Reannouncement: PhD Position in DigiBreak - Ethnographic Perspectives on Telecommunication Disruptions and Cyberattacks – Subproject Greenland

Reannouncement: PhD Position in DigiBreak - Ethnographic Perspectives on Telecommunication Disruptions and Cyberattacks – Subproject Greenland

At the Department of Culture and Learning, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Aalborg University’s Copenhagen campus, a position as a PhD Fellow within the field of Techno-anthropology is availiable. The position is for a three-year PhD project, ideally starting August 1 2025.The project will encompass the ethnographic study of telecommunication disruptions and maintenance practices in Greenland. The PhD is part of the research project DigiBreak - Ethnographic Perspectives on Telecommunication Disruptions and Cyberattacks, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, Semper Ardens Accelerate.

Jobbeskrivelse
Project description

The PhD student is expected to contribute to DigiBreak by undertaking research in the Greenlandic case involving fieldwork in north and east Greenland(2 x 1,5 months). The aim of DigiBreak is to investigate ethnographically how people experience and manage digital infrastructure breakdowns, specifically telecommunication and cybersecurity breakdowns in Greenland and Denmark. Mobilizing literature from science and technology studies(STS), media studies and social anthropology, the project aims to redefine digital breakdowns as everyday“normal” occurrences rather than extraordinary crises. The DigiBreak project focuses on mundane resilience and adaptability strategies at infrastructural peripheries. Shifting attention to such mundane practices fosters an understanding of breakdown and infrastructural edges in highly digitised societies.

The PhD student is expected to conduct ethnographic research and engage with the research done in DigiBreak. In the application, candidates are encouraged to state their interests within the fields of science and technology studies, infrastructure studies, and arctic studies in the form of a brief project proposal(see below). The purpose is to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to pose relevant, original, and theoretically engaged questions within a specific focus area.

Themes for the proposal may include, but are not limited to, the following avenues:

• Everyday individual or community practices of coping with breakdowns
• Amateur or professional repair and maintenance practices related to telecommunication infrastructures
• The role of public institutions such as schools and municipal offices in managing infrastructural disruptions

The research questions, methodology, and project plan for the PhD-project will be developed through supervision by PI Associate Professor Mette Simonsen Abildgaard and Postdoc Laura Kocksch in the project’s initial phase.
The position

The position is a three-year, full-time (37 hours per week) engagement. The PhD position is integrated in the award-winning research environment Techno-anthropology Lab(TANTlab) located on Aalborg University’s Copenhagen campus. TANTlab offers a vibrant group of international scholars working with fieldwork methods, design interventions, and digital/computational methods to engage users, publics, and partners in exploring dilemmas, controversies, and paths to sustainable and desirable futures. We strive towards creating best possible conditions for PhD fellows, i.e., flexible work hours and opportunities for personal and professional development.

Qualification Requirements

• Applicants should bring a curious mindset and strong interest in Science and Technology Studies and/or Arctic studies.
• Applicants must demonstrate the ability to conduct ethnographic research such as participant observation, attested by prior publications, or a relevant Master or Bachelor thesis.
• Priority will be given to applicants with knowledge of the project’s Arctic context, and Greenland in particular.
• Good written and spoken English language skills are mandatory.
  
• Greenlandic(Kalaallisut, Tunumiisut or Inuktun) language skills are recommended.
  
• The position requires interest in scientific work and publishing.
• The candidate is expected to contribute to educational programs at the Department of Learning and Culture.
• Master students currently writing their master’s thesis are welcome to apply.

General information
PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master’s degree, or expect to have obtained the Master’s degree before the employment date(Statement from thesis supervisor, verified transcripts, thesis contract and documentation of the date of the exam must be enclosed). According to the PhD Order, the PhD study comprises among other requirements: Participation in active research environments, including stays at other, mainly foreign, research institutions, private research enterprises etc.

It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at The Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities, in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of 27 August 2013(PhD Order).

Application
Please visit the website of the doctoral school for further information on the PhD programme, application procedure, and admission requirements.

Application for enrollment

• A cover letter, incl. motivation to apply for the position(max. 2 pages
• Application form
• A project proposal incl. a research question, timeline, possible relevant literature(max. 2 pages)
• Copy of diplomas/transcripts
• Curriculum vitae(CV)
• List of publications written work(optional)
• Sample of written work, e.g. master´s thesis(optional)

Applicants WHO are planning to complete a doctoral thesis in English and who do not have English as a first language or WHO have not completed an English language-based Master's programme(or an equivalent educational achievement in English) shall provide documentation that they have passed one of the following official tests with the respective minimum score: IELTS(band score): 7, TOEFL(paper-based): 600, TOEFL(internet-based): 100. The language test must be no more than five years old at the time of the application.

The application can only be submitted by using the link on AAU’s job-portal https://www.stillinger.aau.dk/ (not other online job portals that may have reposted the position). Please note that zipped files are not supported by the recruitment system, please upload only Word or PDF files.

Assessment
The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.

Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

When the hiring process is completed, a final rejection will be sent to the applicants who are not considered for the position.

Contact

For inquiries concerning the position and DigiBreak project, please contact PI Mette Simonsen Abildgaard: [email protected]

For further information on the PhD programme at Aalborg University please visit www.kultur.aau.dk

For general information about the application process etc., please contact Lene Møller e-mail: [email protected]
AAU wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background or belief.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Løn og ansættelsesvilkår
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities(the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state(AC collective agreement)(only in Danish).

Ansøgningsfrist
2025-04-22

Ref. nummer
10-25019