PhD Student in Human Work Science with a focus on sociotechnical systems

Luleå University of Technology experiences rapid growth with world-leading expertise within several research areas. Our scientific and artistic research and education are conducted in close collaboration with international, national and regional companies, the public sector and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has an annual turnover of just over SEK 2.3 billion. We have more than 1,800 employees and nearly 21,600 students.

The subject of Human Work Science at Luleå University of Technology is seeking a PhD Student for an exciting research environment focused on work environment, advanced technology, and sustainable societal development. The position involves working on research projects concerning the role of humans in sociotechnical systems and how these systems should be designed for a sustainable green and digital transition.

As a PhD Student in Human Work Science, you will belong to a research group in a dynamic environment with close collaboration with industry and universities worldwide. Human Work Science was established in 1974 and currently has 24 employees conducting research and education in both social and technical fields. More information is available on our website: www.ltu.se/arbetsvetenskap .

Subject description

Human Work Science includes research on work environment, technology and production systems, work organization, and/or other social processes from humans’ conditions and needs in order to create safe and attractive work and socially sustainable development in working life, industry and society.

Project description

One research project addresses a central and unresolved issue: how the interaction between humans and technology in safety-critical maintenance work affects risk and productivity in the Swedish mining industry. Effective maintenance is the foundation of a sustainable industry. At the same time, complexity is increasing through digital decision support systems, sensors, AI, and augmented reality. The goal is to develop knowledge and concrete design principles for how sociotechnical systems in safety-critical environments should be designed to strengthen human judgment and performance. The results will contribute to the development of future decision support systems that improve both safety and robustness. The project is carried out in collaboration with Boliden and Epiroc and is also part of the SUN graduate school.

The second research project develops new knowledge to increase circularity in waste management. You will research how municipalities and other actors organize and implement waste management to improve the sustainability transition in Norrbotten. Based on Human Work Science and sociotechnical perspectives, you will map and conduct in-depth case studies to identify user needs and frameworks for digital tools and work methods to improve circularity in waste management. The project is conducted in close collaboration with Region Norrbotten, municipalities, and other stakeholders in waste management, enabling both practice-oriented research and implementation of results.

Duties

As a PhD Student, you will work on and write your doctoral thesis linked to one or more research projects. The position involves both theoretical and practical work. You will be trained in scientific work through the publication of articles in international journals and presentations at national and international conferences. You will also take mandatory and elective doctoral courses. Teaching and other departmental duties may be included up to 20%.

Your work will include:

• Planning, organizing, and conducting independent field studies
• Studying and analyzing work processes, decision-making, and interaction between humans, technology, and organizations
• Conducting observations, interviews, and other qualitative and quantitative data collection methods
• Analyzing empirical data and integrating results into theoretical frameworks
• Contributing to the development of knowledge on how digital systems, work organization, and competence interact in practice
• Working in real work environments, requiring independence, adaptability, the ability to interact with different professional groups, and travel as part of the job

Qualifications

Eligibility requires a Master of Science in Engineering or another master’s degree relevant to Human Work Science research, for example in production environment, production design, work environment, or sociotechnical systems.

In addition, we would like you to have:

• Documented experience or knowledge in ergonomics, occupational health and safety, human factors, or sociotechnical systems
• Experience with both quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Very good knowledge of Swedish and English, both spoken and written
• Ability to work analytically and independently, as well as strong collaboration skills in interdisciplinary teams

It is considered an advantage if you have experience with digitalization, industrial maintenance, the mining sector, or the waste management sector, as well as an interest in sustainability and work environment issues.

For more information about PhD studies, see:

Technical field of study general syllabi | Luleå tekniska universitet

Further information

The PhD Student position is limited to 4 years. Teaching and other departmental duties may be included up to 20% of full-time. The position is based in Luleå, with a planned start as soon as possible.

For further information, please contact:

Union representatives:

SACO-S Diana Chroneer,(+46 )920-49 2037 diana.chroneer@ltu.se
OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, (+46) 920-49 1721 marika.vesterberg@ltu.se

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application

We prefer that you apply via the application button below and include:

Please mark your application with the reference number below. The application and degree certificates must be written in Swedish or English.

Closing date for applications: April 28, 2026

Reference number: 2625-2026

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