Early Stage Researcher (Marie Curie): Blockchain in Government

Durham University Business School is very pleased to offer a Marie Curie scholarship, in collaboration with NTNU in Norway, and the Ministry of Digital Governance in Greece, for a dual-degree PhD. We are looking to recruit a motivated candidate to study Blockchain adoption and management. The successful candidate will be spending 12 months at Durham University Business School, 6 months at NTNU in Norway, and 18 months with the Ministry of Digital Governance in Greece. 

The aim of the PhD projects is to explore the implementation complexities, trade-offs, limitations, materiality, and governance aspects, which might limit the possibilities of Blockchain, especially for governments. Some of the key issues that remain currently unaddressed include the alignment of technology with wider societal needs, transitioning from governance to networked governance and novel challenges for auditing and data stewardship. Such understanding would advance timely and viable policies putting governments in the role of enabler, instead of inhibitor.

The successful candidate is expected to complete a rigorous training program, participate in research and networking events, orchestrate the content creation and social campaigns for the project, and deliver research excellence. A career development plan will be prepared for the successful candidate, which will include training, planned placements/secondments and outreach activities.  

Requirements

• Obtained (or be about to obtain) an MSc/MRes/MPhil (or equivalent) in a relevant field.
• Evidence of independent research experience (e.g., an empirical master’s thesis).
• Ability to work independently, to prioritize tasks, manage time and meet deadlines.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Affinity with the FinTech, Blockchain, Digital Ecosystems themes.
• Affinity with new technology and forms of collaboration.
• Knowledge of the Greek language is a strong advantage.

Successful candidates need to satisfy the eligibility requirements set for an Early Stage Researcher funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie and you must be eligible to be appointed as an Early Stage Researcher in the UK, which means:

• You must not hold a PhD degree
• You must not have resided or carried out your main activity in the UK for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to your start date.
• You must satisfy the eligibility requirements to enrol on a PhD degree. This includes acceptable English language requirements if English is not your first language. 

With regards to researchers with refugee status, time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status (under the 1951 Geneva Convention and the 1967 Protocol) are not considered (for mobility rules). It should be noted, however, that any time spent in your host university country after refugee status has been obtained is then counted when determining eligibility. Researchers at risk are especially encouraged to apply. ‘Researchers at risk’, under the current MSCA work programme refers to “researchers who are either at risk in their origin countries (due to discrimination, persecution, suffering and/or violence), or are seeking refuge out of these reasons or have recently found refuge in Europe”.

What are we offering?

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with the university regulations for academic personnel based on a full-time employment. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system. The position is funded through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. It includes tuition fees and a stipend. Additional research, travel and support funding is also available. The position will be 3 years full-time, with the possibility for partially funded or unfunded extensions. The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 2 additional years.

Application

Applications should include the following documents:

• ·         A detailed CV listing education, work experience, publications, and relevant other activities.
• ·         Names and contact information (address, email, phone) of between two to four referees.
• ·         Academic transcripts of BSc and MSc, with clearly listed grades.
• ·         A copy of independent academic research such as papers or thesis.
• ·         Demonstrated proficiency in English (and in Greek if applicable).

The documents should be submitted through the Taleo website only. Applications sent over email will not be taken into consideration. Applications that do not include all needed documents will not be taken into consideration. For further details, and to discuss suitability with this position, please contact Dr. Spyros Angelopoulos prior to your application: [email protected]

We reserve the right to re-advertise or extend the closing date for the position. Additionally, we reserve the right to start the recruitment process anytime, even if the deadline of the advert has not passed yet. This position is recruited in line with open, transparent, merit, and competency-based recruitment. By applying the applicant approves the sharing their application with the other consortium members.