Postdoctoral Position in Education

University of Gothenburg

Research School: STEPS – Strengthening Teacher Education for Equitable Practice in the Swedish School System
Reference number: PAR 2026/91
Application deadline: 6 March 2026
Start date: 1 September 2026 or by agreement
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Employment type: Fixed-term doctoral employment (4 years, full-time)

About the University of Gothenburg

The University of Gothenburg is a large and internationally oriented university with 58,000 students and 6,800 employees. Through strong research and attractive educational programmes, the university contributes knowledge and perspectives aimed at meeting societal challenges and shaping a better future.

About the Department

The Department of Education and Special Education (IPS) is part of the Faculty of Education and focuses on:

• Education–society relations
• Education systems, school development, and leadership
• Adult education
• Inclusion, learning, language, assessment, and grading

The department offers education at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, with a strong connection to teacher education programmes.

Department website

The Research School STEPS

These doctoral positions are funded by the Swedish Research Council (Ref. No. 2025–07018) within the research school:

STEPS – Strengthening Teacher Education for Equitable Practice in the Swedish School System

STEPS is coordinated by the University of Gothenburg in collaboration with Uppsala University and Stockholm University.

Aim of STEPS
The research school educates future teacher educators with a strong research foundation in:

• Educational equity
• School segregation
• The societal mission of schools

Doctoral education within STEPS combines research, practice-oriented initiatives, and close collaboration with practicing teachers. The long-term goal is to strengthen teacher education and contribute to more equitable, inclusive, and compensatory school systems in Sweden.

Doctoral Subjects

The positions are offered within one of the following doctoral subjects:

Education

Education focuses on teaching, upbringing, socialisation, Bildung, and learning, with particular attention to:

• The relationship between individuals and society
• Institutional conditions across time
• Power, influence, structure, and agency within and beyond formal education systems

Educational Work

Educational Work addresses work within educational institutions, focusing on:

• Educational practices, professions, and organisations
• Teachers’ and students’ working conditions
• Teaching and learning in relation to policy and educational reforms

More information about doctoral studies:
https://www.gu.se/larande-ledarskap-halsa/var-forskarutbildning

Prioritised Research Projects

Three research areas are prioritised at the Department of Education and Special Education:

1. Teacher Mobility and Inequality
   Examines factors driving unequal teacher mobility and sorting, organisational consequences, and effects on student outcomes over the past 30 years.
2. School Segregation and Life Outcomes
   Investigates how social sorting in student composition affects educational transitions and long-term labour market outcomes, including employment and income.
3. Experiences of Segregated Schooling
   Explores how children, parents/guardians, teachers, and principals navigate a segregated educational landscape, including school choice, teaching practices, and leadership.

Doctoral students will be affiliated with the research environments FUR and YPW within the research programme SSIS:

• FUR: Quantitative research using large-scale data
• YPW: Qualitative research on children’s and young people’s lived experiences

Duties and Study Conditions

• Full-time doctoral studies (4 years)
• Up to 20% departmental duties (teaching, research, or administration) may be included, with corresponding extension of employment
• Studies conducted within Education or Educational Work
• Physical presence at the department is required

Eligibility Requirements

General Eligibility

Applicants must meet the requirements of the Higher Education Ordinance, including:

• A second-cycle degree, or
• At least 240 higher education credits, including 60 at second-cycle level, or
• Equivalent knowledge acquired in another way

Specific Eligibility

For Education

• At least 90 credits in Education
• At least 30 credits at second-cycle level
• Independent thesis of at least 15 credits at second-cycle level

For Educational Work
One of the following:

• A second-cycle teaching degree (or equivalent) with a thesis of at least 15 credits, or
• At least 90 credits oriented towards educational practice or child and youth studies, including:
  • At least 30 credits at second-cycle level
  • An independent project of at least 15 credits

Applicants with equivalent qualifications obtained in Sweden or abroad are also eligible.

Selection Criteria

Admission is competitive and based on an overall assessment of:

• Academic quality of previous theses and written work
• Quality, relevance, and feasibility of the research proposal
• Applicant’s ability to complete doctoral education

Additional merits

• Projects 1 & 2: Experience with statistical analysis of large-scale data
• Project 3: Experience with interviews or mixed methods and strong proficiency in Swedish

Interviews may be conducted. Final admission decisions are made by the Head of Department.

Employment Conditions

• Employment type: Fixed-term doctoral employment (Ordinance SFS 1993:100)
• Extent: 100%
• Maximum employment period: 8 years (corresponding to 4 years full-time study)
• Salary: Individually determined

Admission may be revoked if a required residence permit is not presented at the start of studies.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted via the University of Gothenburg recruitment portal by 6 March 2026.

Applicants must:

• Specify the doctoral subject (Education or Educational Work)
• Indicate which of the three research projects they are applying for

Required Documents

• Cover letter (max 1 A4 page)
• Curriculum vitae
• Study documentation verifying eligibility
• Master’s thesis (15 credits) and up to one additional research-related text
• Preliminary research proposal (max 5 A4 pages, excluding references)
• References
• Any additional merits

All documents must be submitted in Swedish or English.

Contact Information

• Director of Doctoral Studies:
  Daniel Bergh – daniel.bergh@gu.se
• Deputy Head of Department (Doctoral Studies):
  Jakob Åsberg Johnels – jakob.johnels@gu.se
• HR Contact:
  Ivana Nikolic – ivana.nikolic@gu.se