PhD Positions in Urban Social Resilience and Building Heritage / Planning at Aalborg University Aalborg University in Denmark

Aalborg University is advertising two PhD positions in the interdisciplinary theme of Urban Social Resilience, one hosted in the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology and one in the Department of Sustainability and Planning.

The positions sit within a new research initiative that brings together architecture, urban planning, design, and sustainability studies to examine how resilience is socially constituted in cities. The research agenda highlights care ethics, participatory processes, social innovation, co-design, and co-production as key frameworks. The architecture-oriented project focuses on the relationship between people, places, and building practices, with special attention to building heritage, adaptive reuse, circularity, and social sustainability. The planning-oriented project focuses on how social actors, relations, and practices gain agency in resilience-building processes through inclusive and collaborative planning approaches.

Applicants are expected to hold a Master’s degree in architecture, sustainable design, sustainability and planning, urban studies, geography, or a related field. Strong qualitative research skills are important, and experience with participatory, design-oriented, or co-production methods is an advantage. For both positions, applicants must prepare a 1–3 page preliminary research proposal and, for the planning post, briefly describe the urban context they want to study. The university also expects PhD candidates to be enrolled at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design, complete PhD coursework, teach or disseminate knowledge, and undertake an external research stay abroad.

The positions are full-time PhD stipends for 3 years and are available from 15 August 2026. The application deadline is 5 May 2026. Applications must be submitted through Aalborg University’s recruitment system via the job advertisement on the university website.