PhD Candidate in Educational Work, Focus on Adapted School

We are now looking for a PhD candidate in educational work, focusing on adapted schools, for the project Development of Practice-Based Knowledge to Prevent Challenging Situations in Adapted Primary Schools (https://researchportal.hkr.se/sv/projects/preventing-challenging-situations-in-the-swedish-adapted-compulso/).

In adapted primary schools, staff often encounter challenging situations that can escalate into conflicts and affect students' participation and learning. Research-based strategies to prevent such situations are limited. According to the Swedish Work Environment Authority (2023), staff in adapted education are among the professions most frequently exposed to threats and violence, highlighting the need for systematic and preventive approaches. The purpose of the PhD project is to develop practice-based knowledge on how school staff can be supported in preventing challenging situations through collective, team-based intervention studies. The project is planned to include four sub-studies: a systematic research review (sub-study 1) and intervention studies conducted in collaboration with one or more adapted primary schools (sub-studies 2–4). These will be carried out in close cooperation with staff and will include co-creation workshops and focus group interviews, simulation training (TeachLivE), and video observations linked to iterative Plan–Do–Study–Act cycles. A mixed-methods approach is intended to be used with both qualitative and quantitative data.

At the Faculty of Teacher Education, research and education are conducted in a wide range of areas. For information about the faculty's research, see here (https://www.hkr.se/forskning/Doktorandtj%C3%A4nsten). The position is linked to this research group (https://www.hkr.se/forskning/forskningsmiljoer/forskning-relationell-pedagogik-forp/forskningsgruppen-specialpedagogik/), which aims to develop knowledge about opportunities and obstacles for learning in educational institutions and about special pedagogical competence.

Job Responsibilities

As a PhD candidate, you will participate in planning and overall activities for the current PhD project, but also work independently on your own dissertation and your doctoral studies, which include both mandatory and elective courses. The project involves collaboration with active teachers and teaching assistants in one or more adapted primary schools.

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. The education includes mandatory courses at Kristianstad University and elective courses which are often conducted at other institutions. The research environments at Kristianstad University offer a high-quality environment for doctoral education. 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). For specific eligibility, 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 your 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, as well as linguistic and analytical ability.

We prefer that you have a special education degree specializing in intellectual disabilities and experience in teaching in adapted primary schools. You have good computer skills and can communicate well both orally and in writing in Swedish and English. If you have knowledge of the use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), it is an advantage. 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, can work independently, are stable and creative. You take initiative, are flexible, structured, and pedagogical by adapting your message to the recipient.

Other

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 doctorate. As a PhD candidate, you will receive a fixed-term employment covering four years of full-time studies regulated by HF Chapter 5, Sections 3 a, 7. The first employment may last for a maximum of one year. The employment may then be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. The education concluding with a doctorate comprises 240 higher education credits. In cases where institutional service occurs, the doctoral education must be extended correspondingly.

Application

The application should 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 areas (maximum 3 pages, 12 points, 1.5 line spacing)
• Attach the works (master's thesis, reports, degree projects, scientific articles, etc.) that you have completed.

The application deadline is 2026-02-22.

If you have questions, please contact:

About the project: Daniel Östlund, Professor of Education, specializing in special education, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

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

If you have questions about how to make your application, 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).