"PhD (4-Year) Studentship - Digitalising Healthcare Work for Sustainability: Professional Tensions and Ethical Paradoxes"

The ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) aims to advance our understanding of how digital technologies are reshaping work. The project will analyse the challenges that surround digitalisation of healthcare work for sustainability. It will focus on mapping the implications remote consultations and online healthcare delivery have for the environment and for healthcare professional work and the ethical paradoxes that emerge from such change. The studentship project also involves a placement with a business developing digital ways of working. 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 fees; A stipend equivalent to UKRI doctoral stipend, £21,383 (2026/27) per annum for up to four years.

Eligibility: Open to those meeting UK 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.); This studentship can only cover Home Student fees and is therefore open to UK students (or those with indefinite leave to remain/settled status in the UK).

Application procedure: Please submit by email to Professor Dimitra Petrakaki at d.petrakaki@sussex.ac.uk and as one pdf file an application including: A statement of interest that outlines why you would like to be considered for this studentship project and what you would like to research (maximum 1 page); A CV (2-3 pages); Degree transcripts and certificates; A piece of written work (e.g. an essay or project from your undergraduate or master’s degree); Names and contact details for two academic referees. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview. The successful candidate will then need to apply for the PhD programme at the University of Sussex. 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. Deadline: 9th of January 2026 23:59 (GMT)