Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (Digit) PhD Studentship

Summary of award

Digit is offering a studentship (with stipend) to start October 2021 (or soon thereafter) on the impacts of digital technology take up on the labour market.

Scholarship overview

The Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (Digit), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), aims to advance our understanding of how digital technologies are reshaping work. The studentships are part of the Economics PhD programme at the University of Sussex Business School, which forms part of the ESRC’s South-East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS). Successful candidates will have access to the training and support available through SeNSS.

There is one studentship on offer focusing on adoption of digital technologies in the labour market

Amount

This PhD studentship cover fees for Homes students and a offers a maintenance allowance (currently £15,285) each year.

PhD Project

The studentship will involve a doctoral student undertaking research on take up of digital technology in the workplace. We invite research proposals that seek to understand the impacts of digital technology adoption on the labour market and firms. The spread of digital technology is likely to lead to diverse outcomes across different groups within the labour market. Some of the consequences of these transformations may be that those with complementary skills benefit from new opportunities, whereas those with mismatched skills may experience declining labour market opportunities. 

A core aim of the Digit centre is to develop a clear understanding of these diverse outcomes and to understand the ways in which Government policy can both promote and support individuals in this changing labour market. We are particularly interested in proposals that contribute to these broad aims of the Centre.  

The student’s main supervisor will be Prof Jacqueline O’Reilly (Digit Director) with co-supervision from Prof Richard Dickens (Economics, University of Sussex Business School). We invite prospective applicants to contact either Prof Reilly or Prof Dickens for an informal discussion about their research proposal.

The studentship includes all the shared support available to the Early Career Researchers (ECRs) at the University of Sussex, in addition to that provided by the Digit centre through the Mid- and Early-Career Researchers (MECR) Forum, and through SeNSS. They will be mentored by senior academics outside their host university and will be able to attend dedicated training events and workshops. They will belong to a larger cohort of PhD students and ECRs across the various locations of the Digit centre and will be expected to take an active part in joint activities, events and career development opportunities.

Eligibility

We normally expect applicants to have at least a Merit (an average of 60% of overall) in a relevant Masters degree and an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree. Your qualification should be in economics. You may also be considered for the degree if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing. You should also have a demonstration of proficiency of English, if required. So, that is:

-2:1 honours degree

-AND a Masters degree in economics with at least a Merit.

-Proof of proficiency in English i.e., an IELTS certificate taken within the last two years. (At least 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each of the four sections.)

These studentships can only cover Home Student fees and are therefore open to UK students (or those with indefinite leave to remain / settled status in the UK). Overseas (including EU) applicants would need to indicate how they would fund the difference between UK and Overseas fees, which are not covered by this studentship.

You count as a UK student if you are :

·        a UK national who has been living in the UK or EU for the three years prior to starting your course;

·        an EU national with Settled Status;

·        an EU national with Pre-Settled status who has been living in the UK for 3 years prior to starting your course;

·        a student will Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK;

·        an Irish National (due to a reciprocal agreement with the UK)

All other students, including EU nationals moving to the UK to start their PhD, will count as Overseas students.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified people, regardless of ethnicity, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and working patterns. 

How to apply

Please submit a formal application, using our online application system at http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply. In addition to the documents listed in the guidance on that webpage (which include a research proposal), applicants should submit:

·        statement of interest that indicates why you would like to be considered and what you would like to research, highlighting clearly whether you would like to be considered for the PhD (max 1 page)

·        a piece of written work (e.g. essay/project from your undergraduate or master’s course)

On the application system use Programme of Study – PhD Economics.

Please make sure you include Prof Jacqueline O’Reilly as your preferred supervisor and Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (Digit) PhD studentship in the Funding Section of the application form.

For any queries about the PhD studentship, please contact [Email Address Removed]

Timetable

Applications due to Sussex: 26 July 2021

Interviews anticipated: 23rd or 24th August

Outcomes anticipated: Week commencing 30 August

Start PhD: October 2021 (or soon thereafter)