Research Position in Affective Polarization and Climate Polarization

We are looking for a researcher for a new project focusing on how affective polarization and elite communication affect climate polarization among voters.

The studies in the project have a quantitative and often experimental approach.

The position is located at the Faculty of Teacher Education, Department of Psychology. At the Department of Psychology, we are 16 teachers who teach independent courses in psychology, the master's program in psychology, the behavioral science program, as well as courses within teacher education and the public health pedagogy program. Research and education at the Faculty of Teacher Education cover a wide range of areas. To learn more about the faculty's research, visit www.hkr.se/forskning (http://www.hkr.se/forskning).

Job Responsibilities

As a researcher with us, you will be responsible for designing, conducting, and analyzing survey experiments, as well as collecting and processing panel data related to affective polarization and climate polarization. This includes designing experimental materials, administering data collections via online panels, and conducting advanced statistical analyses of both experimental data and longitudinal panel data.

An important task is to write scientific articles for publication in international peer-reviewed journals, both independently and in collaboration with other project members, as well as to present results in both scientific and popular contexts. Your responsibilities will also include contributing to the theoretical and methodological development of the project.

The position requires attention to detail, good planning, analytical skills, and the ability to work independently. The successful candidate is also expected to take initiative and help drive the project forward. A personal interest in the subject is therefore essential. The ability to autonomously solve problems is a prerequisite, as well as social skills to manage contact with both study participants and other stakeholders.

Qualifications and Desired Skills

We are looking for someone with a PhD in political science and documented research experience post-dissertation. You should have experience analyzing various types of data, such as experimental data and survey data. Furthermore, you should have experience publishing in international journals within the field of political psychology and/or political science. Experience and knowledge in political psychology, specifically affective polarization, is also a requirement for the position. If you have prior experience analyzing affective polarization specifically related to climate polarization and experience analyzing panel data and experimental data, we consider this an asset. You should have a very good knowledge of statistical data processing programs (such as STATA and R) and knowledge of the Qualtrics platform for collecting survey material is advantageous. Additionally, you need to be fluent in both Swedish and English, in both spoken and written form.

In the selection of qualified applicants, the candidate will be chosen based on a holistic assessment of skills (based on experience and personal characteristics) and will be deemed to have the best qualifications to carry out the described tasks. Furthermore, personal qualities such as planning ability, independence, and communication skills will also be considered. To succeed in the role, it is important that you can work independently and be creative. As a researcher, you need to be able to work well with complex issues and have problem-solving analytical skills, as well as being persistent. Naturally, you collaborate well with others in a responsive and smooth manner and are loyal.

Other Information

The position is a special fixed-term employment for full-time for nine months, starting by agreement. The location is in Kristianstad with good parking facilities and good train and bus connections.

Application

Welcome to submit your application below along with a personal letter, CV, dissertation, link to publications, or attached publications. The application should be formatted according to the university's Guidelines for Applications in Recruitment and Promotion of Doctoral Teachers. Here you can find the link to the guidelines http://www.hkr.se/jobb (http://www.hkr.se/jobb).

The application deadline is 2026-03-24.

Workplace: Kristianstad University

Kristianstad University is one of Sweden's most sought-after universities with some of the country's most attractive programs. A small yet large university gathered on a beautiful campus. We are proud of our 500 employees and 14,000 students with the diversity they represent. We share the values of academia and uphold academic freedom, collegiality, integrity, and societal relevance. Our operations are characterized by proximity, engagement, and quality responsibility that permeates all our 50 programs and 250 independent courses. With a large range of distance learning, we are far ahead in the development of distance education. The research conducted here is driven by societal challenges, practice-oriented, and integrated with our teaching areas. We have doctoral education rights in health sciences and educational work. As an employer, we strive to be an attractive workplace where everyone can make a difference. Kristianstad University aims for a balanced gender distribution and diversity.

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