PhD Position 100% – AI Literacy & Regulatory Learning (m/w/d)

About the role

The Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG) at the University of St. Gallen is offering a 100% PhD position within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network REGULAIRE, focusing on AI literacy and regulatory learning in public bodies. The project includes a planned three-month secondment to a partner organisation. Applications close on 07.11.2026.

Key responsibilities

• Examine how AI-literacy frameworks build absorptive capacity in public bodies and support regulatory learning.
• Use case studies and pre/post assessments to measure how literacy interventions affect evidence generation, procurement choices, escalation paths and the circulation of lessons.
• Build an inventory and typology of AI-literacy frameworks, validate interventions, report on their effects and develop guidance for integrating literacy with procurement and review cycles.
• Refine research questions and design with the supervision team, prepare ethics, data-management and open-science materials, write the thesis and related publications.
• Take part in REGULAIRE training, network reviews, dissemination, practitioner engagement, summer schools and monthly paper-development seminars.

Required profile

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in public administration, political science, learning sciences, information systems, communication, law or a related field, completed by the start date.
• Strong interest in AI literacy, public administration, AI governance and interdisciplinary research.
• Fulfilment of the University of St. Gallen's doctoral admission requirements and MSCA eligibility conditions.
• Eligible for timely enrolment in the doctoral programme and compliant with the MSCA mobility rule (no more than 12 months in Switzerland in the last 36 months).
• No doctoral degree held at the start of the MSCA position.

Required skills

• Demonstrable interest in case studies and intervention research, including pre/post assessment designs.
• Excellent written and spoken English; reliable, independent and analytical working style.
• Willingness to engage in international mobility and network-wide activities.

What we offer

• A doctoral position in an international cohort of 15 candidates across ten European universities.
• Cross-institutional supervision, network-wide methods training, three summer schools and monthly paper-development seminars.
• An interdisciplinary research environment and a planned three-month secondment.
• Flexible work time models, part-time positions, 16 weeks of maternity leave and a subsidised crèche.

To apply, use the University of St. Gallen application portal with the job ID, attaching a motivation letter, CV, transcripts, two reference letters and a short research proposal.