The UCD School of Sociology invites applications for a fully funded PhD researcher position within the ERC Starting Grant project From Human Capital to Intelligence Management: Data-driven Economy and Brain-Computer Interfaces (IMR).
The position offers an opportunity to undertake an article-based doctoral dissertation examining the sociological production of intelligence in the context of computational neuroscience, brain research, and brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies, with a focus on the United States and Europe.
The project investigates the emerging role of neurotechnology in the data-driven economy, including its implications for work, labour processes, productivity, data extraction, and changing forms of workforce governance. It brings together perspectives from political economy, sociology of science and technology, digital sociology, anthropology, and critical AI and data studies.
The PhD is fully funded for four years, with a €30,000 tax-free annual stipend and tuition fees covered. The successful candidate is expected to start as soon as possible, and no later than 1 January 2027.
Application deadline: 7 October 2026, 11:59 PM Dublin time.
Further information and application:
UCD School of Sociology – PhD Researcher Position (Opportunity 1)
The wider IMR project is funded by the European Research Council and hosted by University College Dublin.