by WASP-HS, which is a national research program in Sweden. The vision of WASP-HS is to foster novel interdisciplinary knowledge in the humanities and social sciences about AI and autonomous systems and their impact on human and social development. WASP-HS enables cutting edge research, expertise, and competence building in the humanities and social sciences. The WASP-HS graduate school trains promising young researchers to understand the challenges and implications of autonomous systems and AI in society. A complement to students’ doctoral studies, the graduate school offers courses, a summer school, a winter conference, a semester abroad, and study visits both within Sweden and internationally. Students work collaboratively to solve real-world problems and are equipped with the theories, methods, and background critical for investigating questions on the consequences of AI and autonomous systems for humanity and society.

Subject description

The doctoral subject Technology and Society encompasses multi- and interdisciplinary studies on the role, interaction, regulation and significance of technology within society. Research includes both qualitative and quantitative studies, and is often characterized by a diversity of methods and theories from technical perspectives, social sciences, law and natural sciences.

Work duties

Doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies by participating in research projects and third cycle courses. Work duties may also include teaching and other departmental responsibilities (of not more than 20% of a full-time position).

The PhD will contribute to the research cluster The AI ​​Welfare State through a well-defined sub-project formulated in a dialogue between the doctoral student and their supervisor(s). The cluster is five years long and starts in the fall of 2025. As AI technology is integrated into public services and welfare systems, vulnerabilities may arise that endanger both technical systems and infrastructure, and the individuals affected by them. The cluster will develop theoretical and empirical knowledge of emerging AI vulnerabilities in three areas:

• governance
• imaginaries, and
• practices.

Any of these areas would be a good starting point for this PhD project.

The interdisciplinary cluster aims to develop a new theory of the AI ​​welfare state to ensure that AI technologies support, rather than undermine, public values ​​such as justice, transparency and social cohesion. Through its ambitious empirical and theoretical research and a well-integrated outreach programme, the cluster aims to highlight AI vulnerabilities for policymakers and the public, facilitating a well-informed and sustainable AI welfare state.

Detailed description of the work duties, such as:

• Empirical data collection, for example, policy document analysis, stakeholder interviews, participant observation, and/or literature studies
• Presentations at seminars and conferences, for example, at international conferences, the Swedish and WASP-HS research communities, and within the cluster and department
• Authoring scientific articles in English, and possibly also reports or shorter accessible texts in English or another relevant language

Admission requirements 

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant: 

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Technology and Society if the applicant has: 

• at least 30 credits awarded in the second cycle relevant to the subject area.

Additional requirements:

• Excellent oral and written proficiency in English.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of social science methods
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate within the research group and with different professions in the research project.
• Ability to work independently, plan and deliver over time.

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to benefit from and complete such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following: 

1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study. 
2. An assessment of ability to independently formulate and conduct a research project. 
3. Written and oral communication skills.
4. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

• Experience in social science research or studies in relevant disciplines (for example, political science, public administration studies, sociology, sociology of law, science and technology studies) preferably with a focus on how AI, algorithms, data or automation affect the public sector or its governance issues.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. 
Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Work at Lund University.

Terms of employment 

Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

Start no later than 19 January 2026.

How to apply

Applications shall be written in Swedish/Norwegian/Danish or English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).

The candidates selected for the next step will be asked to design a brief research/project plan that can contribute in a relevant way to a designated area in the cluster (AI and the welfare state, see description above) and at the same time fit within the environment and expertise available in the research group in Lund.