PhD Fellow in Management: AI-industrial solutions for sustainable maritime business

About the position

Are you interested in how artificial intelligence can support sustainable industrial transformation? Do you want to research in collaboration with leading researchers and industry partners on how AI solutions are developed, commercialized, and scaled in industrial environments?

USN School of Business invites applications for a fully funded PhD research fellowship in AI solutions for the sustainable maritime industry.

You will be employed for a period of three years for pure research training. The position is available from 01.01.2027. The workplace will be USN Campus Vestfold, Horten.

About the doctoral project

The PhD project investigates how AI solutions can enable sustainable industrial transformation, with a particular focus on the maritime industry. The project will study how such solutions are developed, designed, commercialized, and scaled, and how they contribute to better sustainability and business results in industrial contexts.

AI solutions can help industrial companies use operational data in new ways, for example, to improve fuel efficiency, support predictive maintenance, increase safety, reduce emissions, and optimize resource use. In maritime industries, these opportunities are especially important due to increasing requirements for sustainability, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

However, realizing the benefits of AI solutions is not just a technical challenge. It also requires new forms of collaboration between industrial actors, customers, technology providers, regulators, and other stakeholders. Therefore, the project will investigate ecosystem structures, governance mechanisms, innovation in business models, and organizational capabilities needed to develop and scale AI solutions for sustainable industry.

The overarching research question is:

How can AI solutions be developed, commercialized, and scaled to enable sustainable industrial transformation?

The project may address questions such as how established industrial companies transition from product- and service-oriented offerings to AI-driven solutions, how different actors collaborate to create and capture value, and how AI solutions affect sustainability outcomes in the maritime industry.

The candidate will be affiliated with the research project AIMAR – Unlocking AI Solutions for a Sustainable Maritime Industry: Developing Business Models, Capabilities, and Ecosystems, funded by the Research Council of Norway.

The candidate will also be affiliated with the research group Innovasjonsledelse og markedsdynamikk

It is expected that during the doctoral project you will:

• Complete the doctoral program leading to a PhD within the working hours
• Conduct high-quality research in AI, platform ecosystems, innovation management, and sustainable industrial transformation
• Publish research in internationally recognized academic journals
• Actively participate in the forskningsgruppen for innovasjonsledelse og markedsdynamikk
• Participate in relevant doctoral courses and training activities
• Present research findings at national and international conferences
• Engage with industry partners participating in the AIMAR project
• Contribute to a collaborative and internationally oriented research environment
• Be prepared for changes in your work tasks after employment

Qualifications

To be employed as a PhD fellow, you must have:

• A Master's degree (normally 120 ECTS credits) in business administration, management, innovation and entrepreneurship, industrial engineering and management, strategy, information systems, economics, social sciences, or related disciplines relevant to the doctoral project.

• Applicants with higher education completed outside Norway must present documentation that the education is recognized and approved by the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). You must submit your application for approval before the application deadline for the position. The approval must be forwarded when available, and it is a requirement for employment.

• Documented good methodological competence. You must have competence in both quantitative and qualitative methods and at least one documented course in methodology at the Master's level.
• A weighted average grade of B or higher in the Master's degree.
• The Master's thesis must be submitted for assessment by the application deadline. You must document that you have completed the Master's degree before you can start the position.
• Documented skills in English, both written and oral (see 'Requirements for English competence')

NB: The applicant must satisfy the requirements for authorization for level BEGRENSET. You can read more about this on the websites of Nasjonal sikkerhetsmyndighet and Sivil klareringsmyndighet.

NB: It is a requirement that you, at the latest three months after starting the position, meet the formal requirements for admission to USN's doctoral programs and the USN School of Business's doctoral program in Management.

Personal qualities

To complete a PhD within the deadline, it is important that you have the right personal qualities. That is, you can:

• Demonstrate motivation and potential for research in the field
• Work independently, but also participate in teamwork
• Work in a structured manner, set goals, and create plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other academics
• Engage and contribute constructively with feedback
• Work constructively under pressure or in the face of adversity
• Analyze data, evaluate different perspectives, and draw well-founded conclusions
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the project plan as needed

Requirements for English competence

This position requires good English skills. International applicants must document this with a valid certificate from one of the following tests. Specific grade requirements can be found on our website regarding English requirement for programmer og undervist på engelsk ved USN.

• TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT)
• IELTS – International English Language Testing System
• Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge
• PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic

The following applicants are exempt from the requirements mentioned above:

• Applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, or USA
• Applicants who have completed a Master's degree with English as the language of instruction in an EU or EEA country
• Applicants who are exempt based on the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir)'s GSU list (Higher education entrance qualification for foreign applicants)

Applicants from Norway can confirm their English skills by submitting transcripts from upper secondary school.

