PhD Scholarship in Communications and Media Studies – Artificial Intelligence in the workplace
Job No.: 674525
Location: Caulfield campus
Employment Type: Full-time
Duration: 3.5 year fixed-term appointment
Remuneration: The successful applicant will receive a Research Living Allowance, at current value of $36,063AUD per annum 2025 full-time rate (tax-free stipend), indexed plus allowances as per RTP stipend scholarship conditions at: https://www.monash.edu/graduate-research/future-students/scholarships/scholarship-policy-and-procedures. A tuition fee scholarship and Single Overseas
Health Cover (OSHC) will be provided for a successful international awardee.
The Opportunity
This PhD scholarship is funded as an important part of an ARC funded project “Investigating artificial intelligence risks for the Australian workforce”, conducted by Dr. Robbie Fordyce.
The core project will undertake an analysis of the way that office software is increasingly used to gather data from Australian workers to train the artificial intelligence tools that may replace them. The project will examine key industrial sectors, jobs, and workplace contexts where artificial intelligence has a role in replacing categories of work and/or workers in Australia. The project will use standard sociological research methods, including interviews, focus groups, and surveys, to gather primary research data, as well as attending to relevant technical and social developments in artificial intelligence technologies during the life of the project.
The successful applicant will join the research team and contribute to the wider project goals but will also undertake their own distinct PhD project that makes its own unique contribution to the project. The applicant’s project is expected to be a research project of the applicant’s design that examines a specific sector, role, or competency of intellectual or creative work in Australia that is – or is highly likely to be – affected by artificial intelligence. The primary focus will be the impacts of artificial intelligence on workers
in Australia. The details of the PhD project are open to negotiation.
Undertaking this PhD as part of a larger project has several advantages. First, the successful candidate will be integrated into an already successful research agenda that has been funded by the Australian Research Council, and will have access to funding to support fieldwork, transcription, travel, and conference attendance. Second, the candidate will benefit from expert supervision from research leaders in social science, and from entering a PhD with a pre-existing structure. Finally, the candidate will benefit from being part of outcomes from the research, which may include co-authored publications (where the candidate’s contributions will be recognised through co-authorship), funded symposia, school-engagement exercises, and future grant applications.
Monash University is the largest university in Australia and regularly ranks in the top 100 universities worldwide. Monash has six globally networked campuses and international alliances in Europe and Asia. The applicant will be based at the Caulfield campus in Melbourne. We have a strong and supportive research culture, led by internationally recognised scholars successful in attracting national and international competitive funding.
Candidate Requirements
The successful applicant will have a grounding in humanities and/or social sciences and an excellent academic track record in Communication and Media Studies, Information Technology, Sociology, or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline or industry context. Evidence of competency in either quantitative or qualitative research methods as appropriate to the research proposal is desirable.
In its assessment, the selection committee will prioritise applicants who hold an Australian (or equivalent
international) Honour’s or Master’s degree (both in a relevant field), with a significant research component
and with first-class honours/H1 awarded.
Details of eligibility requirements, including English-language proficiency skills, to undertake a PhD in the
Faculty of Arts are available at https://arts.monash.edu/graduate-research/application-process/. Applicants should ensure they familiarise themselves with these requirements before deciding whether they should apply.
Scholarship holders must be enrolled full-time and on campus. Please note: applicants who already hold
a PhD will not be considered.
The successful applicant will be expected to enrol by 1 June 2025. However, there may be some flexibility as
to the date of commencement.
Enquiries
You are required to discuss your research proposal with Dr. Robbie Fordyce, School of Media, Film, and Journalism, Email: robbie.fordyce@monash.edu before you submit an Expression of Interest. Please include the job number above in the subject line of your email.
Submit an Expression of Interest
EOIs shall comprise:
- A cover letter that includes a brief statement of the applicant’s suitability
- A brief research proposal not exceeding 750 words in length that fits within the broad project aims and objectives, and demonstrates some understanding of the area of research
- A curriculum vitae, including a list of any published works, conference presentations and relevant work experience
- A full statement of academic records, degree certificates and official grading system (if available), supported by scanned copies of relevant certified documentation
- English language proficiency test results (if applicable)
- Names and contact details of 2 academic referees
- Copy of your current passport (if available)
Once you have discussed your EOI with Dr. Robbie Fordyce, please submit your Expression of Interest Form and indicate that you are applying for a “Special Scholarship Scheme – PhD Scholarship in Communications and Media Studies – Artificial Intelligence in the workplace”.
Applications Close: Sunday 2 March 2025, 11:55pm AEDT
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