PhD-student in Economics for our interdisciplinary project with WASP-HS

The Department of Economics is one of the largest departments within the Faculty of Social Sciences with approximately 100 employees from a dozen countries. Each year about 1,000 students participate in undergraduate (BA), graduate (MA) and PhD level courses. The research conducted at the department is mainly focused on labour economics, macroeconomics, political economics and public economics. Researchers at the department are frequently engaged as experts by the government and by the media, and interact with the society in a number of ways.

We are currently seeking a PhD student to join the PhD program at the Department of Economics and participate in the national WASP-HS graduate school.

The PhD Program at the Department of Economics prepares you both for a career in academia as well as for qualified positions in government ministries and agencies, international organizations and the private sector. We offer an intellectually stimulating research environment with several research seminars each week and a large flow of international guests.

Duties/Project description
The holder of a PhD-student position in this project will be employed and based at the Department of Economics and will be part of the national WASP-HS graduate school. The research will be conducted within the framework of the interdisciplinary project AI, Structural Change and the Future of Work.

The project is led by Professor Oskar Nordström Skans at the Department of Economics, Uppsala University, who will also serve as the main supervisor for the PhD student.

The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program – Humanity and Society (WASP-HS) 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 interdisciplinary research cluster “AI, Structural Change and the Future of Work” (2025–2029) brings together researchers from Uppsala University, Mälardalen University, Örebro University, and KTH. The researchers come from the fields of economics, business studies, and sociology. The program conducts empirical studies on how the labor market is changing due to the use of AI and other technological innovations. The studies analyze both how employees are affected when certain tasks are automated and how they are impacted when recruitment and HR functions become AI-based. In addition, the program examines how the introduction of AI cause structural change and how it may influence the optimal design of social support systems. The program currently includes 12 senior researchers and will also include three PhD students and newly recruited postdocs. As a PhD student, you will be part of the interdisciplinary research group and participate in the WASP-HS national graduate school, which connects PhD students from a wide range of disciplines who study AI from various perspectives. The school also creates contact points with AI-developers and AI-users in both the private and public sectors.

The PhD position is four years of full-time studies. Other departmental work, such as educational or administrative can be part of the position (max 20%). Read more about the PhD Programme at the Department of Economics here.

Requirements
General admission requirements: For admission to the PhD Programme, the applicant must have completed at least 240 ECTS-credits of coursework (four years of full-time studies), including at least 60 ECTS-credits at the advanced (master) level (one year of full-time studies), or have acquired the equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

In addition to the general admission requirements, the applicant must have at least 90 ECTS-credits in economics (three semesters), or have acquired the equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad. The candidate should have strong collaborative skills and an interest in interdisciplinary research.

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

How to apply
Required documents for the application:

1. A CV.
2. Personal letter (max. two pages) in which you describe why you want to enroll in the PhD Programme in Economics at Uppsala University and implement this research project.
3. Attested copies of all qualifications, including all completed academic courses and academic degrees.
4. Copies of essays that you have authored.
5. Contact information for two academic references (address, email address and telephone number).

Salary: According to local agreement for PhD students

Starting date: Jan 10, 2026 or according to agreement – potential requests for start of employment by august 18, 2025, which would imply a start of courses during this fall term shall be written in the application.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7

Scope of employment: 100 %

For questions about the PhD Programme and the employment, please contact: the Director of PhD Studies, Mikael Bask, mikael.bask@nek.uu.se.  

For questions about the project and/or WASP-HS, please contact: Professor Oskar Nordström Skans, oskar.nordstrom_skans@nek.uu.se.

Please submit your application no later than 1st of July, 2025, UFV-PA 2025/1871.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.