ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership Studentship

Fully funded PhD opportunity at the University of Leeds: Digital Futures at Work, offered through the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP). The project sits in the ESRC Centre for Digital Futures at Work (Digit) and Leeds University Business School, with a focus on the intersection of work, technology, society, employee voice, digital transformation, AI, workplace voice, fairness, power, and the digital economy.

The advertised project is Developing Systems of Employee Voice Within Digital Transformation at the Workplace. It examines how involving employees in digital transformation may improve trust, support job redesign, and strengthen skills upgrading. The study uses company-focused case studies in the UK finance and insurance sector and combines qualitative and quantitative approaches across unionised and non-unionised workplaces. The student may also shape the project in collaboration with partners such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), and potentially the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

This is a research-intensive, interdisciplinary studentship with training through the Digit Doctoral Network. The award can be taken as 1+3.5, +3.5, or +3.75, depending on prior training and degree background. Typical applicants include those with a social science Masters degree and relevant research training, or applicants without a social science Masters for the 1+3.5 route.

Funding includes fees at standard Research Council rates, a maintenance grant of £21,805 in Session 2026/27 for full-time study (pro-rata for part-time), and a Research Training Support Grant for travel and research costs. International relocation costs such as visa, insurance, NHS fees, and flights are not covered.

Eligibility highlights: the studentship is open to UK and international applicants (including EU), but the project must fit at least one ESRC Thematic Interdisciplinary Training Pathway. Applicants must first apply for a standard research postgraduate programme at Leeds and obtain a Student Application ID before submitting the studentship form. English language evidence is required if English is not the first language.

Deadline: 3 July 2026 at 17:00 UK time. The funding start date is 1 October 2026 for +3.5 and +3.75 awards; 1+3.5 awards must start in September 2026.