Employment opportunity: Post-Doctoral program at Ergonomidesign

Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ) is an independent foundation with the goal of promoting and supporting research in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Flexit Programme is a pilot project at RJ which seeks to find new flexible solutions in order to spread research and researchers outside of academia. Its primary goals are to:

• Build new bridges and networks between research in the humanities and social sciences and the sectors outside the university.
• Ease knowledge transference and stimulate contacts to help both the private and public sectors to access and utilise the competency of academics with doctorates in the fields of the humanities and social sciences.
• Influence the merit system to increase appreciation within academia of input and experience from business and public organisations.
• Demonstrate the possibility of alternative careers for researchers within the humanities and social sciences.

Ergonomidesign is one of five companies included in the second call for applications.

We are looking for Post-Doctoral researchers interested in the following area:

Research profile

Ergonomidesign wants to learn more about how the emotional experience of a product, service or environment can be investigated. Ergonomidesign works daily with the design of new products and services for different markets, in Sweden and internationally. We use design thinking and design methodology to predict future needs and develop new products, services and environments. How can our design methodology and expertise be used to create new methods to study the users' emotional experiences? What role does cultural background, ethnicity, age and lifestyle of the user play for the emotional experience of a product? And what is the role of the emotional experience in relation to the physical and cognitive aspects of the experience?

If you are curious about this, good at building bridges between academia and industry and interested in working with Ergonomidesign you should apply for a job within the FIexit programme. In the application, you specify how you plan to tackle the problems. We envision that you are a PhD in e.g. ethnology, psychology, sociology or a design discipline, but are open to other topics.

Questions regarding Ergonomidesign, please contact:

Krister Torssell, CEO

0046-8 506 67 296 krister.torssell@ergonomidesign.com

Thomas Nilsson, Director of Human Factors

0046-8 506 67 244 thomas.nilsson@ergonomidesign.com

Read more about the call at the RJ website: www.rj.se (in Swedish) or in English below.

Structure

The posts are for a maximum of three years and are comprised of 75% research and 25% as a trainee within the company. RJ will finance the salary and other costs which comprise the research aspect of the post, while the business or organisation will finance the salary for the trainee aspect, as well as the costs for a work station, traditional office infrastructure, internet access as well as access to other office privileges. The company will serve as the employer and is to appoint a mentor for the researcher.

The Applicant

The applicant is to have completed their doctorate within a subject in the humanities or social sciences within roughly the past five years. The applicant should have a good social ability, as well as a good network of contacts both within and outside the world of research.

The period of employment can begin after 1 January 2011. Following a peer review organised by RJ interviews are scheduled for November.

Applications are to have reached RJ by 4pm on 4 October at the latest.  Applications are to be submitted electronically via e-mail to the following address: flexit@rj.se. Applicants are to insert the name of the company or organisation for the post in which they are interested under the subject heading. Please note that applicants may only apply for one of the advertised posts.

Applications are to consist of two PDF documents, one of which may not exceed 20,000 characters, including blank spaces. The applications are to contain:

• A document with a personal letter and a research plan with details of the research the applicant wishes to conduct, based upon the research profile specified by the company in question. The plan is to contain purpose, structure, theory and method, means of enactment, as well as how it relates to current international research. The application is also to specify in what ways the researcher intends to strengthen the connections between academia and both the private and public sectors. Maximum 20,000 characters, including blank spaces.

•  A document with CV (including the researcher’s experience, as well as connections to a Swedish university or college) and names of referees and a list of publications

Questions regarding the post, please contact:

Maria Wikse 08/50 625 410 maria.wikse@rj.se