University of Gothenburg

Call for applicants: Three years Postdoctoral fellowship in Marketing at School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future. 

Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest city with around 600.000 inhabitants. It is a distinctly Scandinavian city, known for its nature and proximity to the sea, as well as for the likeable and liveable size of the city centre. For more information about our city, please refer to https://visitsweden.com/where-to-go/southern-sweden/goteborg/

The School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, is hereby inviting candidates to apply for a postdoctoral fellowship in Marketing with an estimated start during 2024. This fellowship will be financed by a scholarship provided by the Department of Business Administration. The duration of the fellowship is three years (full-time), with a possibility of a three-year extension. The position could potentially be combined with teaching up to 30% of a full-time position, should the candidate wish.

The School of Business, Economics and Law, with its more than 3,700 full-time students, 470 employees, 160 international partner universities, provides a stimulating research environment. The School is accredited by EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, a so-called ‘triple-crown’ accreditation.

The Department of Business Administration is the largest department at the School of Business, Economics and Law, and conducts extensive research and is responsible for education programmes at first-cycle and second-cycle levels, as well as third-cycle education in the subject areas of Business Administration and Economic Geography. The Department has more than 140 employees and is divided into four sections: Industrial and Financial Management & Logistics, Management & Organisation, Marketing, and Accounting.

This postdoctoral fellowship is situated at the Marketing section, which comprises 4 full Professors, 5 Associate Professors, 6 Assistant Professors and 10 post doc researchers and PhD students. The research at the Marketing section is diverse, focusing on several different empirical and theoretical areas.

Subject description

The postdoctoral fellowship is focused specifically on Consumer Privacy.  Over just a few years, search engines, social media, and other online actors, have gathered the data left behind by our activities that were once considered private, into vast databases that are often shared and public. These digital footprints hold information about who we are, what we think, and what we like; all highly valued in data-driven markets. Once created, this information can be easily replicated and sold across ecosystems. Unlike analogue data, digital data is also likely to persist for a long time, that may even persist after we have died. While the exact consequences of this erosion of consumer privacy are not yet clear, they are clearly of high societal importance.

Scholars within marketing and related fields are currently exploring how consumers make decisions regarding their privacy, consequences of privacy-related behaviors, the impact of development of artificial intelligence, and the role of government policies for improving consumer privacy. A successful candidate should want to contribute to the development of knowledge in this field. While previous experience of research and publications within marketing is an important qualification, they do not necessarily have to be in the domain of consumer privacy. As the successful candidate will be part of a research team, ability to cooperate, forward looking research ambitions, and personal suitability are important qualifications for this position.

Qualifications

• Applicants should hold a recent, or be close to finishing, a PhD in Marketing, or a related area. The degree will be considered recent if it has been passed within the last three years, however parental leave and other circumstances will be taken into account when assessing eligibility and should therefore be stated in the application.
• Research potential is our key selection criterion for the advertised position. The successful candidate will be expected to carry out research suitable for publications on consumer privacy, and related topics, in highly ranked marketing journals with the support of other researchers at the department.
• Knowledge about quantitative methods and experimental design is considered a good merit.
• Ability to cooperate, personal suitability, and excellent knowledge of English are important qualifications.

Financial and practical information

The fellowship will be financed by an individual scholarship, which has been awarded to the School by the Browaldh foundation, intended to finance a suitable applicant chosen by the School for three years. You will not be employed by the University since the scholarship is awarded individually, however you will be located at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg and be a member of a research team. The scholarship is currently 460.000 SEK per year (tax free), and is intended to cover the equivalent of a (full-time) salary. The candidate also receives 100.000 SEK per year set to cover insurance costs and 50.000 SEK per year for expenses (travel and other costs) for the duration of three years. Upon the successful completion of these three years, there is a possibility to apply for an extension of another three years.

The position could potentially be combined with teaching up to 30% of a full-time position, should the candidate wish. Compensation for involvement in teaching will be in the form of salary and will be added on top of the individual scholarship. The successful candidate will be expected to start the fellowship in 2024 and will be expected to work at the Department of Business Administration in central Gothenburg.

Application procedure and closing date

Applications should be submitted to Postdoc-fek@handels.gu.se no later than December 4, 2023.

Application

The application should include the following documentation combined into one single file, preferably in the file format pdf:

1. Table of contents
2. Cover letter
3. A detailed CV, including your full name, birth year, address and contact information
4. Copies of degree certificates, grade transcripts or other certificates
5. A letter of intent in which the applicant describes how he/she will approach the research assignment if selected for the fellowship (maximum 2 pages)
6. An account of scholarly/research qualifications, including a description of prior scholarly/research activities and contributions. Two examples of research in the form of a publication or a working paper should be enclosed.
7. References, including their names, title, contact information and current position (minimum 2 references)

The process

After the application closing date, the process will consist of assessment of all submitted applications by Section and Department representatives establishing a shortlist of candidates who will individually be invited to zoom interviews by a panel of faculty. Second interviews will also take place, possibly located at the School in Gothenburg. After that, the final candidate’s references will be contacted. Additional documentation might be requested should the candidate proceed in the process, and before a decision is made. In case of questions regarding the process or your application, please contact Postdoc-fek@handels.gu.se

Contact information

In case of questions regarding the research area, please contact:

Jonas Nilsson, Associate Professor in Marketing

E-mail: Jonas.nilsson@handels.gu.se

Jeanette Carlsson Hauff, Associate Professor in Marketing and Head of Graduate School

Email: jeanette.hauff@handels.gu.se