Doctoral Researcher in Social Work Karlstad University in Sweden

Doctoral position in Social Work at Karlstad University, Sweden. Karlstad University is advertising an open doctoral student position leading to a PhD in social work at the Department of Social and Psychological Studies. The research environment is described as collegial, interdisciplinary, and strongly connected to practice, with a focus on equality, diversity, democratic values, and socially relevant knowledge production.

Research environment and themes. The subject of social work at Karlstad University offers education at undergraduate, advanced, and doctoral levels and is part of a multidisciplinary department together with sociology, psychology, and gender studies. Research in the field addresses social problems at individual, group, and societal levels, with an emphasis on practice relevance, co-produced knowledge, and critical perspectives. Key themes include young people’s living conditions, especially in relation to upbringing, school environment, violence exposure, mental health, criminal environments, and social child and youth care; service-user perspectives and participation, including social psychiatry and support for people with autism and ADHD; and conditions for social work practice, such as in elder care, with migrants, and in knowledge-based and coordinated work in social services and related settings.

Position and funding. The role is a full-time doctoral employment with salary, normally corresponding to four years of full-time study for the PhD. Some extension may be possible if institutional service is undertaken, typically up to 20% of working time. The employment is temporary, initially for one year and then renewable in periods of up to two years. Salary follows the local collective agreement with fixed salary steps.

Eligibility highlights. Applicants must satisfy Swedish general and specific doctoral admission requirements. Specifically, candidates should have an advanced degree or equivalent knowledge, 240 higher education credits with at least 60 at advanced level, and at least 120 credits in social work or a closely related subject, including at least 30 credits at advanced level and an independent degree project of at least 15 credits, or equivalent qualifications. Strong Swedish and English skills are important. The university particularly welcomes applicants interested in the ongoing research profile in social work.

Application. Applications must be submitted through the university’s Varbi recruitment system. Required documents include a cover letter, CV, degree certificate and list of courses, master’s thesis or equivalent, copies of publications or other supporting merits, a short research plan of no more than 3000 words outlining the intended dissertation project, and two references. The deadline is 2026-10-25. Applicants with degrees from outside Sweden should include diplomas and transcripts, and provide contact details for the issuing institution for verification.

Contact and further information. Contacts listed in the ad include Erik Wästlund, Ulla Rantakeisu, and Hermella Amlakie. The position is based in Karlstad, Sweden, within Karlstad University.