PhD Candidate in Educational Work, Focus on Science Didactics

We are now looking for a PhD candidate in educational work, focusing on science didactics, for the project "Investigative Work in Natural Science as a Basis for Deeper Knowledge and Social Engagement".

The project is exploratory and tests how teaching in the upper secondary school's natural science subject can be designed when it is permeated by investigative work. The aim is to deepen the understanding of how such inquiry-based teaching can create conditions for both deeper knowledge and students' agency, in the classroom as well as in society. The project is intended to be carried out as a design study in close collaboration between the PhD candidate and one to two active natural science teachers.

The project emphasizes students' agency as a central goal for science education. It responds to the need to strengthen the relevance of teaching and its contribution to deepened learning to “meet, understand, and influence one’s contemporary society,” participation, and meaning in natural science, especially for students who do not identify with scientific career paths. By combining didactic theories, practice-oriented collaboration, and the development of didactic models, the project is expected to provide concrete tools for how investigative teaching can be designed to support knowledge development, democratic participation, and sustainable social engagement. Read about the project here: project link (https://researchportal.hkr.se/sv/projects/unders%C3%B6kande-arbete-i-naturkunskap-som-grund-f%C3%B6r-djupare-kunskap/).

At the Faculty of Teacher Education, research and education are conducted in a broad field of areas. To learn more about the faculty's research, see here (http://www.hkr.se/forskning/). The PhD position is linked to the research environment Learning in Science and Mathematics (LISMA), which works to increase knowledge about inclusive teaching in and about mathematics and natural sciences at all levels – from preschool to higher education LISMA (https://hkr.varbi.com/center/tool/position/890715/edit/tab:2/www.hkr.se/lisma).

Job Responsibilities

The PhD project is linked to the national graduate school in science and technology didactics, graduate school (https://liu.se/forskning/fontd). This means that as a PhD candidate, you will take certain courses at Linköping University, together with PhD candidates from other institutions connected to the graduate school. As a PhD candidate, you will participate in planning and overarching activities for the current PhD project, but also work independently on your own dissertation and PhD studies, which include both compulsory and elective courses. The research environments at Kristianstad University offer a high-quality environment for doctoral education.

If you are offered a position as a PhD candidate, you will be employed and have your workplace at Kristianstad University and be admitted to doctoral education in educational work at Kristianstad University. As a PhD candidate, you will be part of a seminar group with other PhD candidates in the faculty's research environments. Studies can be combined with a maximum of 20% institutional service, provided that space is available at the institution. For employment, it is required that you are admitted or will be admitted to doctoral education.

Eligibility and Qualifications

To be eligible for admission to doctoral education, you must meet the requirements for basic and specific eligibility and have the necessary ability to complete the education.

You have basic eligibility through a degree at the advanced level or completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at the advanced level, or in some other way acquired equivalent knowledge (HF, Chapter 7, Section 39). To meet the specific eligibility requirement, you must have basic eligibility, teacher education, and at least two years of pedagogical professional experience, or in some other way acquired equivalent knowledge (HF Chapter 7, Section 40).

In addition to the general and specific eligibility, an assessment of the applicant's ability to benefit from the education will be of great importance. At Kristianstad University, the following assessment criteria are applied: previous study results, the quality of previous independent work, motivation and expectations for doctoral education, theoretical awareness, ability to benefit from supervision, ability to work independently, and linguistic and analytical ability. It is required that you have a teacher education focusing on the natural science subjects. We also prefer that you have experience in teaching the subject of natural science.

You have good computer skills and can communicate well both orally and in writing in Swedish and English. In the role of PhD candidate, it is important that you have a good ability to communicate and interact with different groups. You collaborate well with others while also being able to work independently and being stable. You take initiative, are flexible, structured, and pedagogical by adapting your message to the recipient.

Other

The start date is 2026-09-01 or by agreement. The position is full-time or another working degree by agreement. Regulations for employment as a PhD candidate can be found in the ordinance SFS 1993:100, Chapter 5. The employment concerns doctoral studies leading to a doctoral degree. As a PhD candidate, you will receive a fixed-term employment that covers four years of full-time studies regulated by HF Chapter 5, §§ 3 a, 7. The first employment may be for a maximum of one year. The employment may then be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. The education, which concludes with a doctoral degree, comprises 240 higher education credits. In cases where institutional service occurs, the doctoral education must be extended correspondingly.

Application

The application must include:

• CV/Resume
• A description of your motivations for applying for a PhD position within the framework of the research project and what expectations you have for doctoral education in both subject and research area (maximum 3 pages, 12 points, 1.5 line spacing)
• Attach the works (master's thesis, reports, scientific articles, etc.) that you have completed.

The application deadline is 2026-02-22.

If you have questions, please contact:

About the project: Lotta Leden, Associate Professor in Science Didactics: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
About doctoral education: Anders Jönsson, Professor in Didactics, Director of Studies for Doctoral Education in Educational Work: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

If you have questions about how to submit your application, please contact the system's support at 0520-58 00 50 or via the support box.

See more PhD positions in educational work here (http://www.hkr.se/jobb).