"Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Science at CBEES"

Södertörn University is a higher education institution in Stockholm that conducts education, research, and collaboration for sustainable societal development. We have around 14 000 students, 80 programmes and 300 courses, and we conduct education and research in the humanities, social sciences, technology and natural sciences. The university also offers police education and teacher education with an intercultural profile. A great deal of our research relates to the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe. We combine subjects, perspectives, people and experiences, and are worldminded, curious and questioning, searching for surprising syntheses, challenges and development.

The Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES) is tasked with stimulating and developing Södertörn University’s multidisciplinary research and doctoral (third-cycle) education focusing on the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Europe. CBEES’ objective is to increase the national and international impact of Baltic and Eastern European research conducted at Södertörn University, as well as achieve recognition of the university’s status as a knowledge hub. CBEES is a point of contact, not just within the university but also for other research environments and the surrounding community. CBEES organises Advanced seminars, international conferences, summer schools, lectures, workshops, doctoral student meetings, and courses, and also publishes the Baltic Worlds journal and the yearly CBEES State of the Region Report. The research centre consists of professors, visiting researchers, postdoctoral researchers, doctoral students, and research leaders. The working language at CBEES is English.

We are recruiting one postdoctoral researcher, with a starting date no later than 1 September 2026. The research fields should be closely connected to the work currently conducted at CBEES within the Social Sciences, including, among others, Political Science and Sociology. Applications must demonstrate a clear connection to research on the Baltic and East European region, and applicants must explain how their proposed project will contribute to CBEES’ academic activities.

Job description

The duties of a postdoctoral research fellow primarily comprise research, but also include developing research activities and participating in the CBEES academic community. The selected postdoctoral researcher is expected to comment on research papers presented at our Advanced seminars, participate in CBEES conferences and workshops, and be willing to provide advice to the doctoral students in our graduate school, BEEGS, the multidisciplinary Baltic and East European Graduate School that is also part of CBEES’ academic community.

Some teaching may also be included in these duties, but at no more than 20 per cent of the total level of employment. The position may also include some administrative duties, such as organising conferences or workshops. Teaching is conducted in Swedish and/or English.

The work placement is at Södertörn University, Huddinge, Stockholm County. The postdoctoral research fellows are expected to join our research environment on-site.

Qualifications

Scholars are eligible to apply for this position as a postdoctoral research fellow if they hold a doctoral degree in one of the Social Sciences or a qualification from abroad equivalent to a doctoral degree in these academic fields. This requirement must be fulfilled at the time when the employment decision is made.

The applicant must also possess the personal skills necessary to do the job well and represent the university in a manner that benefits its activities.

Primary consideration will be given to applicants who were awarded the above qualifications within three years prior to the application deadline for employment as a postdoctoral research fellow. Someone with a doctoral degree, or a qualification from abroad equivalent to a doctoral degree, from an earlier date, may be considered if there are exceptional circumstances. Such exceptional circumstances are leave due to ill health, parental leave, positions of trust within trade union organisations, service in the Swedish armed forces, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other practice/commissions relevant to the subject.

Södertörn University applies the following criteria for research expertise to the assessment of qualifications. If research expertise is demonstrated in a way other than that described below, the equivalent assessment must be made of this expertise.

Research expertise is demonstrated through a doctoral thesis, other scholarly publications in the relevant subject area, and participation in research projects.

Grounds for assessment

The following grounds for assessment have been established for this position (in order of importance). The following items must be documented.

• Research expertise,
• the quality of the research plan, with a focus on how the proposed research is clearly connected to research on the Baltic and East European region and will contribute to the academic work at CBEES,
• administrative skills and good cooperation skills (see more details below under “Append”).

For complete information about the qualifications and assessment criteria, please refer to Södertörn University’s Appointments Procedure, available via the link on the vacancies page: https://www.sh.se/english/sodertorn-university/meet-sodertorn-university/this-is-sodertorn-university/vacant-positions.

Employment

The position is full-time and for a period of 24 months. The starting date is as soon as possible and no later than September 2026, and will be discussed in closer detail during the interviews with the shortlisted candidates.

Application

The application deadline is 27 February 2026 (23:59, Stockholm time).

Append:

• A research plan (max. three pages + references) that demonstrates the project’s relevance for research on the Baltic and East European region and the academic work at CBEES.
• Doctoral thesis
• CV
• Personal letter
• Other publications you deem relevant
• Other documents that corroborate your administrative skills and cooperation skills
• + This document/review could be a letter from the Head of Department or Director of Studies at the university where you were employed as a doctoral student or lecturer.

Additional information

Joakim Ekman, Director of CBEES, joakim.ekman@sh.se

Vit Kysilka, Administrative Officer, vit.kysilka@sh.se

To apply, please use the yellow button "Apply here" at the bottom of this text.

Welcome with your application! On our website, sh.se/vacantpositions, there is an application template that the applicant needs to follow. Publications referred to must be attached to the application. An application that is not complete or arrives at Södertörn University after the closing date may be rejected.