Within this EU project, your focus will be on four inter-connected topics:  

You will contribute to ongoing research on Responsible Innovation, focusing on issues that occur in the practical implementation of innovations in the private sector. 

You will analyze the role of local energy communities in the transition towards new (smart) energy systems; including questions of engagement and co-creation.  

You will critically evaluate the socio-technical aspects that emerge with the development and implementation of MUSE grids/technologies; including the development of indicators for measuring these aspects. 

You will explore and identify finance and business models/approaches relevant to Responsible Innovations. 

Partners of the MUSE Grids project will demonstrate and research the functioning of the technologies in two demo-sites, one situated in Belgium, the other in Italy. In order to facilitate comparison and learning, the MUSE Grids project also foresees the implementation of selected technologies in a non-European context, namely India. Your work will thus go beyond a purely European focus and will explore local energy communities and emerging socio-technical aspects of MUSE grids in Europe and in India. With your work you will contribute to a growing body of work on responsible innovation in the private sector context.

Embedding

Your PhD project is embedded in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences (IE&IS) of Eindhoven University of Technology. Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is one of the world's leading research universities (ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement). It is in particular well‐known for its joint research with industry (ranked number one worldwide by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies).

Within TU/e's Department IE&IS you will be affiliated with the Research Group of Technology, Innovation & Society (TIS). The TIS group of the School of Innovation Sciences is an ambitious, international group. Our research focuses on understanding the development and use of technology in a business and societal context. Our staff teaches in the BSc programme 'Sustainable Innovation', and the MSc programme 'Innovation Sciences', as well as in university-wide programmes for engineering students.

The department of IE&IS has a strong national and international reputation for both basic research in the academic community and applied research with industry. You will have the opportunity to profit from the benefits that such an environment has to offer and to contribute to the ongoing research. 

Your tasks

You will engage with the research project mainly by following a qualitative research approach.

In doing so you will:

mobilize theoretical insights and employ qualitative research methods for data gathering (including field visits, observations, interviewing) and analysis;

report your research findings at (international) conferences and workshops and in scientific journals;

take ownership of assigned project deliverables

fully participate in relevant project activities, such as attending partner meetings;

support the principal investigator in the management tasks, e.g. reporting.
 
You will also be engaged in contributing to and supporting teaching activities at Bachelor and Master level (approx 5% of your time). 

What you bring

Centrally, you want to put your brains and heart to work for understanding and contributing to impactful, responsible innovations for our world. You love to learn, analyze and contribute.

In addition, you

hold a Master's degree in innovation management, in innovation studies, business management, science and technology studies, or any other relevant field;

have advanced methodological skills and proven experience with qualitative and/or mixed methods designs;

have excellent communication skills and an excellent command of written and spoken English;

are reliable and you can work and deliver both independently and in a team;

are willing to travel for extended periods of time for conducting your empirical  field research and are able to engage with practical contexts in local communities.

What we offer

You will be appointed as a temporary university employee for a four-year period.

The terms of employment are governed by the Collective Labour Agreement of Universities in The Netherlands, with a monthly salary starting at € 2266,- (gross) in the first year, and increasing to € 2897,- in the fourth year.

TU/e offers an additional 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% end-of-year bonus.

Besides this, an extensive fringe benefits package is included.

For information regarding the university, please visit the website of TU/e. Here you can find information about the sports facilities on campus. Information about Eindhoven can be found here. The international office can assist with administration and housing.