PhD Student

Design Intelligences

IT:U Doctoral School PhD Program COMPUTATIONAL X

2 PhD positions | 30h/week | Up to 4 years | On-site in Linz (AT) | Start Date: October 2026 | Principal Investigator: Elisa Giaccardi

Field of Research & Scope

Design Intelligences investigates how diverse forms of intelligence - human, artificial, and ecological - can be understood, designed, and integrated to foster regenerative and just futures. The field departs from dominant, human-centered and computation-centered models of intelligence to examine intelligence as relational, distributed, and situated across socio-technical and more-than-human systems. In our program, we are interested in:

1. developing foundational concepts and theories of design intelligences that pluralize what counts as intelligence across humans, nonhumans, and AI systems;
2. examining how interfaces, infrastructures, and materials mediate negotiations among these heterogeneous intelligences; and
3. translating these insights into experimental design methods, computational tools, and situated interventions that cultivate multi-intentional, multi-agential forms of world-making.

The two PhD students will collaborate on shared theoretical foundations while pursuing complementary trajectories aligned with their background. Together, they will bridge ecological knowledge and computational methods, integrating interdisciplinary literature with empirical and design-led research. Through iterative conceptual work and experimental prototyping, they will explore how human, artificial, and ecological intelligences co-construct shared forms of habitability and leadership, contributing to both the theoretical grounding and methodological advancement of Design Intelligences.

We offer

• Collaborations: The program enjoys close collaborations with top research labs around the world, providing access to diverse more-than-human datasets (e.g., soundscapes, environmental sensing data, ecological indicators, spatial topologies) and sites (e.g., urban forests, transitional ecosystems, multispecies habitats). The program also collaborates with researchers within IT:U and supports co-supervision with other IT:U founding professors.
• International mobility and exchange: Selected candidates will have the possibility to visit Polimi (home of the PI and main supervisor) for up to 50% of their time, benefiting from the complementary research environments of both institutions. They will also engage with the PI’s international network of collaborators across Australia and South America, including RMIT Melbourne, University of Melbourne, and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
• Professional and personal development: Drawing on the PI and main supervisor’s experience navigating academic systems across five countries and funding innovative training, doctoral students will receive comprehensive mentorship throughout their PhD journey at IT:U and in preparing for international careers beyond it.

Responsibilities & Tasks

• Conducting research
• Writing academic publications
• Attending national and international conferences
• Collaborating with other research groups on an interdisciplinary basis
• Performing auxiliary activities in academic teaching for up to 2 weekly credit hours
• Helping to file applications for third-party funding
• Complying with the institution’s academic standards and ethical guidelines

Skills & Qualifications needed

• Motivated, with a strong interest in more-than-human design, AI, and ecological futures
• A degree equivalent to a master’s degree in design, biology, ecology, environmental sciences, data science, computer science, or other relevant fields
• For candidates with a biology/ecology background: experience with ecological systems thinking, fieldwork, environmental modeling, or multispecies research
• For candidates with a data science/computational background: strong programming skills and experience with data analysis, machine learning, or AI systems
• For candidates with a biology/ecology or data science/computational: experience in design research, design methods, or practice-based/experimental design work (preferable)
• Interest in interdisciplinary research bridging ecological knowledge, computational methods, and design experimentation
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a transdisciplinary environment
• Fluent in English (CEFR C1)

What you can expect

• Innovative and stimulating working conditions in an interdisciplinary, international research environment
• Office kitchen with complimentary basic supplies
• Climate Ticket Upper Austria (optimal public transportation connections)
• We offer a gross salary in line with the FWF salary rate of EUR 2.832,10 (30h). Optional supplementary contracts (teaching or research) to an extent of up to 10 hours may be discussed during the hiring process.

Program Structure

IT:U offers a 4-year, structured PhD program.
In the first year, emphasis is placed on focused group work, research lab modules, and Project Integrated Courses (PICS). The first year concludes with a PhD Proposal Presentation. Over the next three years, students will develop and write their PhD theses. This is accompanied by interdisciplinary research seminars and work as a project assistant. The PhD program concludes after the 4th year with the submission and defense of the PhD thesis.

How to apply

Please fill in the online application form and upload your files at:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Bachelor’s and master’s diploma (or equivalent)
• Bachelor’s and master’s Transcript of Records
• Motivational letter (up to 2 pages)
• Up to 3 contacts of professors/collaborators for recommendations

We look forward to receiving your online application.

The positions will remain open until filled. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as review of applications will begin on a rolling basis. The call will close on 31.05.2026.