Vacant job

Mälardalen University (MDU) is Sweden's newest university. With our vision of being a progressive and collaborative university where we jointly shape a sustainable future, we want to make a real difference. Do you want to contribute to our development? Together, we contribute to a more sustainable future through knowledge and innovation. We believe that new knowledge and new perspectives are best created and achieved in collaboration with others – colleagues, students, business, and the public sector, both nationally and internationally.

Employment Information

Employment type: Fixed-term employment

Employment period/Start date: 4 years starting 2026-08-01 or as agreed

Scope: Full-time

Number of positions: 1

Application deadline: 2026-06-07

Location: Västerås

Department/Unit: Education and the Arts

Doctoral subject: Didactics

Admission to the doctoral programme is regulated by the university's admission regulations, which compile national and local rules governing access to postgraduate education at Mälardalen University. Read more about doctoral studies at MDU: https://www.mdu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning (https://www.mdu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning).

The study place is combined with a full-time employment as a doctoral student during the period of study, which corresponds to four years.

For more information about the focus of the doctoral school, see http://www.su.se/enheter/specialpedagogiska-institutionen/nyheter/nyhetsartiklar/2025-11-14-vetenskapsradet-beviljar-32-miljoner-till-forskarskola-i-specialpedagogik (http://www.su.se/enheter/specialpedagogiska-institutionen/nyheter/nyhetsartiklar/2025-11-14-vetenskapsradet-beviljar-32-miljoner-till-forskarskola-i-specialpedagogik).

Job Responsibilities

As a doctoral student, you will conduct your own doctoral studies and an independent research project. Departmental duties may occur up to 20%, in the form of teaching. As part of your employment, you will participate in activities at the Doctoral School in Special Education as well as research seminars in the research environment Children and Young People in School and Society (BUSS) at Mälardalen University.

The Doctoral School in Special Education, focusing on intervention research, is conducted in collaboration with Stockholm University, Linköping University, and University of Gothenburg. Stockholm University is the host of the doctoral school. The doctoral projects within the framework of the doctoral school will focus on school interventions at the intersection of special education and mathematics didactics.

Qualifications

To be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have basic eligibility and the specific eligibility required by the subject, as well as be assessed as having the ability otherwise required to benefit from the education.

Basic eligibility for postgraduate education (according to Higher Education Act Chapter 7, Section 39) is held by those who:

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

Specific eligibility to be admitted to postgraduate education in didactics is held by those who:

• have at least 60 higher education credits at an advanced level with educational science relevance and
• have completed an independent work equivalent to 15 higher education credits with educational science relevance, or
• in some other way, within or outside the country, have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge.

Selection Criteria

Selection among applicants who have basic and specific eligibility shall be made with regard to their ability to benefit from the education (Higher Education Act Chapter 7, Section 41).

In addition, selection among eligible applicants will be made according to the following assessment criteria:

• good knowledge of Swedish, both spoken and written
• teacher's degree
• experience in pedagogical professional work.

In the selection process, the applicant's preliminary research plan and previously completed independent works are considered with regard to independence, methodological clarity and theoretical awareness, analytical and stylistic rigor, as well as a critical approach.

In a comprehensive assessment of suitability, personal qualities are also given weight. All employees at MDU are expected to collaborate and treat colleagues and students with respect, take responsibility for the operations and their own tasks, and contribute to a good working environment.

We value the qualities that a balanced age and gender distribution, as well as ethnic and cultural diversity, bring.

Application

You apply by clicking the "Apply" button below.

As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and submitted to the university no later than the application deadline. Attached to the application are the documents requested to prove eligibility and materials for merit assessment. Degree certificates and/or result transcripts must always be attached to the application, and the documents must be officially issued by the institution. You must also attach a preliminary research plan containing purpose and research questions, background, project description, and ethical considerations (approx. 5-7 pages in Word). The doctoral project should focus on school interventions at the intersection of mathematics didactics and special education, integrating experimental design and learning science perspectives with the aim of promoting learning and participation among children with disabilities.

Submitted documents may be written in Swedish or English. Documents regarding merits (certificates, grades, and degree certificates) in other languages must be translated by an authorized translator into Swedish or English. However, a copy of the original document (if in a language other than above) must always be attached.

If the admitted student needs a residence permit to stay in Sweden and pursue their studies, and the studies require physical presence at Mälardalen University, the university reserves the right to revoke the admission decision if the admitted student cannot present a valid residence permit required for the studies on the start date of the studies.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Union Representatives:

Saco-S: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Susanne Meijer ST-OFR/S, tel: 021-10 14 89

We decline all contact with sellers of advertisements. We have made our strategic choices for this recruitment.