Doctoral Student in Working Life Science - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is accepting applications for a doctoral studentship leading to a PhD in Working Life Science at Karlstad Business School. The doctoral studentship is not linked to any ongoing research project or any particular specialisation within the field of working life science, which means that the prospective doctoral student will have great freedom to choose their research specialisation within working life science.

Working life science is an interdisciplinary subject comprising several perspectives and theoretical fields related to work and working life. The subject offers studies at undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level. In addition, the subject is responsible for the bachelor’s programme Human Resource Management and Working Life. Working life science incorporates a number of research areas such as the labour market, its actors and functions; the organisation of work, management models and leadership; working conditions and work environment, technology and digitalisation; the relationship between work and other aspects of life; different approaches to work and the various demands of work on aesthetics and commitment, as well as power and resistance in working life. The mission of Karlstad Business School is “We educate responsible professionals and conduct research with high societal impact”, which permeates all our activities. Working Life Science is one of the smaller subjects at Karlstad Business School and employs approximately ten staff members.

Duties

As a doctoral student, you will primarily dedicate time to your own studies. The doctoral programme comprises 240 credits for a Degree of Doctor and 120 credits for a Degree of Licentiate. The doctoral appointment is a paid position that offers a combination of studies and work, and a great opportunity for a potential career in academia. Doctoral students are expected to work independently and be prepared to contribute to the activities and development of the discipline and the department. Teaching and administrative duties may also be included upon agreement, but will not constitute more than 20% of full-time.

Work as a doctoral student allows for great freedom and flexibility in terms of how you structure your day. It takes commitment, discipline and a structured approach in order to successfully complete a doctoral thesis. Experienced supervisors offer guidance and support along the way. To contribute to a positive work environment and further the department’s activities, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for a doctoral studentship, applicants must meet the general and specific entry requirements (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35).

To meet the general entry requirements, applicants must have been awarded a second-cycle qualification, satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 39).

To meet the specific entry requirements for doctoral studies in working life science, the applicant must have completed a Degree of Master (60 credits) and written a bachelor’s or master’s (60 or 120 credits) thesis with a focus on working life.

Admission and assessment criteria

To be eligible for doctoral studies, the applicant must be considered to have the ability required to benefit from the programme (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35). Admission is based on individual assessment.

Special weight will be given to results in previous studies, the quality of independent written work completed during these studies, as well as the applicant’s research plan. Special weight will also be given to personal qualities such as the ability to cooperate, show sound judgement, responsibility, commitment and a positive attitude towards colleagues and students.

Considerable weight will be given to the extent to which the applicant intends to be a physically present and active member of the research environment of the subject.

Considerable weight will also be given to proficiency in spoken and written English. 

A good command of Swedish is seen as a valuable qualification to enable field work in Sweden.

Terms

Upon admission to doctoral studies, the person will be offered the appointment of doctoral student (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5, Sect. 3). The position comprises four years of full-time studies, or five years at a study rate of 80% with 20% teaching or other departmental duties. The position is fixed-term – one year initially, followed by possible extensions by a maximum of two years at a time. Start date by agreement.

The salary for the doctoral studentship corresponds to the standard level of salary for doctoral students and progresses in accordance with a local collective agreement.

Application

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi. 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, Norwegian, Danish 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:

• a cover letter where the applicant details the reasons behind their interest in the position
• a research plan (1,000–2,000 words) in Swedish or English, describing the intended thesis project. The research plan must include a problem statement, aim, theory and methods.
• a list of qualifications (CV)
• degree certificate with a complete transcript of the courses included, or a certified list of completed courses with grades and dates
• copy of Master’s thesis or equivalent
• where applicable, copies of publications or certificates for other qualifications
• any letters of recommendation
• two references, such as a teacher, supervisor, or previous or current superior.

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 should be sent to the following address:

Karlstads universitet
HR-administratör
651 88 KARLSTAD

Application deadline: 2025-03-20

State the reference number: REK 2025/50

Applicants with qualifications from abroad

If you have qualifications from a university outside Sweden or if they have not been recognised by a Swedish authority before, it is important that you attach degree certificates and official transcripts to facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications.
Provide a contact for the degree-awarding institution (phone number or email) who can verify your qualifications.

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.