Project description

Applicants must submit a preliminary research project description along with the application. The project description should be short and concise, 4–5 pages, and include the following elements:

• Introduction (title, main problem statement, research question, and background for the project)
• Topic for the planned doctoral project and field of study
• One or more overarching research questions with justification (theoretical grounding, need for more knowledge in the field, and societal relevance)
• Relevant theory
• A preliminary plan for data collection (research design, method, data, and sampling)
• A preliminary timeline for the PhD project period
• Reference list (maximum 15 references)

When the application is assessed, special emphasis will be placed on:

• Formal qualifications
• The project's scientific quality, research relevance, and novelty/innovation
• The project's relevance to the PhD program's profile (PhD in Management)
• The project's relevance to the research area described in the announcement text
• The applicant's ability to complete the project within the timeframe
• The applicant's ability to complete the doctorate
• The personal qualities mentioned above

We offer

• Organized research training in a large project with an important social mission
• Career advice and guidance throughout the entire doctoral program.
• In collaboration, we develop a career plan that includes the skills and knowledge you will acquire.
• An inclusive working environment with ambitious colleagues. The opportunity to take Norwegian courses. Salary in accordance with the Norwegian state salary scale for research fellows (position code 1017) NOK 550,800. In special cases, code 1378 may be used. Further advancement occurs based on seniority in the position.
• Statutory contributions to the Statens pensjonskasse are deducted from the salary.
• Membership in the Norwegian offentlige pensjonsfondet, which ensures favorable pension, insurance, and loan schemes.

Diversity

We believe that diversity is a resource in our work and learning environment. Different experiences and backgrounds contribute to different perspectives and better solutions to the challenges to be solved. We are committed to respecting each other's differences and will facilitate employees with disabilities. We take your needs and your situation in different life stages into account.

If you find this position interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, cultural background, or whether you have been outside the workforce for a period. If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in the CV, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups to an interview. If you recognize yourself in one of these categories, you can check the box in our job application portal.

Get to know us

Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge (USN) is among the country's largest higher education institutions, with around 18,000 students and 1,900 employees.

Video: https://vimeo.com/898549899/60305e2540General information

The Recruitment Body for PhD Fellowships (TUS) is the hiring authority. Your competence for the position will be assessed by an expert committee. The expert committee will assess your competence for the position based on the documentation you have registered in Jobbnorge.

Based on the expert committee's statement, selected applicants will be invited to an interview and a trial lecture. References will also be obtained for selected candidates.

Hiring with us is conducted according to the principles in the statsansatteloven. The University's Retningslinjer for rekrutteringsstillinger ved USN provide further details on the criteria for employment as a PhD fellow.

As an employee with us, you must at all times adapt to changes brought about by developments in the field and the organizational changes that are adopted.

How to apply

If you find this position interesting and it matches your qualifications, you can submit an application electronically by clicking "Søk stillingen" on this page. Here you must write a short application text and information about your relevant education and work experience. In the application text, you must clearly describe your skills and motivation for the position.

The application must include:

• Certified transcripts for your bachelor's and master's degrees. Diplomas must be in a Scandinavian language or in English.

• Applicants with higher education completed outside Norway must present documentation that the education is recognized and approved by the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). You must submit your application for approval before the application deadline for the position. Attach a receipt (email) or decision when you apply. The approval must be forwarded when available, and it is a requirement for employment.

• Transcripts/documentation of methodological knowledge.
• An explanation of the grading system for foreign education (diploma supplement if available).
• The complete Master's thesis. If this was written jointly, you must attach a short statement regarding your contribution. If the masteroppgaven ikke er innlevert ved the time of application, you must attach a one-page summary.
• Other relevant certificates or transcripts.
• A 4-5 page project description (see "Project description").
• Documentation of English language proficiency (see "Requirements for English competence").
• Any scientific publications and a list of these.
• Contact information for up to two references.

The following documents must be delivered at the latest one week before the interview can take place:

• For applicants from outside the Nordics, we require valid documentation of English proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS)
• For applicants with higher education outside Europe, we require valid documentation of GMAT or GRE results

The application will be assessed based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the expiration of the application deadline. Ensure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the competence requirements described in the job advertisement.

When we assess who is best qualified for the position, we emphasize education, experience, and personal qualities.

All documentation must be submitted in a Scandinavian language or English. If the attachments exceed 30 MB in total, they must be compressed before uploading.

Please note that information about you as an applicant may be made public even if you have requested not to be included on the public applicant list (cf. paragraf 25 i den norske informasjonsloven.) You will be notified if your request for exemption from publication is denied.

We only assess applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge. Upon request, you must be able to provide certified copies of your documentation.

Contact information

For information about the position: Professor Vinit Parida vinit.parida@ltu.se

Associate Professor Thomas Brekke thomas.brekke@usn.no +4731009339

For questions and the recruitment process HR Advisor Kari Ann Sommerset ksom@usn.no.

About the employer:

USN is the university near you. Here we work together to find solutions. For the local community, the world, and all of us who live here. On our campuses from fjord to mountain, you will work close to your home in southeastern Norway. Here, you will do meaningful work among a vibrant student life and innovative research environments. You will get a workplace that is close to the major societal challenges – and at the same time close to the solutions for them. Work that we tackle with our very best tools: education and research.

We offer profession-oriented and work-life-oriented education, research, and knowledge dissemination of high international quality. As an employee, you can delve into your own field, while having access to a buffet of opportunities for development and learning. Through official channels – and through a network of knowledgeable and generous colleagues who know a lot about many things.

USN is the result of mergers between former colleges. Høyskolen i Sørøst-Norge was formed on January 1, 2016, when Høyskolen i Buskerud og Vestfold merged with Høyskolen i Telemark. The college received university status in 2018. Our Rector is Pia Cecilie Bing-Jonsson.

Read more about what it is like to work at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

USN School of Business offers bachelor's and master's degrees in a range of subject areas, as well as a PhD in Management. In addition to several year-long studies and many continuing education studies. USN School of Business offers economics and management education part-time on campus and online. We have everything from individual subjects at the bachelor's level to year-long studies in management or full master's degrees that can be taken alongside work.