Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Principal Investigator: Prof Alain Chong and Dr. Xiaodie Pu)

University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Business School

Opportunities at the University of Nottingham in Ningbo China

Nottingham University Business School China Prof Alain Chongs research team is seeking outstanding Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the postdoctoral research station in business administration for the development of University of Nottingham Ningbo China research agenda.

Your Responsibility

Your key responsibilities include:

To formulate and articulate research objectives, alongside developing proposals for both individual and collaborative projects, utilizing established methodologies and techniques to execute research effectively within the specified area;To analyze data meticulously, interpret findings, evaluate scholarly texts, and contribute innovative insights, while adhering to project deadlines and collaborating seamlessly with team members and partners;To write up research work for publication and/or contribute to the dissemination at national/international conferences, resulting in successful research outputs;To identify opportunities and assist in writing bids for research grant applications;To build relationships with both internal and external contacts in order to exchange information, to form relationships for future collaborations and identify potential sources of funds and/or opportunities for collaboration.

About You

The candidate must have obtained a PhD degree within 3 years and in the areas of Information Systems, FinTech / Financial Engineering, Data Science  Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence / NLP, Management Science Engineering; Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, including the ability to communicate with clarity on complex information. Excellent communication skills in Chinese is a plus.High analytical ability to analyse and illuminate data, interprets reports, evaluate and criticise texts and bring new insights. Ability to creatively apply relevant research approaches, models, techniques and methods. Ability to assess and organise resource requirements and deploy effectively.Ability to build relationships and collaborate with others, both internally and externally. Some practical experience of applying the specialist skills and approaches and techniques required for the role.

About Us 

Join a unique British University in China. Join a unique British University in China. University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China. Located in Ningbo, this award winning campus offering a UK-style education has grown to establish a student body of over 10,000 in just 21 years. 

About Postdoctoral research station in Business Administration. Postdoctoral research station in Business Administration was approved to establish in Nov 2023. It is UNNCs first postdoctoral research station, and its founding deeply aligns with the national strategic needs in promoting talent cultivation and innovation as well as that of UNNC. UNNCs undergraduate programme of Business Administration was launched in 2004 and the doctoral programme in 2009. The subject has been listed among the worlds top academic subjects by Shanghai Ranking for four consecutive years. The discipline of Business Administration has also established teaching and research platforms at multiple levels and carried out in-depth industry university research cooperation with world renowned enterprises such as Microsoft and Amazon. In the future, UNNC will incorporate the development of the postdoctoral research station into the agenda of the university to provide talent support in efforts to promote scientific and technological innovation as well as economic and social development. 

About the Research Team

Prof. Alain Chong is Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Partnerships and Chair Professor of Information Systems at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. His research explores digital innovation, disruptive technologies, and their impact on business and society. He serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Industrial Management  Data Systems and as Associate Editor for Information  Management and Decision Support Systems. For details, please refer to the link: https://research.nottingham.edu.cn/en/persons/alain-chong  

Dr. Xiaodie Pu is an Associate Professor of Business Analytics at the Nottingham University Business School China. Her research focuses on supply chain management, digital platform strategy, and the role of information technologies in business transformation. Dr. Pu has published in leading international journals such as the International Journal of Operations  Production Management, European Journal of Operational Research, and Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management. She has led multiple national and provincial research projects and serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Supply Chain Management and a senior editor for the International Journal of Information Management Data Insights. Dr. Pu has also been selected for several prestigious talent programmes, including the Zhejiang University Talent Programme and the 'Yongjiang Young Scholars Initiative'. For details, please refer to the link: https://research.nottingham.edu.cn/en/persons/jenny-pu  

About the Project

This postdoctoral research position is part of a two-year collaborative project focused on the application and evaluation of GenAI and large language models (LLMs) in financial risk control and digital economy research. The researcher will assess the performance of an AI-based due diligence assistant through both quantitative analysis and field experiments, comparing its effectiveness with traditional manual methods and evaluating its impact on real-world business decision-making. Another key task involves developing an evaluation framework for GenAI/LLM tools, including expert-annotated datasets and benchmarking studies. The project also includes academic research based on large-scale government and enterprise data, focusing on topics such as digital transformation and industry coordination. The postdoc will contribute to empirical research, scholarly publications, and the design of human-AI collaboration models. Work will be based at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, with opportunities for on-site activities, including data collection, user interviews, and regular engagement with industry partners.

Your Remuneration, Benefits and Support 

You will be offered a fixed term contract initially with University of Nottingham Ningbo China for 2 years. You will be offered a minimum annual salary package of RMB269,906 with competitive benefits package. Postdoctoral Research Fellow is also able to apply RMB50,000 research funding after they start their research. 

How to Apply 

Applicants should submit an application via our on-line application system before 2025-11-25. Only on-line applications will be accepted. Referees will be contacted prior to interview and interviews will take place in Ningbo China. 

Applications should include but are not limited to the following: 

• A cover letter
• An up-to-update CV includes academic and research achievement list
• A Research proposal (Please refer to the attached project summary)

Enquiries 

Informal enquiries regarding the research project may be addressed to Alain ChongAlain.Chong@nottingham.edu.cn or Jenny PuJenny.Pu@nottingham.edu.cn. If you are unable to apply on-line please contact the Human Resources Office, Tel: 86 574 88180000(Ext. 8854).