Automated people management: the collection and use of employee data by organisations (PhD scholarship)

Application dates

Applications close

9 December 2022

What you’ll receive

You will receive a living stipend scholarship of $30,000pa for a period of 3.5 years. This payment is indexed annually, and will be tax exempt for full-time students.

In addition:

• domestic students will receive an RTP Tuition Fee Offset
• international students will receive a QUT Tuition Fee Sponsorship.

You will have the opportunity to engage in QUT’s vibrant research environment, while undertaking your own innovative research project

Eligibility

You will need to meet the entry requirements for QUT’s Doctor of Philosophy , including any English language requirements.

In addition, you must:

• have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• demonstrate qualitative or quantitative research skills
• have an interest in the impact of technology on work
• be able to commit to full-time, internal enrolment
• be able to commence in early 2023.

How to apply

Apply for this scholarship at the same time you apply for admission to QUT’s Doctor of Philosophy.

The first step is to email detailing your academic and research background, your motivation to research in this field and interest in this scholarship, and include your CV as well as a a 1-2 page research proposal covering your proposed approach to the research.

If supported to apply, you will then submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) following the advice on how to apply for a research degree .

In your EOI, nominate Dr Penny Williams as your proposed principal supervisor, and copy the link to this scholarship website into question 2 of the financial details section.

What happens next?

Successful applicants will be contacted directly.

For any questions about the research project, please contact Dr Penny Williams .

For any questions about the application process, please contact [email protected] .

About the scholarship

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are transforming work, workplaces, and managerial practices. Technologies exist to automatically take screenshots from employees’ remote computers, track keystrokes, analyse emails, tone of voice, facial expressions, and monitor the commuting time, heart rates and sleep habits of workers. Beyond surveillance, these technologies are automating decisions once made by human managers. While it is broadly understood that data are collected when technology is used to automate the distribution, management and monitoring of employee tasks, very little is known about the type of data collected, or how organisations use this data.

As part of a broader Australian Research Council (ARC) funded project on automated people management, this PhD project aims to understand the data gathered by these technologies, and how organisations use and protect that employee data. By revealing the specifics of the data gathered and how it is used, this study can inform organisational and government policy to protect employee privacy and improve organisational data security.