PhD Candidate Focusing on Societal Applications of Drone Swarms

Description:

We have the strength of over 50,000 students and staff members. Students who inspire hope for the future. Staff who every day contribute to Linköping University tackling the challenges of our time. Our values are grounded in credibility, trust, and security. By being brave, thinking freely, and creating something new, we together—through large and small actions—build a better future. Welcome to apply for a job with us! Your Responsibilities As a PhD candidate within CHASS (Centre for Human-AI Swarm Systems), you will work in a multidisciplinary research project addressing the interaction between autonomous drone swarms and societal actors. Your work will involve mapping and analyzing relevant actors and stakeholders, such as public safety organizations, with a focus on how they understand, value, and relate to swarm-based services. This includes using and further developing methods such as actor-network analysis and conducting empirical studies, including interviews, workshops, and other forms of qualitative data collection. You will further study how central concepts such as trust, utility, risk, and responsibility are shaped in relation to swarming technologies (in the air, water, and on land), and contribute to developing conceptual models for value-based governance of swarms. A particular focus lies on how autonomous units can join or leave swarms based on factors such as priority, urgency, and societal relevance. The work is conducted in close collaboration with technically-oriented researchers and PhD candidates within CHASS, where you will contribute perspectives from behavioral sciences, design disciplines, or other relevant social sciences. The results are expected to inform the development of swarm behaviors and system solutions that are perceived as comprehensible, meaningful, and trustworthy by various stakeholders. You will be affiliated with the Human-Centered Systems (HCS) research environment at Linköping University and are expected to actively contribute to this environment. As part of your education, you will also undertake a research exchange (secondment) at Lund University, where you will collaborate with the AI and Society research group at Lund University of Technology (LTH). The position also involves scientific publishing, participation in conferences, and collaboration with other parties in the project. As a PhD candidate, you dedicate yourself to your research training and research projects. Your work may also include teaching or participation in other departmental tasks, up to 20 percent of full-time. Your Qualifications You hold a degree at the advanced level in cognitive science, design, or a subject of central importance to cognitive science or design, alternatively you have completed courses of at least 240 higher education credits with at least 60 higher education credits at the advanced level in cognitive science or design, or a subject of central importance to cognitive science or design (such as Science and Technology Studies, STS, and human-computer interaction, HCI), or you have otherwise acquired substantially equivalent knowledge. You have documented experience working with qualitative and/or quantitative research methods relevant to the study of sociotechnical systems, such as interviews, workshops, user studies, or co-design. Experience with multidisciplinary collaborations and interest in questions concerning AI, autonomous systems, and their role, significance, or consequences in society are particularly meritorious. Very good ability to express yourself in speech and writing in English is a requirement. Knowledge of Swedish or another Scandinavian language is particularly meritorious. You are analytical, structured, and have a strong ability to independently advance research questions. You have a strong interest in multidisciplinary work and good collaborative skills, as the project involves close collaboration with researchers from different disciplines. Furthermore, you are communicative and have the ability to understand different stakeholders' perspectives, which is central to the work with stakeholder analysis and value-based technology development. Your application should include a statement of purpose (maximum 2 pages) in which you describe your research interest in relation to the advertised position, your relevant background, and how you can contribute to the project and the multidisciplinary research environment. The statement of purpose should also include reflections on which subject focus—cognitive science or design—you see as most relevant for your PhD project. Your Workplace HCS is a division within the Department of Computer and Information Science. The division's research and teaching are focused on studying and improving the interaction between humans, technology, and society. HCS conducts research, undergraduate education, and research training in cognitive science, human-computer interaction, design of interactive systems and services, and artificial intelligence from a multidisciplinary perspective. About the Employment Upon taking up employment, you will be admitted to research training. Learn more about research training at each faculty at https://liu.se/forskning/forskarutbildning The employment is time-limited to normally four years full-time. Extension of employment up to five years is based on the degree of teaching and institutional assignments. In special circumstances, further extension may occur. You will initially be employed for one year, after which employment will be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time, based on progress in your study plan. Start date by agreement, preferably no later than October 1, 2026. Security clearance may be conducted before an employment decision is made. Salary and Benefits The doctoral student salary is regulated according to a locally agreed salary scale. Learn more about benefits for employees at https://liu.se/jobba-pa-liu/formaner. Union Representatives For information about union representatives, see https://liu.se/jobba-pa-liu/hjalp-for-sokande. Application You apply for this position by clicking the We have the strength of over 50,000 students and staff members. Students who inspire hope for the future. Staff who every day contribute to Linköping University tackling the challenges of our time. Our values are grounded in credibility, trust, and security. By being brave, thinking freely, and creating something new, we together—through large and small actions—build a better future. Welcome to apply for a job with us! Your Responsibilities As a PhD candidate within CHASS (Centre for Human-AI Swarm Systems), you will work in a multidisciplinary research project addressing the interaction…

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job

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active

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public

City

Linköping

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58.4200361, 15.6226866copyopen in

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Published

27. 5. 2026

Edited

5. 8. 2026

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