Karlstad University / Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences / Department of Social and Psychological Studies

Sapere Aude—dare to be wise—is our motto. Our students and employees develop knowledge and expertise that enrich both people and the world around them. Our academic environment is characterised by curiosity, courage and perseverance. Gender equality, diversity and a democratic approach form the foundation of our organisation. We are located in an active and scenic region and we promote sustainable development in close collaboration with the wider society.
 
Karlstad University has a total of approximately 1,400 employees and 17,300 students spread across two inspiring campus environments in Karlstad and Arvika.
 
More information at: kau.se/en/work-with-us

Would you like to help develop an exciting research environment in the discipline of Social Work at a multidisciplinary department?

Description

The Department of Social and Psychological Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is now accepting applications for a professor of Social Work. The discipline of Social Work at Karlstad University is a well-established, intermediate-sized unit, which includes a PhD programme. The education and research profiles are well-defined and both lie at the forefront of the field. You will have the opportunity to work closely with colleagues from various disciplines, with excellent conditions for interdisciplinary research collaborations. There is a strong culture of embracing new initiatives in education and research.

Social Work is part of a multidisciplinary department that also includes Sociology, Psychology and Gender Studies. The discipline comprises approximately 30 teachers and researchers conducting research and teaching in the subject. We participate in several research projects, as well as partnerships and networks both in Sweden and abroad.

Research in Social Work at Karlstad University is organised in two primary research areas: Applied Welfare Studies and Critical Welfare Studies. Examples of ongoing research within the framework of Applied Welfare Studies include projects focusing on children and young people’s mental health, honour related violence and oppression, assessments and support within social services, as well as studies on service user participation.

Current research projects within the framework of Critical Welfare Studies include the role of civil society in social welfare, the working conditions in elderly care, critical perspectives on social issues concerning girls’ living conditions, as well as studies on international migration. We are also part of several multidisciplinary research projects. We aim to strengthen our research environment by deepening or broadening our research.

Social Work offers undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral level courses and programmes. The discipline is also in charge of the Bachelor of Science in Social Work programme and a Master’s programme in Social Work. We have approximately 400 full-time students annually.

FoU Välfärd Värmland is a centre in which the 16 municipalities of Värmland, Karlstad University and Region Värmland jointly contribute to the development of knowledge-based welfare activities. The Centre is based here at Karlstad University and contributes to a unique and lively organisation with practice-based research, evaluations, seminars and conferences.

Duties 

Duties include research, teaching and supervision. We are looking for applicants who want to contribute to the development of our research environment. Duties include further developing and maintaining the high quality of the subject’s courses and programmes, research and collaboration efforts.

You will be in charge of leading and furthering the subject’s research activities and research environment. As professor, you are expected to contribute to externally funded research by actively pursuing external funding and improving procedures for applications to various external funding bodies. Duties also include applying for funding of doctoral students. You are also expected to further collaboration with the local community, as well as with other higher education institutions in Sweden and abroad. We expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community in order to contribute to a positive work environment.

Qualification requirements 

To be eligible for the position of professor of Social Work, applicants are required to hold a PhD in Social Work or equivalent as well as having documented research and teaching expertise. The position requires a good command of Swedish and English.

Pursuant to Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure, teachers must have the personal qualities required to perform all duties involved in the appointment. A professor must also have completed a course in higher education pedagogy. In special circumstances, the course in higher education pedagogy may be completed within two years of employment. For other eligibility requirements, refer to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 4 Section 3, and Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure.

Assessment criteria 

Equal weight will be given to research and teaching expertise.

In the assessment of teaching expertise, special weight will be given to broad experience in educational development, as well as teaching and supervision at different levels in social work. Published textbooks are seen as a valuable qualification.

Special weight will be given to the demonstrated ability to cooperate, strong academic leadership qualities, the ability to create a good research environment, and the ability to successfully apply for external research funding.

Weight will be given to administrative skills and familiarity with the academic system for higher education.

Previous experience as head of research and of supervising doctoral students are seen as particularly valuable qualifications.

Up-to-date experience with community collaboration and dissemination of research findings and development work are also considered valuable qualifications.

Terms 

This is a permanent full-time position starting at the earliest convenience, as agreed upon by both parties. We expect the person appointed to be physically present in our environment.

Application 

Submit the application via the university’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi. For advice on how to draft your application, refer to “What should be included with my application?”.

Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.

The application should include:

  • CV
  • cover letter
  • an in-depth account of teaching experience
  • certificate to verify completed courses in higher education pedagogy or an account of equivalent skills
  • an in-depth account of research experience
  • documented and successful experience as a doctoral supervisor
  • an account of other experiences of importance
  • an account of managerial and administrative experience
  • plans for future work
  • an account of collaborations, international network experience, etc.
  • a list of publications (in multi-authored publications, the role of the applicant must be specified)
  • language proficiency certificates
  • copies of relevant course transcripts, degree certificates, and other certificates
  • no more than 10 scientific publications and no more than 5 materials intended to convey knowledge, such as textbooks, computer programs for teaching, or popular science articles
  • two references, at least one of which is a current or former supervisor.

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content.

Documents that cannot be submitted electronically, such as books or publications, should be sent in triplicate to the following address;

Karlstads universitet
HR avdelningen
Ann-Louise Gustafsson
651 88 KARLSTAD

Application deadline: 3 September 2023
State the reference no: REK 2023/93
We look forward to your application! 

Karlstad University has chosen advertising channels for this recruitment and firmly declines any contact with advertising or recruitment agencies.

This translation carries no legal weight.

https://kau.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:618490/?lang=se

Type of employment Permanent position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment By agreement
Salary Monthly
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Karlstad
County Värmlands län
Country Sweden
Reference number REK2023/93
Contact
  • Line Holth, prefekt, +46(0)70-6457691,line.holth@kau.se
  • Helen Hagström, studierektor, +46(0)76-0519589,helen.hagstrom@kau.se
  • Ulla Rantakeisu, professor och ämnesföreträdare, +46(0)76-3019303,ulla.rantakeisu@kau.se
Union representative
  • Thomas Bragefors, SACO, 054-7001714
  • Denita Gustavsson, OFR, 054-7001434
Published 30.May.2023
Last application date 03.Sep.2023 11:59 PM CEST

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