Doctoral Position in Work Science

Ref PAR 2021/143

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 53 500 students and 6 500 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Sociology and Work Science has about 120 employed, teachers, researchers, PhD-students and administrative staff. The Department carries out research, education and collaboration in a number of areas. There is research in areas like labor market, working life, social deviation, digitalization, emotions, gender, migration, environmental issues, social movements, governance and organization as well as science and technology. Courses are offered in a range of fields such as sociology, work science, human resource management, criminology and social psychology. The Department also has extensive commitment to several of the University's educational programs, particularly in teacher education. Collaboration and development projects are conducted both in research and education with partners in the private and public sector for example the Centre for Global Human Resource Management (CGHRM).

Subject area

Work science is an interdisciplinary subject that seeks to understand and explain conditions in working life and the importance of work in people's lives. At the Department of Sociology and Work Science in Gothenburg, the main focus is social science. This means that occupational sociology, occupational psychology, occupational health science are the most prominent along with other occupational science perspectives, such as history, ergonomics, technology and occupational medicine. Central research and teaching areas are the importance of the work environment and work organization, the design and development of the labor market, personnel science, human resource management, conflicts in working life, leadership and organization, and the relationship between work, other life and identity.

Job assignments

The aim of the doctoral studentship is for the doctoral student to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to conduct research autonomously within sociology and to contribute to the development of knowledge within the discipline through the production of a scholarly thesis. Another aim for the doctoral student is to develop an ability to apply the acquired knowledge and skills within post-degree research or other professional work.

The doctoral (third- cycle) education studies are equivalent to four year full-time and lead to a Degree of Doctor. Those appointed to doctoral studentships shall primarily devote themselves to their studies. Those appointed to doctoral studentships may, however, work to a limited extent with educational tasks, research and administration (departmental duties). Duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20 per cent of a full-time post. Departmental duties will extend the studentship by a corresponding period.

The appointed doctoral student shall be present at the Department and actively participate in research and educational activities.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the position, the applicant must meet both general and specific entry requirements.

Applicants meets the general entry requirements for third-cycle studies if they have obtained 1) a degree at the second-cycle level, 2) at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 must be at the second-cycle level or 3) largely equivalent knowledge in other ways, in Sweden or abroad.

Applicants meets the specific entry requirements if they have obtained 1) a degree at the advanced level in work science or 2) largely equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad will also be considered to meet specific entry requirements.

Assessment

Applicants will be assessed based on their ability to benefit from the doctoral study program at the Department. In addition, the department's competence and supervision resources within the doctoral student's preliminary research focus are taken into account.

To this end, applicants must submit the following documents:
-Papers, degree projects and other relevant works (maximum two works), which will be assessed on in terms of ability to formulate scientific problem and purpose, previous research and choice of theoretical perspectives, methodology and implementation, theory integration, interpretation and conclusions as well as academic and linguistic presentation. In the case of co-authored texts, an account of the division of labor must be provided.

-A project draft, maximum 2000 words, stating the applicant's research interest and planned focus area of their doctoral thesis. The project draft will be assessed on scientific relevance, ability to formulate scientific problems, demonstrated familiarity with previous and current research as well as feasibility within the framework of the PhD-education.

As postgraduate studies in work science are very demanding, the applicant must be strongly motivated and have the ability to work independently within given time frames. Good co-operation and communication skills are also a requirement, as well as good knowledge of English in both speech and writing.

Letters of recommendation are not taken into account, but references to, for example, previous employers can advantageously be stated in the application.

Employment

The employment is a fixed-term employment, limited to 4 years, and is carried out on a full-time basis unless there are acceptable reasons to the contrary (minimum 50%). The position may include departmental duties corresponding up to 20% of a full-time post over the course of study. If such tasks are required, the duration of the appointment will be extended accordingly. Regulations on the employment as a doctoral student are given in ordinance SFS 1993:100.

The position is expected to be filled in mid-September 2021. The position is until further notice located at the Department of Sociology and Work Science.

The university applies local agreements on salary setting for doctoral students.

Appointment procedure

As part of the appointment procedure top-ranked candidates will be interviewed.

For further information regarding the position

For information on the education program/employment, please contact Cecilia Hansen Löfstrand, coordinator of third-cycle program, cecilia.lofstrand@gu.se, +46 31 786 4766
For information on the application procedure/admittance process, please contact human resource officer Anna Karin Wiberg, anna-karin.wiberg@gu.se, +46 31 786 4761

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.