We are hiring a PhD student for a project within TransforM: Munich Center for Transformative Technologies and So-cietal Change (www.transform-cluster.de). As a Cluster of Excellence funded by the German Research Foundation DFG, TransforM’s goal is to better understand why, when, and how technologies become socially transformative, and to critically assess and inform transformation pathways ‘all the way through’ – from the early stages of their emergence to their wider socio-economic impact. The project will investigate consumer decision-making in increasingly complex environments, using advanced quantitative and data science methods to understand how technology can better sup-port consumers.

About us

The TUM Campus in Heilbronn is part of the renowned Technical University of Munich, one of the top universities in Europe. It is distinguished by excellence in research and teaching, interdisciplinarity, and talent development. Addi-tionally, it maintains strong alliances with companies and scientific institutions worldwide. TUM is one of Germany's first three Excellence Universities. Furthermore, the TUM School of Management is the first management school at a technical university in Germany to receive Triple Crown accreditation. Worldwide, only about 80 institutions (approxi-mately 1%) hold this distinction.

The Heilbronn Data Science Center is dedicated to interdisciplinary research in the fields of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and their applications in business and society. The goal is to create direct value for science, businesses, and policymakers through practice-oriented analyses and innovative, data-driven solutions.

Your profile

·               Master's degree in business/management, data science, psychology, or a related field

·               Strong background in quantitative methods, statistics, and data science, with demonstrated experience in empirical research and data analysis of large datasets

·               Experience with programming languages such as Python or R 

·               Ability to conduct independent scientific research

·               Excellent communication skills in English (both written and spoken); Proficiency in the German language is an advantage but not required

·               Excellent organizational skills

We offer

·               The opportunity to conduct innovative research in TransforM, a vibrant, well-resourced, and highly interdisciplinary environment, bringing together 25 principal investigators from across the social sciences and humanities and offering exceptional opportunities for inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration.

·               A stimulating research environment at the Heilbronn Data Science Center, where researchers from the TUM School of Management and the TUM School of Information Technology work on data science, AI, and their applications in business and society.

·               Extensive training opportunities via the doctoral programs at TUM and partner universities

·               Participation in international conferences

·               Research stays abroad

·               A diverse and inclusive working environment

 Application

Please send your application in a single pdf document (surname_transform.pdf) containing (1) a cover letter (max. 1 page), (2) a two-pager with your research proposal, (3) an informative CV of less than three pages, and (4) two refer-ences via e-mail to jobs.udsm@mgt.tum.de (contact person: Ms. Elke Kröber) using the subject “PhD TransforM”.

 Deadline: 15th of September 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may start before the application deadline. The final selection decision will be made in accordance with the applicable HR procedures and legal requirements.

The position is suitable for candidates with disabilities. Applicants with disabilities or equivalent status will be given preference in case of otherwise essentially equal suitability, aptitude and professional performance. TUM strives to raise the proportion of women in its workforce and explicitly encourages applications from qualified women.

Payment will be based on the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service of the Länder (TV-L) up to a classification in pay group 13 with appropriate qualifications.