Vacant job

This vacancy concerns 1–2 doctoral positions within the project "Geopolitics", funded by the Swedish Armed Forces. The project is structured around two components: great power rivalry and narrative geopolitics. We welcome applications within both areas. Collectively, the project aims to contribute knowledge about the great powers, their interactions, and growing rivalry. The difference is that the narrative geopolitics component has a predetermined focus on narrative theory and methodology, and on how these can be applied to the study of great power politics.

Job Responsibilities

Doctoral students should primarily devote themselves to their own education in political science at the research level. Doctoral studies consist of working on one's research project and following an individual study plan under supervision. Writing a doctoral thesis in political science is the central task (165 higher education credits), but completing doctoral education courses is also part of the program (75 higher education credits). Typically, 20% of the position consists of institutional duties in the form of teaching, administration, and participation in joint activities. Doctoral studies cover 240 higher education credits, i.e., four years. The total time for the doctoral position, including 20% institutional duties, is five years.

Qualifications

Basic Eligibility

Basic eligibility for higher education at the doctoral level is held by those who have:

• completed an advanced level degree,
• fulfilled course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits are at advanced level, or
• acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way, within or outside the country.

Specialized Eligibility

Specialized eligibility for admission to higher education at the doctoral level in political science with a focus on crisis management and security is held by those who have:

• fulfilled course requirements of at least 30 higher education credits at advanced level within the main subject area of political science with a focus on crisis management and security or equivalent,
• authored an approved independent work (thesis) in political science with a focus on crisis management and security or equivalent of at least 15 higher education credits at advanced level,
• fulfilled course requirements of an additional 90 higher education credits in subjects relevant to the education, and
• high school grades equivalent to English 6. For applicants who do not have grades from a Swedish high school, or a degree from an international education, a certificate of eligibility equivalent to English 6 from an internationally recognized language test (TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge ESOL) is required.

Evaluation Criteria and Selection Criteria

Selection among applicants who meet the eligibility requirements is made with regard to their ability to benefit from the education.

The evaluation criteria applied are in the following order of priority:

• scientific quality of previous work and relevant studies,
• scientific quality, including feasibility, of the research plan, and
• other merits that are significant for the education, including demonstrated ability to carry out tasks within given timeframes.

Application

The application must include:

• Degree certificates and transcripts from previous basic and advanced studies confirming that you meet the general and specific eligibility requirements for the position.
• CV (max two pages).
• Contact details for two references.
• Example of a thesis at advanced level or other relevant independent work of comparable difficulty and scope (max three texts).
• Draft research proposal (maximum 1400 words excluding references).
• A description of how your project fits into the research environment at the Department of Political Science. This description should clearly indicate which of the two focus areas in the geopolitics project – great power rivalry or narrative geopolitics – the applicant's research proposal relates to. Please explicitly discuss how the project builds upon and aims to contribute to the department's ongoing research in this area.
• If the applicant is not a Swedish citizen, a copy of the passport must be attached.

The application is submitted via the Swedish Defence University's recruitment system.

Mark your application with case number Ö 240/2026.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application is complete and meets the requirements specified in the advertisement. Partial applications will not be considered. The application must be filled out in a Scandinavian language or English. Authorized translations must be provided for documents in other languages. Applicants may be called for an interview in early autumn 2026. The goal is to complete employment decisions well before the end of 2026. The employment is expected to start in the spring semester 2027 (January).

Terms of Employment

A doctoral position is classified as full-time employment (100%). The period of employment is fixed-term and regulated by Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The doctoral students are placed at the Department of Political Science. Salary is paid according to the Swedish Defence University's doctoral ladder, according to which the entry salary is currently 32,600 SEK/month (from October 1, 2025). The employment is expected to start in January 2027. Doctoral students have access to a research budget of 30,000 per year to cover costs for travel, literature, and other research-related expenses.

Apply by August 10, 2026!