Postdoctoral Students in Social Sciences

Lund University

Sweden

About Lund University

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Doctoral Programme

The PhD program consists of 240 credits (equivalent to four years of full-time studies) and is concluded with the public defense of a doctoral thesis.

The appointed doctoral students will receive a salary from the University during four years, and their primary obligation is to complete their PhD studies. The position may involve departmental duties, mainly in the form of teaching, up to 20 per cent of full-time working hours, in which case the appointment will be extended by the equivalent number of hours.

The terms of employment for doctoral students are regulated in the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (HF), Chapter 5, Sections 1–7.

The doctoral student shall be present and actively participate in the research and teaching environment at the department. The main language of the PhD program is English. However, non-Swedish speaking students are expected to acquire basic skills in Swedish during the period of employment. There are opportunities to participate in language courses taught at the University.

The doctoral studentship will commence on 1 September 2026.

The general syllabus and other information about the PhD program in Social Anthropology is available at: PHD handbook

Eligibility

The requirements for admission to third cycle courses and study programs (in accordance with HF, Chapter 7, Section 35) are that the applicant
(1) meets the general and specific entry requirements that the higher education institution may have laid down, and
(2) is considered in other respects to have the ability required to benefit from the course or study program.

A person meets the general entry requirements for third cycle courses and study programmes if he or she:

has been awarded a second cycle qualification,
has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Specific admission requirements

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third-cycle programmes in Social Anthropology if they have completed a second-cycle degree in the subject or have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad. The degree must contain independent projects comprising at least 30 credits or equivalent, half of which is at second-cycle level.

Assessment Criteria

Only applicants who are eligible for third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Admission is primarily to be based on the applicant’s ability to benefit from the third cycle programme.

The applicants will be ranked based on an overall assessment of:

the quality and originality of their submitted papers and research plan, and
their personal suitability.

As third cycle studies in Social Anthropology are very demanding, the applicant must be highly motivated and able to work independently under time constraints.

Good collaboration and communication skills are also required, as is proficiency in both written and spoken English.

Interviews will be conducted with a shortlisted number of applicants during the final stages of the admission process. The applicants may be asked to provide work samples also after the application has been submitted.

Application Procedure

Applications are to be submitted electronically via the Lund University application portal.
The application must include:

A cover letter in English of max 1 000 words, which contains a brief presentation of yourself and your qualifications, as well as a brief explanation of why you are interested in third cycle studies in Social Anthropology at the Department of Sociology at Lund University.
A CV in English that demonstrates your qualifications for the third cycle program in Social Anthropology.
Degree and grade certificates in Swedish or English.
Master thesis or equivalent project in Swedish or English corresponding to at least 30 credits in social anthropology or other discipline deemed equivalent.
A research plan of a maximum of 13 000 characters with spaces, including references, in English. All plans must follow the instructions available here: Research plan. Please note that a plan not following these formal requirements means that the application will not be assessed.
Name and contact information of two personal references.
Other documentation of relevance to the position.

Employment Details

Type of employment: Temporary employment, four years according to The Higher Education Ordinance
Salary: Monthly salary
Number of positions: 1
Full-time equivalent: 100 %
City: Lund
County: Skåne län
Country: Sweden
Reference number: PA2026/629

Faculty and Department

The Faculty of Social Sciences at Lund University is one of the leading education and research institutions in Sweden and operates both in Lund and Helsingborg.

The Department of Sociology in Lund consists of three disciplines: sociology, social anthropology and gender studies. What they have in common is that they try to understand and explain people and society in their social, cultural and historical context. The department's research includes empirical studies of central contemporary problems, critical social analysis, and the development of social science theories and methods.