PhD in Work And Organizational Psychology

We have a vacancy for a three-year PhD candidate at the Department of Psychology. This PhD project is embedded in Work and Organizational Psychology and forms part of the 'CAI-BLUE' project: Nordic Perspectives on Collaborative AI for Blue-collar Work. The PhD will develop and test a flexible evaluation framework for AI agents introduced into blue-collar workplaces (e.g., manufacturing, logistics, repair, and food processing). Focusing on workers’ experiences, the project will identify which contextual and psychosocial factors shape how employees perceive and respond to AI-supported collaboration. There will be a human-computer interaction dynamic to this PhD. Drawing on theories such as Self-Determination Theory and implementation science, the PhD will combine quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations, and case studies) to: (1) map organizational readiness and existing practices around AI, (2) assess proximal outcomes such as trust in AI, perceived usefulness, collaboration dynamics, and autonomy, and (3) examine longer-term effects on wellbeing, work engagement, and perceived work ability. The aim is to understand what works, for whom, and under which conditions when collaborative AI agents are introduced in blue-collar settings, and to translate this into practical tools and guidelines for responsible, worker-centred AI adoption in the Nordic labour market. Location: Trondheim, Norway. Starting date: as soon as possible.