Doctoral Student in Science or Technology/Engineering Education

Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology

Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 37,000 students and about 4,700 employees. The University offers a diversity of high-quality education and world-leading research in several fields. Notably, the groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was made here. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campuses make it easy to meet, work together and exchange knowledge, which promotes a dynamic and open culture.

The ongoing societal transformation and large green investments in northern Sweden create enormous opportunities and complex challenges. For Umeå University, conducting research about – and in the middle of – a society in transition is key. We also take pride in delivering education to enable regions to expand quickly and sustainably. In fact, the future is made here.

Are you interested in learning more? Read about Umeå university as a workplace

We are looking for you who want to study educational issues in science or technology/engineering, by completing a research education. Application deadline is 29 March 2024.

In collaboration with the Postgraduate School in the Educational Sciences at Umeå University, we are looking for a doctoral student in science or technology/engineering education. The position is located at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education, which focus on pre-service teacher training as well as research and development in educational sciences. The teachers and researchers at the department are mainly active within science education, technology/engineering education, mathematics education, and assessment for learning.

Read more about doctoral education at the department here.

Tasks

As a doctoral student you will be part of the Umeå Science Education Research environment (UmSER). In UmSER, research is conducted within science, sustainability, and technology/engineering education with participants from several departments at Umeå University. Our research interest can be described from two perspectives – the learning situation and the learner. Hence, the research focusses on instructional practices, subject content, learning context, gender and identity, emotions, and motivation, and their relationship with students’ learning. The research involves students and teachers at all levels, from preschool to university. More information regarding these research areas is found on the UmSER homepage.

The applicant is asked to describe their research interests, that is, what you want to investigate and find out in your research as a doctoral student (Application part 1). Research interests must be within or in relation to one or several of the existing research areas in UmSER. If your research interest is not explicitly situated directly within these research areas, the description must explain or suggest how the interest may connect to one or more of the existing research areas.

Qualifications

To be admitted to education at the postgraduate level, the applicant must have basic qualifications through a degree at advanced level or completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 credits are at advanced level, or equivalent foreign education or other equivalent qualifications.

Doctoral students can be admitted to postgraduate studies in science/technology education via two different syllabuses: educational work or subject matter education, both with a focus on science or technology. Information can be found in the general syllabuses. In addition to the basic qualifications, special qualifications are required that are different for the two postgraduate syllabuses.

To meet the requirement of special qualifications to be accepted in the postgraduate program of educational work with a focus on science or technology, besides meeting the basic qualifications, the applicant needs to have a teacher's degree or pre-school teacher’s degree and at least one year of professional experience. The degree must include a degree project.

To meet the requirement of special qualifications to be accepted in the postgraduate program of subject matter education with a focus on science or technology, besides meeting the basic qualifications, the applicant needs to have at least 90 higher education credits in either science and science education combined, or technology and technology education combined. The degree must include a degree project.

To be accepted, it is also required that the applicant can communicate well in English, both orally and in writing, as well as any other skill necessary to take advantage of the education.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral students will mainly devote themselves to their own education at the postgraduate level. Employment as a doctoral student is given for the time necessary for the completion of research studies in normal study time, which corresponds to a full-time postgraduate education for four years. At the first stage, the employment lasts for maximum one year, and it is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time, provided that the individual study plan is followed. A doctoral student can work with teaching and administrative work equivalent to no more than twenty percent of full working hours. As a consequence, the term of employment can be extended to a maximum of five years. In addition, the term of employment can be extended further if there are special circumstances, such as parental leave or sick leave.

As a doctoral student, you will participate in The Postgraduate School in the Educational Sciences, which is coordinated with regular postgraduate education at the department. The studies start on September 2, 2024. The workplace is Umeå University. Postgraduate education is a campus-based education and cannot be organized as distance education. The doctoral student is also expected to participate actively in the department’s research environment. The salary is decided based on a local agreement of salaries for doctoral students.

According to the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 12, Section 2), the decision on employment as a doctoral student cannot be appealed.

Application

All documents to be included in the application are described in the e-recruitment system Varbi. Contact us if you have any questions, in particular regarding documents to submit, since the systems and types of documents are different in different countries. If you are applying for several positions with different reference numbers, you must submit a complete application for each position.

Other information

More information about postgraduate studies is given by Tomas Bergqvist, tomas.bergqvist@umu.se, phone +46 (0)90 786 65 19.

More information about science and technology/engineering education is given by Christina Ottander, christina.ottander@umu.se, phone +46 (0)90 786 71 24 or Mikael Winberg, mikael.winberg@umu.se, phone +46 (0)90 786 69 73.

Welcome to submit your application on 29 March 2024 the latest.