4-year PhD Studentship: AI Selecting or Evaluating Humans. Professional and Ethical Tensions in the use of AI in Organisations

University of Sussex - ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work, Department of Management, University of Sussex Business School

The ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) aims to advance our understanding of how digital technologies are reshaping work. This PhD project will focus on identifying and mapping the professional, ethical, organisational and work-related challenges surrounding the adoption of AI technology for human selection and evaluation. The research is expected to adopt an interpretivist, social constructionist perspective.

This studentship is part of the Management Integrated PhD programme at the University of Sussex Business School.

Benefits:

The PhD studentship is offered for a maximum of four years, beginning in September 2026, renewable on a yearly basis, subject to satisfactory performance on the doctoral degree. The successful candidate will receive:

• Full UK/International fees
• A stipend equivalent to UKRI doctoral stipend, £20,780 (2025/26) per annum for up to four years.

Eligibility:

Open to those meeting UK/International fee level requirements. Applicants should have:

• Minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree
• A Master’s degree ideally in a relevant subject area such as management, organisation studies and sociology with ideally at least a merit mark (60%), or equivalent professional experience.
• Proof of proficiency in English i.e., an IELTS certificate taken within the last two years. (At least 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each of the four sections.)

Application procedure:

• For full information, including how to apply, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above.
• For questions relating to the application process, contact business-researchstudents@sussex.ac.uk.
• For informal enquiries in relation to ideas for research topics, contact Dimitra Petrakaki, d.petrakaki@sussex.ac.uk, Dr Zahira Jaser, z.jaser@sussex.ac.uk
• Interview and Decision: June 2026
• Start: Late September 2026