Research Associate / PhD Candidate in the Area of Design Thinking and Digital Innovation (m/f/d)
Your tasks
- Support the design, delivery, and further development of our Design Thinking lectures and practical courses (e.g., "Design Thinking for Digital Innovation").
- Work independently and collaboratively on developing innovative learning and teaching applications for the Design Thinking program at the University of St.Gallen.
- Continuously test and adapt prototypes based on feedback from faculty, students, and the university teaching team to ensure the practical impact of your work.
- Conduct independent and collaborative research on how emerging technologies (e.g. GenAI, XR, collaborative platforms) can augment design thinking in education and innovation processes.
- Publish your research findings in renowned international peer-reviewed journals and present them at leading conferences in the field of Information Systems.
We offer:
- A stimulating, interdisciplinary research environment within a motivated team at one of Europe's top-ranked business schools
- Highly practice-oriented research topics and the freedom to experiment and shape the future of Design Thinking education at the University of St. Gallen
- Participation in international conferences
- Access to state-of-the-art resources and comprehensive support for your projects
- A structured PhD program (average duration 3.5 years, fully funded)
- A healthy and balanced work environment that promotes both professional and personal growth
- Direct collaboration with renowned leaders in the field of Information Systems, offering valuable mentorship and networking opportunities
Your profile
- Master's degree with a grade average of at least 5.0 (equivalent to 2.0 in Germany and Austria) in Management, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related discipline
- Strong analytical, structured, and independent working style
- Passion for creative problem-solving and interdisciplinary research
- Experience in functional prototyping and/or developing MVPs (e.g., Python, JavaScript)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (German is a plus)
- Ideally, prior experience in facilitating design thinking workshops, managing innovation projects, or developing user-centered solutions
- Proven ability to conduct high-quality research and a strong interest in publishing your findings
Inspirational Work Environment
Executive Education
Network
Family & Career
Equal Opportunities
Fit and Healthy
Inspirational Work Environment
At the HSG, as Europe's leading business university, we operate in an entrepreneurial environment where you will meet highly qualified, ambitious experts - both regionally and internationally. For example, you benefit from a modern IT infrastructure and, in our library via HSGswisscovery, from nationwide access to the wealth of scientific information available.
Executive Education
We support internal and external executive education opportunities. Our internal executive education programme offers you a practical, dedicated and didactically mature transfer of knowledge in the form of seminars, e-learning, coaching and collegial advice. We support task-specific external training and executive education financially as well as with regard to the time required.
Network
We promote our culture of cross-functional collaboration and create space for forging valuable relationships - also with external partners. Regular exchanges and internal events help to strengthen these relationships and make them long-lasting.
Family & Career
We provide our employees with flexible work time models with a variable number of hours per week. As a family-friendly employer, we offer part-time positions, 16 weeks of maternity leave and a subsidised crèche, as well as support with childcare during the vacations.
Equal Opportunities
The University enables equal opportunities for all employees and students. This applies to degree courses and work, as well as academic careers, university management positions and the reconciliation of studies, work and private commitments. We are committed to this with various measures in the areas of teaching, research, administration and the Presidency.
Fit and Healthy
We help you stay fit and healthy. In addition to our diverse range of sports activities at the university, most of which are free of charge, and campaign weeks for corporate health management, we also offer you fruit in the workplace. In our canteen you will find a wide selection of freshly prepared meals - from vegetarian to fish dishes - at discounted prices.
Further information on working at the HSG can be found here.
For job-related questions
Full Professor of Information Management
You can expect an interesting project environment with many opportunities to contribute and implement your own ideas. We look forward to receiving your application!
Project Manager
Join our top-ranked business school for a fully funded PhD: interdisciplinary research, global conferences, and expert mentorship in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment.
Your place of work
University of St.Gallen
«A place where knowledge is created» - As one of Europe's leading universities of economics and business administration, the University of St.Gallen (HSG), Switzerland, is committed to the education of over 9800 students. The HSG is one of the largest employers in the region and provides an attractive and innovative environment for more than 3300 researchers, educators and professional staff.
