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Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba

Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba

Studentship opportunity

All Studentship Opportunities

The future of Careers Guidance: What Can Generative AI Do, and Should We Let Them Do It?

This studentship is funded by the ESRC through the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS)

Institution
University of Aberdeen
Pathway
Communication, AI and New Technologies
Studentship
SDS Collaborative
Mode of study

Full-time / Part-time

Application deadline
4pm, 14 April 2022
Applications are due 10 April, 5 pm BST and
References are due 16 April, 5 pm BST

Project details

We are excited to offer a fully funded PhD studentship in our lab, working in partnership with Skills Development Scotland (SDS). The student will conduct cutting-edge research in the psychology of human-AI interaction, to investigate and determine a range of policy and practice implications arising from the use of generative AI for careers guidance. As AI-powered tools increasingly shape human decision-making, it is critical to understand how these technologies influence us, particularly the factors that affect our trust in AI-generated content and our understanding of its capacity and limitations. Armed with insight into these psychological effects, the student will assess the broader policy implications with the goal of ensuring that AI has an ethical and effective impact aligned with individual and societal needs.

The PhD will examine:

  • The psychological mechanisms that shape human-AI interactions in advisory contexts generally, and careers advice in particular, to identify and empirically investigate significant gaps in knowledge.
  • How different stakeholders – including careers advisors and those seeking careers guidance – currently perceive and trust AI-generated advice.
  • The ethical, practical, and policy challenges of integrating generative AI into public provision of career services. The successful candidate will work closely within a multi-disciplinary team of experimental psychologists, computing scientists and experts at SDS, towards the goal of contributing to real-world policy recommendations that will influence the future of careers guidance in Scotland and beyond.

The PhD therefore offers:

  • Mentorship from experts in the psychology of human-AI interaction, generative AI technology and the public provision of careers guidance.
  • A unique opportunity to help shape national careers guidance policies and apply psychological research to pressing societal challenges.
  • Potential for impact through direct collaboration with Skills Development Scotland.

Collaborative Partner, Skills Development Scotland, for more on their PhD programme, read their brochure here.

Supervisory Team:

About the University

The student will be based in the first supervisor’s Psychology Lab in Aberdeen, part of the University’s Human-Centred AI hub, working on the psychology of human-AI interaction and its real-world implications. The Aberdeen School of Psychology has a lively community of postgraduate students and early-career researchers, offering many opportunities for career development.

The Supervisory team has members based at Abertay University and Aberdeen University’s School of Natural and Computing Sciences, and so the student will also benefit from these links to broaden their experience.

This is a collaborative PhD with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and so will involve working closely with SDS throughout all stages of the research to realise the policy and practice elements of the studentship. The University of Aberdeen’s School of Psychology has an excellent record of high impact research across the themes of Cognition, Perception, and Neuroscience. It provides a vibrant research environment with weekly research seminars, specialist research groups meetings, and state-of-the-art research infrastructure (e.g., psychophysics, motion capture, eye tracking, EEG, TMS). The School is also a hub for collaborative research across multiple departments, particularly in the area of Human-Centred AI.

Aberdeen is Scotland’s third oldest University and the fifth oldest in the UK. It was founded in 1495, is now ranked as one of the UK’s top 20 Universities (Guardian University Guide 2022; Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide) and one of the world’s Top 200 (Times World University Rankings 2023). It was named Scottish University of the Year in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Applicants will have a first degree (undergraduate) and have a demonstrable interest in the topic area under investigation.
  • Applicants can have a Masters degree, however this is not a requirement.
  • Applicants can study part-time or full-time

Other criteria include:

  • We welcome applicants with a strong background in experimental/cognitive Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, AI Ethics, or related fields.
  • Experience with experimental design, implementation and statistical analysis using qualitative and/or quantitative research methods (including systematic reviewing) is desirable
  • As is strong interest in real-world applications of AI and the societal implications (e.g., for public policy).

Funding

As per guidance published by UKRI in October 2020, a maximum of 30% of all studentships awarded can be made to international students, with the remaining 70% going to home students. 

Residential Criteria

To be classed as a home student, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have settled status, or
  • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If you do not meet the criteria above, you will be classed as an international student. To establish if you would be classed as a home student, please see pages 4 and 5 of the UKRI eligibility guidance here

As per guidance published by UKRI in October 2020, a maximum of 30% of all studentships awarded can be made to international students, of which SGSSS has now awarded for the 2021/22 round of studentship awards. As such, this opportunity is only open to home students.

Residential Criteria

To be classed as a home student, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have settled status, or
  • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If you do not meet the criteria above, you will be classed as an international student and will not be eligible to apply. To establish if you would be classed as a home student, please see pages 4 and 5 of the UKRI eligibility guidance here.

Award details

The scholarship is available as a +3.5 (3 year PhD and placement) or a 1+3.5 (Masters year, 3 year PhD, and a placement) studentship depending on prior research training. This will be assessed as part of the recruitment process, however you can access guidance here to help you decide on which to apply for. The programme will commence in October 2025. The full ESRC studentship package includes, as advised by ESRC:

  • An annual maintenance grant (stipend)
  • Fees at the standard institutional home rate
  • Students can also draw on a pooled Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)

Other information

If you are shortlisted, at interview, you will be asked to give a brief (no more than 5-7 minute) presentation about “What attracted you to this PhD topic, and how do you think generative AI can contribute to the provision of Careers guidance?”.

This studentship award is subject to the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme within the University of Aberdeen. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme.

This studentship will be undertaken in collaboration with Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Scotland’s national skills agency. The successful candidate will have their own SDS sponsor who has both knowledge and experience in the PhD topic and who will facilitate access to networks and other resources to support the project. There will be many opportunities for the candidate to engage with SDS policy, practitioner and professional stakeholders through contributing to seminars, networking events and other SDS public events and initiatives. SDS is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and our PhD Programme encourages applications from all backgrounds.

How to apply

  1. Applicants must register on SGSSS Apply, completing their Equal Opportunities data.
  2. Applicants must apply via SGSSS Apply, uploading the following documentation:

    • Application Questions (answered within SGSSS Apply, no upload needed)
    • Academic transcripts
    • Academic prizes
    • Referee information
    • CV
    • Other information (if required by the advert)
We strongly encourage applicants review the applicant guidance document for more on the process. 

Please Note:

  • This is not an application to the relevant University, this is an application for SGSSS (ESRC) funding.
  • Students do not need a Masters/PhD offer from the relevant University before they can apply for funding, i.e. this studentship.
  • If successful in obtaining the SGSSS (ESRC) studentship, students can only start the funded studentship once they have an unconditional Masters/PhD degree offer from the relevant University. It is your responsibility to find out the University’s application process, including when you need to secure your offer, as SGSSS plays no role in this process.

This studentship opportunity will open for applications on 9th June.

Apply now via SGSSS Apply

Selection process

Applications will be ranked by an internal institutional selection panel, and you will be notified if you have been shortlisted for interview on or around 21 April 2025. Interviews will take place on 29 April 2025.

This studentship award is subject to the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme within the University of Aberdeen. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme.

Contact details

Name
SGSSS Team (for questions on the application portal, only), for any questions on the project, email the first & second supervisors (see details in abstract above)
Email
team@sgsss.ac.uk

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