PhD Candidate in Information Systems

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About the position

The Department of Computer science (IDI) has a vacancy for a PhD research fellow within the field of Information Systems (IS). The position is suited for candidates with a critical yet constructive sociotechnical analysis of complex technological development, adoption and use.

Candidates need expertise and interest in qualitative, interpretative and critical research methods as the work will entail working empirically with data collection from a wide set of stakeholders, drawing on interviews, observations and document analysis.

In this position, you will conduct research as part of the interdisciplinary project Cryptology and social life: Sovereignty, security and society meet digital wallets, while achieving your doctorate degree. In this manner, you will gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education, research and other sectors requiring analytic skills, both within and outside academia.

The position is situated within NTNU’s interdisciplinary area “A more resilient society” (“Et mer motstandsdyktig samfunn”), and affiliated with the interdisciplinary research project “Cryptology and social life” and NTNU’s interdisciplinary team “Democratic resilience” (Demokratisk motstandskraft).

You will also become part of the research groups “Information systems and computer-human interaction, ISCHI” and become a member of our vibrant research community with seminars, guests and visits.Thus, the position offers excellent opportunities for academic development, research collaboration, conference participation, international publication, and engagement with societal actors.

Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD Candidate with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a further career in higher education and research, in and outside academia.

The position is for 4 years. Your immediate leader will be the head of the ISCHI unit.

About the project

The PhD position is part of a group of four PhD’s forming the core of the NTNU funded interdisciplinary project “Cryptology and social life: Sovereignty, security and society meet digital wallets, combining information systems, STS, sociology, ethnography, and cryptology perspectives.

The EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet is currently being deployed, with the intention to provide citizens with easier and expanded access to public and private services. Digital identity wallets will potentially become a critical socio-technical infrastructure also in Norway, and raises challenges related to issues such as privacy, fairness, stakeholder engagement and securityi.

On this background the project's overall goal is to develop knowledge, methodologies and competencies that strengthen Norway's ability to deploy and maintain secure, privacy-preserving and democratically aligned digital identity wallets. Truly interdisciplinary, the challenges cut across issues of digital sovereignty, identity management, security technologies, and sociotechnical practices and imaginaries.

Presently, critical, digital infrastructures are strongly dependent on foreign technology platforms, which limits the options for maintaining national and democratic control and accountabilityi. Safe, digital identities are part of the critical infrastructure of our everyday societies. They enable a wide set of public and private services (cf.

DigDir for Norwegian context). However, existing solutions and infrastructures for digital identites come with several challenges including but not limited to the following.

Many are operated and controlled by corporate entities typically from Big Tech. Having our critical, digital infrastructures dependent on Big Tech make them vulnerable hence undermines our digital sovereignty.

While sufficient up till now, the type of security methods and technology in widespread use today are not quantum-safe, i.e., they are vulnerable to breaches with the advent of working quantum algorithms. To illustrate, the widely used RSA public key scheme underpinning many existing solutions including Norway’s BankID is not quantum safe.

EUID involves the standardisation and coordination across countries in Europe with diverging existing solutions, experiences and expectations, which suggests that actually achieving comprehensive standardisation could be challenging.

The present PhD project is to analyse the technical, political, institutional and cultural conditions for digital wallets in a Norwegian context.

More specifically, important aspects of the PhD project are to understand: (i) the ecosystem (‘infrastructure’, ‘assemblage’) of existing solutions, practices and habits where new, digital wallets are to fit, (ii) the historic evolution of digital identity infrastructures (partly extending, partly substituting, partly competing with alternatives) and (iii) a comparative perspective contrasting Norway’s experience with relevant other European efforts.

Duties of the position

• Actively participate in and contribute to the “Cryptology and social life” project
• Complete the doctoral education until obtaining a doctorate
• Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above
• Academic publications and popular science dissemination
• Participate in the research group ISCHI
• Contribute to collaborative research activities and meetings within the project and the affiliated teams and research groups
• Participate in international activities such as conferences and/or research stays at foreign educational institutions
• Teaching duties in relevant courses at the department
• Other career-promoting work

Be prepared for changes to your work duties after employment. The PhD is obliged to conform with the regulations concerning changes and developments within the position, and/or the organizational changes concerning activities at NTNU.

Required selection criteria

• Master in Information Systems or what corresponds. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis
• Solid, documented expertise in sociotechnical perspective
• Solid, documented expertise in qualitative research methods
• Good fluency in English, orally and written
• The quality and relevance of the project outline (see details below) will be an important part of the overall assessment of candidates.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s PhD programme in Computer science, see Section 6-1 of the PhD regulations for more information.
• You must have a strong and relevant academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position.

Preferred selection criteria

• While not strictly required, fluency of a Scandinavian language is a strength because of qualitative research methods
• Experience with research and scientific publication is a strength

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

• Are intellectually curious and strongly motivated for the subject.
• Are able to work independently and take initiative
• Are eager to collaborate and invite others in
• Have strong professional and analytical skills.
• Are open to feedback and willing to develop your ideas through discussion and collaboration with colleagues and supervisors.

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

We offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• Working capital that can be used to implement the project
• Mentor programme as a new employee at NTNU
• Favourable terms as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)
• Free Norwegian language training at a basic level (A2)

As a PhD Candidate at NTNU, you will have access to employee benefits.

Diversity

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

Salary and conditions

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK 580 000,-per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is for four years for the PhD project.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in [subject area] (link to possible website)within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme through out the period of employment.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to bein conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

About the application

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

The application must include:

• An application letter that specifies your motivation for the position (both for pursuing a PhD generally and for the specific topic) and that describes your academic background and you as a person (1 page)
• A project outline giving an overall description of how you would approach the proposed research project explaining the societal relevance for exploring this topic, suggesting a research problem definition and relevant theoretical perspectives, and your thoughts on research design and the way forward (maximum 1500 words)
• Transcripts and diplomas for Bachelor's and Master's degrees
• CV
• Copy of your Master's thesis. If you have recently submitted your Master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed Master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Possible certificates and relevant publications, or other scholarly work
• Names and contact information of three relevant referees

If the application lacks any of these, it will not be considered.

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor's and Master's education, in addition to other higher education.

If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.

Joint work will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint work, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When assessing the best qualified, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also count when assessing the candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU's social mission).

General information

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Eric Monteiro, eric.monteiro@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR@idi.ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 20.11.2026

For practical information about working at NTNU, please visit this webpage.

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the tech capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world.

Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.