Umeå Institute of Design is looking for a PhD student in
industrial design, to join us. As a PhD student, you are employed
for the duration of the 5 years (80% PhD education, 20% teaching)
of your education. Application is closed.
Description of position
The primary objective of our research is to develop the design
discipline by extending its existing practices and forming its
future foundations. We aim to be at the forefront of addressing how
design can, and needs to, evolve in response to changes in our
social, technical and ecological contexts.
This PhD position is part of this effort, and as we value
diverse perspectives it is thematically open with respect to what
issues and areas to engage with. Considering contemporary and
historical challenges of design research, however, some issues
emerge: the need for a more sustainable development calls for
addressing how design practices can be redirected;
post-industrial changes to patterns of production and consumption
call for a change in design from being oriented towards use and
user, towards instead addressing the social in a much
broader sense; networked and computational technologies altering
the ways things are made and shared, even becoming new
infrastructures for design. And because of the many challenges and
changes, design will also need to evolve its ways of dealing with
complexity. Just to name a few challenges to design.
And most of all, we want to engage in research on what could
become, working with practices of making and design experimentation
that can give material form to imaginative, hopeful speculations on
diverse design futures.
With this position we also aim to strengthen the critical
dimension in teaching in the Bachelor's and Master's programmes,
and thus part of this position is also dedicated to participating
in teaching in our programmes and courses at UID. We believe that
critical and inclusive perspectives are necessary components in the
development of the conceptual foundations and future practices of
industrial design. This PhD position is part of our ongoing efforts
to contribute to furthering the development of such
perspectives.
Competence requirements
To be admitted for studies at third-cycle level the applicant is
required to have completed a second-cycle level degree, or
completed course requirements of at least 240 ECTS credits, of
which at least 60 ECTS credits are at second-cycle level, or have
an equivalent education from abroad or equivalent
qualifications.
To fulfil the specific entry requirements to be admitted for
studies at third-cycle level in industrial design, the applicant is
required to have completed at least 90 ECTS credits within the
field of design, of which at least 30 ECTS credits shall have been
acquired at second-cycle level. Applicants who in some other system
either within Sweden or abroad have acquired largely equivalent
skills are also eligible.
We are looking for someone who believe that you have to be in
dialogue with the world around us to make a difference that matters
- and who has the ability to interact with the society in order to
increase visibility and understanding of research in industrial
design. You are very good in expressing yourself in English - both
spoken and written language.
Type of position/Salary
The position as a PhD student (doktorandanställning) is a
four-year full time employment, which requires teaching or other
departmental work up to 20%, which will lengthen the overall
duration of the position to five years. Salary level and
incremental increases in salary will occur according to a
stipulated scale for PhD students at Umeå University. The PhD
student will be enrolled in the PhD program and employed at Umeå
Institute of Design.
Information
The procedure for recruitment for the positions is in accordance
with the Higher Education Ordinance (chapter 12, 2 §) and the
decision regarding the position cannot be appealed. See:
http://www.teknat.umu.se/digitalAssets/156/156340_handbok-doktorandstudier.pdf
or:
http://www.teknat.umu.se/digitalAssets/104/104209_120618_doktorandhandboken_final.pdf
The position is scheduled to start during the autumn term 2017.
The starting date can be discussed. For further information
about the PhD position and Umeå Institute of Design,
contact Director of PhD Studies at Umeå Institute of Design,
Heather Wiltse, +46 90-786 88 39, heather.wiltse@umu.se or
Vice Rector Maria Göransdotter, +46 90 786
7036, maria.goransdotter@umu.se. Union information is
available from SACO, +46-(0)90-786 53 65, SEKO, +46-(0)90-786 52 96
and ST, +46-(0)90-786 54 31.
The application shall be made through the e-recruitment system
MyNetwork Pro (follow this link) latest September 15,
2017, and must include:
- A cover letter that states your personal motivation for the PhD
position
- Your Curriculum Vitae
- Validated transcripts of records or degree certificates
- A research sketch outlining a proposed theme for your research,
including its connection to design research. This is not
expected to be highly detailed or definite, but it should indicate
the core research area and questions/problematics, as well as the
general approach you think would be appropriate for addressing
them. The purpose of this research plan is to engage in a
conversation with theme and topic, and the final research
plan, should you be accepted, is likely to differ substantially
from this first sketch.
- Names and contact details (telephone and email) of at least two
suitably qualified persons willing to act as referee on
your behalf
- Your design portfolio
- Your master thesis
- Any other documents supporting your competence and suitability
for the position
Please observe that incomplete applications will not be
processed.
More about Umeå Institute of Design
Umeå Institute of Design is ranked as one of the best design
educations in the world. We do research and education in
industrial design, with courses and programmes on both basic,
advanced and PhD level. The education at Umeå Institute of
Design has an artistic foundation, and our courses are often
structured as projects together with external partners. In
these projects the students at Umeå Institute of Design have a
possibility to go deeper in a subject area, where
design methods and design processes are used to create
concepts and solutions for new products, services and
experiences. The students develop and evaluate their ideas in
close collaboration with users, and actively reflect about their
future role in working life, always with the help of
experienced tutors. Umeå Institute of Design has a creative
and international environment, with a flat organization and a
close interaction between students and employees.
Umeå University is dedicated to providing creative
environments for learning and work. We offer a wide variety of
courses and programmes, world leading research, and excellent
innovation and collaboration opportunities. More than 4 300
employees and 31 500 students have already chosen Umeå University.
We welcome your application!
