Postdoc in Gender Studies with a focus on Educational Sciences

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The person employed as a postdoctoral researcher will independently research in Gender Studies with a focus on Educational Sciences within the theme: Youth Violence and Gender in Schools.

Schools play a central role in promoting safety democratic values and gender equality. At the same time issues such as violence in young peoples intimate relationships honour-based violence and oppression youth violence and recruitment into criminal environments highlight the schools responsibility as both a learning environment and a social arena. Against the backdrop of increasing polarization recent policy developments concerning school safety and crime prevention Schools Against Crime (SOU 2024:14) we aim to strengthen research on violence safety and gender in school environments.

Research conducted within the framework of this position may for example explore how experiences and understandings of violence safety vulnerability and belonging are shaped in relation to social norms gender relations and schools democratic and value-based missions. Projects addressing critical perspectives on norm-critical pedagogy safety inclusion and educational practices are also welcome.

The research project must be described in a research plan attached to the application. As a postdoctoral researcher you are also expected to contribute actively to the units shared research environment and participate in its pedagogical environment. Teaching and supervision at undergraduate and advanced levels and potentially at doctoral level as well as certain other research-related administrative tasks may constitute up to a maximum of 20% of the position.

The position is based at Umeå Centre for Gender Studies and is intended to strengtheneducational research across Umeå University. As a postdoctoral researcher you will therefore actively contribute to the interdisciplinary career program for early-career researchers run by the Faculty of Teacher Education.

The position also offers opportunities for collaboration with other research environments at the university for example within education didactics and social work as well as with researchers working on issues of violence safety and gender.

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree in Gender Studies Educational Sciences with a gender focus or another closely related field considered relevant to the research conducted at Umeå Centre for Gender Studies and the theme of the call. Applicants with equivalent foreign degrees may also be considered eligible.

To be eligible for appointment as a postdoctoral researcher the applicant must have been awarded a doctoral degree no later than the time the employment decision is made. You must not previously have held a postdoctoral position for more than one year within the same or a related field at Umeå University.

Preference will be given to applicants who completed their doctoral degree within the last three years before the application deadline. Exceptions may be made for special reasons such as sick leave parental leave clinical service union assignments or similar circumstances.

A requirement is that the applicant is proficient in spoken and written English; proficiency in spoken and written Swedish is considered an asset.

We welcome applicants who conduct or have conducted research on violence safety gender and norms relevant to school environments and educational research. Projects drawing on norm-critical perspectives as well as critical examinations of norm-critical pedagogy inclusion safety and schools democratic and value-based missions are also relevant to the theme of the position.

The primary assessment criterion is the contribution to the research field as described demonstrated by the proposed research plan along with previous scholarly work. The ability to conduct independent research and to participate in research collaborations are also important merits.

As teaching is part of the position documented experience of teaching at undergraduate and advanced levels as well as training in higher education pedagogy is considered an asset. Since the position primarily consists of independent research scientific and research-related qualifications will be given greater weight than pedagogical qualifications in the overall assessment.

Additional assessment criteria include good collaboration skills and overall suitability for carrying out the duties of the position.

The position is based at the Umeå Centre for Gender Studies at Umeå University with Umeå as the place of work. Regular on-site presence is expected along with active participation and engagement in the units activities.

The position is a full-time fixed-term appointment for two years. At least 80% of the position consists of independent research. The start date is 1 December 2026 or as agreed.

The application must be written in Swedish or English and include the following documents:

• Cover letter with a brief description of your qualifications research interests and motivation for applying (maximum two pages)
• CV
• Up to three scientific publications
• Certified copies of transcripts and degree certificates
• Research plan (maximum 2500 words) describing the research you intend to conduct on the theme Youth Violence and Gender in Schools
• Contact details for at least two references
• Any additional merits you wish to include

You apply through our recruitment system Varbi. The application deadline is 30 August 2026.

For further information please contact Director Åsa Karlsson Sjögren:

Welcome with your application!

Umeå Centre for Gender Studies (UCGS) offers education in Gender studies at all levels from undergraduate and advanced level to doctoral education. UCGS is one of the largest gender research environments in Sweden. The unit is a vibrant and creative research environment that promotes cross-sectoral encounters and scientific collaborations actively striving to address current societal challenges through knowledge development and education. We serve as a hub responsible for creating a cohesive and strong organization for gender studies research and education at Umeå University.

Umeå University strives to offer an equal environment where open dialogue between people with different backgrounds and perspectives lay the foundation for learning creativity and development. We welcome people with different backgrounds and experiences to apply for the current employment.

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