Doctoral Researcher: MSCA Doctoral Network EMANAIRE, DC10: AI-Mediated Communication and Collaboration Norms at Work

ENGLISH VERSION: MSCA Doctoral Network EMANAIRE, DC10: AI-Mediated Communication and Collaboration Norms at Work Position details Recruiting institution: Hanken School of Economics, Department of Management and Organisation Work location: Helsinki, Finland · one position Contract: four-year, full-time doctoral scholarship · 48 months Expected start: 1 February 2027 or by agreement Application deadline: by 11:59 p.m. on 29 October 2026 Doctoral programme: PhD in Management and Organisation Apply: https://hanken.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index.php?o=A_LOJ&list=1&lang=en&rspvt=bx32qk756igw8ww08c0k4sgg0w8w48c Hanken School of Economics, Department of Management and Organisation invites applications for this four-year doctoral scholarship in the EMANAIRE project, PhD project: AI-Mediated Communication and Collaboration Norms at Work. About EMANAIRE EMANAIRE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network bringing together 15 doctoral candidates at nine European universities to study how AI is changing work. Its projects examine what happens when generative and agentic AI enters leadership, everyday workflows, team communication, professional learning and career decisions. Across the network, human agency means the practical ability to understand AI-supported decisions, exercise judgement, question outputs and shape how work is organised. Each researcher joins an international cohort, receives supervision across institutions and takes part in three residential schools, methods workshops, monthly research seminars and joint work with organisations beyond academia. Every project includes extensive engagement with industrial partner (e.g. in terms of data collection and development of practice). The doctoral project As AI becomes embedded in everyday work, employees increasingly interact with AI agents, but also encounter AI-mediated contributions from colleagues. Messages may be written, filtered or delivered with AI, while autonomous agents increasingly participate in work processes and collaboration. This doctoral project examines how these developments shape relational aspects of work, (which may include authenticity, trust, social connection, and experiences of loneliness), as people negotiate emerging norms around AI use, disclosure, and appropriate forms of interaction. Through ethnographic research in AI-intensive settings, you will follow relational practices as they evolve over time and identify the mechanisms behind change. The project will develop evidence-based guidance that supports transparency, social connection and responsible AI use in organisational life. Practitioner outputs include AI- aware communication norms, guidance on disclosure and authenticity in AI-assisted exchanges, and leadership practices that protect social connection and prevent relational deterioration. In addition, the doctoral project is expected to advance scientific knowledge in relation to the doctoral topic. Your work - Examine how interactions among people, AI agents and AI-mediated communication shape workplace relationships and collaboration. - Conduct ethnographic research on how employees make sense of and negotiate AI use in workplace interactions, including norms of disclosure and transparency, and how these processes shape relational aspects of work. - Identify the mechanisms through which AI-mediated contributions and autonomous agents reshape relational dynamics, and develop evidence-based guidance for responsible and socially sustainable AI use. - Develop AI-aware communication norms and leadership guidance that protect social connection at work. - Refine the research questions and design with the supervision team and prepare ethics, data-management and open-science materials. - Complete a doctoral thesis and related research outputs under the host doctoral programme and EMANAIRE plan. - Take part in local and network-wide training, cohort activities, reviews, dissemination and practitioner engagement. - Participate in teaching related activities at the Department of Management and Organisation. - Undertake collaboration with the industry partner and a separate academic mobility visit. - Contribute to research integrity, equality, responsible AI, open science and FAIR data practices. Supervision, training and mobility Project contact: Emma Nordbäck ([email protected]). Main supervisor: Associate Professor Emma Nordbäck (Hanken School of Economics). Current DoA plan: The Doctoral researcher is expected to spend a period of time at an industrial partner conducting the ethnographic research and contributing to practice. Academic mobility visit: At least three months at another partner institution of the EMANAIRE network. The researcher will complete at least 60 ECTS of doctoral coursework, including at least 10 ECTS through network-wide provision. EMANAIRE combines local doctoral courses with three residential schools, monthly paper-development seminars, work-package workshops and net