PhD student in Human Computer Interaction - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Informatics and Media at Uppsala University conducts education and research in Uppsala and at Campus Gotland in Visby. The Department’s faculty studies various aspects of the conditions, opportunities and consequences of the use of digital technologies, in relation to individuals, organizations, and societal institutions. See the Department's website for more information about the research profile (www.im.uu.se ).

The fully-funded PhD is placed in the unit for Human-Computer Interaction and in the project Controlling the Uncontrollable: Experiences and Consequences of Reproductive health apps. Digital smartphone applications or apps for reproductive health (RHA) are today a huge market. A large majority of first-time child-bearers use these for medical information and health check-ups. These apps are mainly developed by private actors, often so-called FemTech entrepreneurs, who operate outside state-funded and controlled care. Women's sexual health has and is surrounded by stigma and social control; something this new industry, often driven by women, is actively working against. At the same time, FemTech is an industry with many players where the medical sector faces competition from venture capital-funded start-up companies and the alternative medicine movement, with women's health as a game plan and consequence. The PhD will study the FemTech industry from several perspectives and link this to how these apps are used and operate.

Duties/Project description: Doctoral studies comprises a set of PhD courses and a comprehensive research project that is to be reported and publicly defended in the form of a doctoral dissertation. Successful fulfilment of the course work and the research project will be awarded by a PhD degree in Human Computer Interaction, from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Uppsala University. Additionally, the doctoral student will be enrolled into Sweden’s National Research School on Management and Information Technology. This enrolment will provide the student with a set of additional benefits such as the access to specific PhD courses, mandatory participation in bi-annual research student conferences, and the access to a large network of junior and senior researchers. The PhD student will be supervised by two senior researchers.

Requirements: We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student, with a genuine interest in the theme focused: Reproductive health and the FemTech industry. The following is formal requirement for the successful applicant: Master’s degree level qualification at the start of the PhD, or equivalent, that has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits (ECTS) of which at least 60 credits (ECTS) were awarded at the master’s level, or has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad. A suitable background is a Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction or in other relevant social science disciplines. A general specification of the doctoral education may be retrieved at: http://www.samfak.uu.se/.

Additional qualifications:

(i) university-level courses in Human-Computer Interaction (in case the applicant holds a Master’s degree in another discipline,

(ii) experience from the research process, including writing papers, their presentation in conferences and publication in journals,

(iii) experience of qualitative methods for research,

(iv) professional work experience from industry and/or governmental organizations,

(v) Swedish language proficiency,

(vi) demonstrable knowledge of feminist methods and theories.

Required application documents:

1. Full C.V.
2. A motivation letter that specifies why the applicant wants to pursue PhD studies in the here announced position (max one page)
3. A research proposal that targets the here specified research domain, (max one page, excl. possible references)
4. Verified copies of academic degree(s)
5. Copies of (co-) authored research papers (if applicable)
6. Verified certificates of work experience (if applicable)

All applicants need to verify English language proficiency that corresponds to English studies at upper secondary (high school) level in Sweden (“English 6”). This can be done in a number of ways, including through an internationally recognised test such as TOEFL or IELTS, or through previous upper secondary (high school), university studies, or equivalent.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

Salary: According to local agreement for PhD students.

Starting date: 01-12-2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7, and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines http://regler.uu.se/?languageId=1 .

Scope of employment: 100 %.

For further information about the position please contact: Lina Eklund e-post: lina.eklund@im.uu.se, Annika Waern, e-post: Annika.waern@im.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 15 October 2021, UFV-PA 2021/2864.

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