Universität St. Gallen
St.Gallen
Research Associate / Doctoral Candidate in the Field of Cloud Transformation and Digital Sovereignty (m/f/d)
- 01 July 2026
- 100%
- St.Gallen
About the job
The Institute of Information Management (IWI-HSG) has been conducting application- and design-oriented research at the interface between business and IT for more than 30 years. Within the institute, the team of Prof. Dr Jan Marco Leimeister investigates how enterprise software, AI, cloud, and digital platforms can be strategically designed, managed, and transformed to strengthen the value creation of organisations and digital sovereignty.
Your Tasks
Your Tasks
Organisations – especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – face the challenge of implementing their cloud transformation in the context of digital sovereignty. This is not just about technical migration, but about how control over data flows and technical processes can be secured, critical dependencies on global platforms reduced, and strategic scope for action maintained. The focus is on the question of which individual, organisational, and technical factors determine a successful cloud transformation – and how organisations should be designed so that they remain capable of action and sovereignty in the future.
- Design, implementation, and evaluation of empirical studies (e.g. interviews, surveys, case studies, field and experimental designs) on cloud transformation in the context of digital sovereignty
- Investigation of individual, organisational, and technical factors that determine a successful cloud transformation – especially in SMEs
- Development and evaluation of design knowledge (e.g. design principles, procedural models, prototypes) for a sovereign cloud transformation in organisations
- Analysis of cloud architectures and strategies with a focus on technical dependencies, traceability of data flows, and architectural resilience
- Collaboration in empirical research and transfer projects with established industry and practice partners
- Publication of results in recognised international journals and at scientific conferences
We Offer
- Time-plannable doctoral studies (approx. 3.5 years) with intensive supervision and private-sector salary
- Access to an international network of researchers as well as leading industry partners and research networks in the fields of cloud, enterprise AI & governance, especially at the Heilbronn Education Campus
- Close cooperation with established practice partners within empirical research and transfer projects
- Opportunity to participate in international conferences
- Working in a young, innovative team in an inspiring work environment
Your Profile
Your Profile
- Above-average Master’s degree with a grade point average of at least 5.0 (equivalent to 2.0 in Germany and Austria) in / Information Systems / Industrial Engineering / Business Administration / or similar
- Ability to conceptually and strategically reflect on technical and organisational solutions
- Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methods and field experiments
- Interest in cloud infrastructures, IT architectures, governance, and digital sovereignty
- Technical curiosity and ability to independently learn and apply new methods and tools (e.g. cloud technologies, prototypical development environments); basic knowledge of software development (e.g. Python, APIs, AI technologies) is an advantage
- Interest in governance issues, organisational perspectives, and transformation strategies in the context of digital sovereignty, especially with regard to SMEs
- Very good communication skills in German and English
"A place that creates knowledge" – As one of Europe’s leading business universities, the University of St Gallen (HSG) is committed to educating over 10,000 students and offers an attractive and innovative environment in research, teaching, continuing education, and administration to around 3,500 employees as one of the region’s largest employers."
