Vacant job

Are you ready to take the next step in your academic journey? As a doctoral student with us, you will work closely with leading researchers in a strong and international research environment, with access to advanced laboratory equipment and good funding opportunities. You are offered a secure employment, high-quality supervision, and room to grow, both as a researcher and as a person.

Do you want to conduct research close to one of Sweden's most strategic industrial investments – and contribute to the transition to fossil-free steel?

Then you will work on a unique change project where you will continuously be able to contribute to a better functioning practice while building your own competence in driving change. Thus, you qualify both to continue as a researcher within academia while building a competence that will be highly sought after in industry.

The subject of entrepreneurship and innovation at Luleå University of Technology focuses on how companies and organizations develop new business models, technologies, and ways of working in interaction with their surroundings. The research combines strategic, organizational, and behavioral perspectives and studies how innovation arises, is implemented, and creates value in industrial environments. Particular strength exists in industrial renewal, sustainable transition, and collaboration between academia and business – with a clear link to the development of the basic industry.

Subject Description

For subject description see https://www.ltu.se/medarbetarwebben/organisation-och-styrning/forskningsamnen-och-utbildningsamnen#h-Inrattadeforskningsamnenochutbildningsamnen (https://www.ltu.se/medarbetarwebben/organisation-och-styrning/forskningsamnen-och-utbildningsamnen#h-Inrattadeforskningsamnenochutbildningsamnen)

Project Description

The project is carried out in close collaboration with SSAB and focuses on how established production systems in Nordic basic industry can develop organizational and operational capacity to enable a large-scale transition to green steel. The green transformation implies not only technological change, but also requires new ways of working, leadership practices, and forms of organization that make the business ready for new processes, requirements, and business logics.

The study is expected to contribute to the research frontier within entrepreneurship and innovation by developing knowledge about how entrepreneurial ways of working can be institutionalized in established industrial systems during structural transition. At the same time, the project contributes with empirically grounded knowledge about how Nordic production can be developed to meet the requirements for sustainable and competitive green steel.

Responsibilities

A doctoral position involves both theoretical and practical work. As a doctoral student, you are trained in scientific work in the form of publishing scientific articles in journals and at national and international conferences. You also read mandatory and optional doctoral courses. In addition, you may get the opportunity to try out the teaching role. As a doctoral student, you work as a neutral party in many contexts, which gives a fantastic opportunity to learn how to drive challenging development projects. A significant part of the work involves building contacts and interacting with everyone from floor staff to management groups.

Qualifications

We are looking for an analytically strong and curious person with good methodological competence and a genuine interest in how innovation and entrepreneurial leadership work in industrial organizations. You thrive in the borderland between academia and business, can work independently, and have the ability to create trust in different professional contexts. Experience from the process industry is meritorious. You are motivated by combining theoretical depth with practical relevance and see the value in contributing to both scientific development and industrial transition.

As a person, you are resilient, structured, and comfortable working in complex environments where different perspectives meet. You have a developed ability to express yourself both orally and in writing in both Swedish and English. Knowledge of Finnish is an asset since SSAB also operates in Finland.

Basic eligibility for postgraduate education is held by those who have 1. completed an advanced level degree, 2. completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or 3. in some other way within or outside the country acquired substantially equivalent knowledge. In addition to the basic eligibility, knowledge in business administration, industrial economics, management, or related subjects is required.

For further information about specific doctoral education see https://www.ltu.se/forskning/utbildning-pa-forskarniva/forskningsamnen-och-allmanna-studieplaner/humanistiskt-samhallsvetenskapligt-omrade-allmanna-studieplaner (https://www.ltu.se/forskning/utbildning-pa-forskarniva/forskningsamnen-och-allmanna-studieplaner/humanistiskt-samhallsvetenskapligt-omrade-allmanna-studieplaner)

Information

Employment as a doctoral student is fixed-term for 4 years, teaching and other institutional duties may be added up to 20% of full time. Place of work: Luleå. Intended start date: August 1, 2026.

For further information, you are welcome to contact Mats Westerberg, 0920-49 1808, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Union representatives:

SACO-S Diana Chroneer, 0920-49 2037 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

OFR-S Marika Vesterberg, 0920-49 1721 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Application

We prefer that you apply for the position via the application button below, where you attach a cover letter as well as a CV/resume and copies of verified degree certificates. Please mark your application with the reference number below. Both the application and degree certificates must be written in Swedish or English.

Last day of application: 2026-06-15

Reference number: 3247-2026