Doctorate

As part of your PhD, you will work closely with Prof. Dr. Jens Förderer on these questions. Your research is directly linked to your dissertation and is developed in close collaboration within a well-structured process that enables you to complete your PhD successfully and within the planned timeframe.

There is a steep learning curve:

• You will systematically develop your ability to independently structure and address complex, highly topical business questions—while collaborating closely with Prof. Dr. Jens Förderer and the entire team.
• You will learn to work with large datasets and analyze them using modern statistical methods, data science, and machine learning.
• Close involvement in teaching enables you to present complex topics clearly and guide and supervise students.
• You will gain access to an international network of leading academics and companies.
• You will learn to communicate with diverse audiences, including students, companies, researchers, and the media.
• Through a research stay at one of our renowned partner universities, you will gain insights into international research contexts.

This prepares you exceptionally well for a career in industry – for example, in leadership positions, management consulting, strategy departments, or as an analyst – as well as for an academic career aimed at becoming a professor.
We offer flexible working models: You can organize your working hours independently and have the option to work both on-site and remotely in a hybrid model. Look forward to an inspiring work environment in a dynamic and performance-oriented team.

• You hold a master’s degree in Business Administration, Business Informatics, Business Mathematics, Industrial Engineering, or a comparable program.
• You enjoy working analytically, structured, and independently and take pleasure in academic work, e.g., in your seminar or master’s thesis.
• You are interested in business questions in the context of digital technologies.
• You enjoy working in an open and friendly team.
• You have excellent English and German language skills.

We accept applications for PhD positions throughout the year. Please feel free to apply proactively – ideally a few months before completing your studies.
If you are interested, please send the following documents (in German or English) to is2_hrbwl.uni-mannheim.de:

• Cover letter (including your earliest possible start date)
• Curriculum vitae
• High school, bachelor’s, and master’s certificates (or current transcript)

The application process consists of two stages: After a positive evaluation of your documents, we conduct an initial Zoom interview. In this meeting, you will meet Prof. Dr. Jens Förderer and a current research associate. We will discuss your motivation for pursuing a PhD, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions about the position and the PhD process. If the initial interview is successful, we invite you for an on-site personal interview, where you will meet the entire team.