Doctoral studentship in social work within NUSO

Doctoral studentship in social work within the research and development project NUSO (National follow-up of the transition of social services)

Description

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is accepting applications for a doctoral studentship leading to a PhD in Social Work at the Department of Social and Psychological Studies. The subject offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level courses and study programmes. The subject includes a bachelor’s programme in social work with approximately 350 students, and we are 30 members of staff working with education and research in the subject. Several of our researchers are part of the research and development project NUSO (National follow-up of the transition of social services) at R&D Welfare Varmland. The doctoral studentship is part of Karlstad University’s investment in NUSO and aims to further the research environment at R&D Welfare Varmland.

R&D Welfare Varmland is tasked with supporting knowledge-based practice within social services through research, development work and the dissemination of knowledge across all areas of social services. R&D Welfare Varmland operates at regional, national and international levels and is a member of the European Social Network (ESN), a leading European network for public social services. R&D Welfare Varmland has an advisory committee, and the day-to-day activities are led by a director and two research directors.

NUSO is a long-term research and development project that monitors changes in the social services in light of the new Social Services Act. The project aims to create a comprehensive overview of how the work of social services changes over time, the outcomes of this transition and what pathways to, and results of, interventions look like for different groups. The project is carried out in close collaboration with municipalities and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR) and is supported by The Association of Social Services Directors (FSS).

More information about the discipline of social work at Kau, R&D Welfare Varmland, NUSO and ESN:

https://www.kau.se/en/social-work
https://www.kau.se/fou-valfard-varmland (in Swedish)
https://nuso.se/ (in Swedish)
https://www.esn-eu.org/

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. You are given the opportunity to deepen your interests in collaboration with others. 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 organise your tasks. This requires commitment, drive and the ability to structure your work to successfully complete the doctoral thesis. To contribute to a positive work environment and further both the department’s activities and your own development as a researcher, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

Your research is expected to align with key aspects of the transition of social services and to be conducted in close collaboration with local authorities (municipalities). A priority area is studies concerning children as next-of-kin within social services as well as health and medical care services; that is, children of parents who are involved in areas such as harmful substance use and addiction, domestic violence or adult psychiatric care. The doctoral studentship may also be adapted to your own areas of interest, provided that these are in line with identified knowledge needs.

Entry requirements and admission

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, applicants must have completed courses comprising at least 120 credits in social work or an adjacent subject, of which at least 30 credits are at master’s level, including an independent project (degree project) comprising at least 15 credits.

To be eligible for doctoral studies, applicants must also 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.

Excellent command of Swedish, both in speech and writing, is a requirement since research is conducted in collaboration with Swedish authorities and organisations.

Assessment criteria

The assessment of eligible applicants is based on the criteria listed below.

Special weight will be given to;

• Results from previous studies
• The quality of independent written work included in previous studies
• The academic quality of the attached research plan and its relevance for NUSO
• Strong ability to independently prioritise tasks and structure and carry out work assignments in an efficient manner
• Personal qualities such as the ability to cooperate, take responsibility and show commitment
• The extent to which the applicant intends to be physically present and active in the research environment

Considerable weight will be given to;

• Degree of Bachelor of Science in Social Work
• Proficiency in English, both in speech and writing

Weight will be given to;

• Experience in activities related to research or development work
• Professional experience relevant to social work
• Good understanding of, and interest in, both quantitative and qualitative methodologies

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 consisting of research only. If teaching or other departmental duties become relevant, the appointment will be extended by a corresponding period, up to a maximum of five years full-time. The position is fixed-term, one year initially, followed by possible extensions of a maximum of two years at a time (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5). Start date as agreed by both parties.

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
•  an account of language skills
•  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
•  a brief research plan, approximately 2,000-3,000 words, in which the intended thesis project is described, specifying the problem statement, overall aim, possible theoretical perspectives, methods and material
•  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-avdelningen
HR-administratör
651 88 KARLSTAD

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.

Application deadline: 12 May 2026
State the reference number: REK 2026/32.
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/se/what:job/jobID:900786/