06.01.2026PhD Candidate in Societal Digitalization (80%)

The Department of Sociology at the University of Zurich looks back on more than 50 years of active research and teaching. It is one of the leading empirically oriented institutes in Switzerland and Europe. The basic understanding is based on theory-driven empirical social research with a strong focus on quantitative methods.

The focus of Prof. Dr. Gemma Newlands' team is on the sociology of societal digitialization, with a particular interest in the social dynamics of human-AI hybridity in the workplace. The advertised PhD position will be embedded in this broader research programme and contribute to several of its core strands, investigating themes such as augmentation, complacency, and temporal trade-offs.
 

We are seeking a PhD student dedicated to mixed methods research, combining quantitative and qualitative methods.

Your primary responsibilities are:

• Designing and conducting empirical research on the interdependence between humans and AI in diverse work settings.
• Contributing to a longitudinal mixed-methods study combining surveys, interviews and follow-up assessments across different stages of working life.
• Co-leading a comprehensive time-use diary study that explores how hybrid augmentation redistributes time, attention and social responsibilities.
• Conducting organizational case studies across different industries to examine how hybrid intelligence reshapes workflows, team collaboration and authority.
• Supporting outreach and engagement activities (e.g., presentations, workshops, public-facing summaries).

In this role, you get to engage in all phases of the research process, from conceptualization, study design, data collection, data analysis, reporting, scientific publishing, and dissemination.

In addition, you will be developing your independent PhD research project aligned with the broader programme and contributing to first-authored publications.

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