Postdoctoral appointment in Social Science Education

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

Description

Due to the postdoctoral appointment’s nature as a career-development position for junior researchers, we are looking for candidates who have completed their PhD no more than three years before the application deadline.

The position is based at the subject of civics at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. As postdoctor, you will conduct research at the Centre for Social Science Didactics (https://www.kau.se/en/csd), which includes approximately 20 researchers from various disciplines.  CSD is a research centre focused on subject-specific education in geography, history, civics and religious studies.  Research conducted at CSD takes a practical approach with the aim to influence the conditions, forms and content of teaching, as well as a focusing on theory and method development.

The appointment aims to investigate how issues of environmental and climate change affect teaching and learning in social science subjects. Environmental and climate changes require both updated educational content and the ability to manage anxiety and uncertainty. We are therefore particularly interested in how learning in schools can be improved by considering both educational psychology and subject-specific considerations and challenges.  You will work in an interdisciplinary environment that offers ample opportunities for collaboration with Swedish and international researchers, as well as with various societal actors.

Duties

You will primarily contribute to CSD by conducting research within an interdisciplinary field that combines knowledge of subject didactics, education and bildung  in the anthropocene era. The appointment has a particular focus on geography and teaching in an anthropocene context.  Work is also conducted in collaboration with the network Education and Bildung in the Anthropocene (www.kau.se/en/csd/collaboration/education-and-bildung-anthropocene-eban).

Included in the duties are all the regular tasks associated with research: academic and popular publications, applications, project management, administration, teaching, supervision, collaboration, etc. The appointment may also include teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, although no more than a maximum of 20% of full time. One important task is to collaborate with the wider community for a mutual exchange, and to ensure that the knowledge and expertise available at the university is of benefit to society. 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 the postdoctoral appointment, applicants are required to hold a PhD with a specialisation in subject-specific education or educational sciences, or equivalent qualifications from abroad. The PhD must be completed before a decision to appoint an applicant is made.The candidate must have completed the degree no more than three years before the application deadline. The candidate must meet the qualification requirements for the postdoctoral position when the decision regarding the appointment is made. Proficiency in spoken and written English is also a requirement.

Qualifications obtained earlier may be considered if there are special grounds, such as sick leave, parental leave, clinical service, service as a union representative, military service or similar, or service/assignment of relevance to the appointment.

Assessment criteria

Special weight will be given to

• scientific qualifications, such as scientific publications in accordance with the job description and duties outlined above
• a carefully considered and realistic research plan in accordance with the job description and duties outlined above

Considerable weight will be given to

• a degree in education with a specialisation in geography
• the ability to establish networks and research collaborations
• the ability to independently take responsibility for your duties as well as driving your processes forward
• the ability to be pro-active, initiate activities and achieve results
• strong teamwork skills

 Weight will be given to

• documented ability to apply for and secure external research funding
• international work experience (employment, exchange, projects, etc.)
• knowledge of education psychology

 Valuable qualifications

• the ability to collaborate and communicate with companies, government agencies and the wider community
• documented experience of teaching at university level

Terms

This is a full-time 2-year appointment. Start date in the autumn semester 2024, as agreed by both parties. A condition for the postdoctoral appointment is that the applicant has not previously held a postdoctoral appointment with the support of a central agreement for more than one year in the same or related subject area at the same university/authority.

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:

• CV
• cover letter describing your qualifications in relation to the duties of the position
• research plan in a separate document, covering the two years of employment, where you describe how you want to contribute to the development of the research conducted at CSD as outlined above (2-3 pages)
• a list of publications (in multi-authored publications, the role of the applicant must be specified)
• copies of relevant course transcripts and degree certificates
• copy of doctoral thesis and other relevant publications
• language proficiency certificates
• 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 to:

Karlstads universitet HR-avdelningen
HR-administratör
651 88 Karlstad

State the reference number: 2024/154

Application deadline: October 23, 2024

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.

HR Excellence in Research
Karlstad University received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research award September 2020. The award is issued to employers with a stimulating work environment and good conditions for researchers and its continuous improvement. The award also conveys the university’s commitment to fair and transparent recruitment as well as favorable professional development for researchers. Read more: kau.se/hrs4r

1. Kenneth Nordgren, 054-7001427
2. Martin Jakobsson, 054-7001405

1. Thomas Bragefors, SACO, +4654-7001714
2. Denita Gustavsson, OFR, +4654-7001434