PhD position on Circular Economy Practices and Collaborative Innovation in the Danish Plastics Industry

Jobbeskrivelse
At the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Aalborg University Business School, we invite applications for a PhD position in business economics, focusing on Circular Economy Practices and Collaborative Innovation in the Danish Plastics Industry. The position is open for appointment from 1 November 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position runs for three years.

Your work tasks
Taking as its point of departure a situation in which the Danish plastics industry is facing increasing pressure to accelerate its transition towards more sustainable and circular modes of production, this project will explore how innovations based on circular practices emerge between companies through ongoing collaboration, coordination, and negotiation across value chains.

Building on recent research into frontrunner firms in the Danish fashion and textile industry (see https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/grøn-omstilling-i-den-danske-mode-og-tekstilindustri-virksomhedsb/ — available in Danish only), the premise of this PhD project is that green transitions are increasingly understood as an ecosystem-level phenomenon rather than something undertaken by individual firms in isolation.

The pressure on the plastics industry stems not only from regulatory developments at the national and EU levels (such as the European Union’s Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment and the planned proposal of a Circular Economy Act), but also from growing sustainability demands articulated by large focal firms that rely on plastic-based components, packaging, and materials in their value chains.

Accordingly, the project will examine how regulatory pressures, customer demands, and strategic responses from supplier firms interact to produce changes at both the firm and ecosystem levels.

A central component of your work will be the collection and analysis of qualitative empirical data. The empirical work will be based on in-depth case studies of firms operating within the Danish plastics industry, with an analytical focus on identifying patterns of collaboration and innovation across cases rather than producing isolated firm narratives.

During the three years of employment, you will also contribute to teaching at Aalborg University Business School, amounting to approximately 600 hours, and will complete PhD courses equivalent to 30 ECTS. In addition, the programme includes an external research stay arranged in agreement with your PhD supervisors.

Your competencies
You must hold a relevant master’s degree, for example in organization and management, innovation studies, business administration, or related social science fields. You should be strongly motivated to conduct in-depth empirical research on innovation and circular economy practices in the Danish plastics industry. Solid qualitative methodological skills are required, and prior experience with qualitative data collection and analysis is considered an advantage.

You are expected to work independently and in a structured manner, and you must have the ability to plan and carry out long-term research tasks. You must also actively contribute to the research environment, share your ongoing work, and engage in constructive feedback with colleagues. Proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Danish is an advantage in relation to teaching and data collection, but it is not a requirement. Please note that non-Danish speaking employees are expected to complete a course in basic Danish language qualifications within the first two years of employment.

Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. 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. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution. PhD candidates must have achieved the grade 10 or above in the Danish grading system (or the equivalent in a different grading system) for their Master’s Thesis/final exam. Please visit the website of the doctoral school for further information on admission requirements.

Please visit the website of the doctoral school for further information on admission requirements.

Who we are
Aalborg University Business School (AAUBS) is a regionally anchored and internationally oriented business school conducting research and teaching within the broad fields of business administration and economics.

You will be affiliated with two research groups, the Strategy, Organisation and Management Group (SOM), which focuses on organising, leadership and decision-making in private and public organisations, and the Innovation, Knowledge and Economic dynamics Group (IKE), which examines knowledge creation and innovation as processes of interactive learning within systemic frameworks. The primary research group affiliation will depend on our project description. You are expected to participate actively in research meetings, seminars and collaborative activities, with a particular emphasis on engagement within your primary research group.

You will be part of a national research project on circularity and innovation in the Danish plastics industry: the Innovation Hub for Circular Plastics (Innovationshub for Cirkulær Plast). This initiative is a collaboration between universities, GTS institutes, and industry organisations such as the Danish Plastics Federation (Plastindustrien). For a brief introduction to the initiative, which forms the foundation of the PhD project, please see: https://industriensfond.dk/projekt/cirkulaer-plast-en-ressource-til-fremtidens-produktion/ (available in Danish only).

As a PhD student, you will also be part of the broader PhD community at Aalborg University Business School, with access to seminars, methodological training, and opportunities for international collaboration.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor's and master's degree diploma, including grades)
• 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. Read more on how to document your English qualifications.
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here.

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.

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.

Read more about The Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities

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Salary and terms of employment
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 (in Danish).

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) (in Danish)

There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

Contacts

• Institutleder, Mette Vinther Larsen: +4599408253, [email protected]
• Professor, Ina Drejer: +4599402744, [email protected]

Ansøgningsfrist
03-08-2026

Ref. nummer
2026/839

Afdeling
Aalborg University Business School