Postdoctoral Position - WASP-HS project

Lunds Universitet; Lunds kommun; On-site; SEK 520,000 - 640,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Interdisciplinary environment

WASP-HS community participation

Fieldwork funding in Sweden

Mentorship and career development

Salary and employment conditions

Job summary

Lund University invites applications for a two-year postdoctoral position in the Department of Sociology of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences, with start by 1 January 2027.

The project examines how digitalisation and AI shape welfare governance and citizen rights, with empirical and interdisciplinary methods and collaboration across the WASP-HS community.

Responsibilities include empirical research, publication in leading journals, and teamwork within an international research setting.

Qualifications

• PhD completed or near completion in sociology of law, law, STS, political science, public administration, or related fields.
• Strong expertise in empirical research methods (interviews, ethnography, surveys, case study research).
• Demonstrated interest in vulnerability, welfare state governance, digitalisation, and citizen rights.
• Excellent verbal and written proficiency in Swedish (C1/C2) and English.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to an international, collaborative research environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct empirical research (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) on how Swedish public authorities engage with citizens in the governance of welfare automation.
• Analyze how citizen participation initiatives address vulnerability, exclusion, and empowerment in the automated welfare state.
• Examine the legal and governance frameworks shaping the use of AI and ADM in welfare provision.
• Publish research in leading academic journals and contribute to the dissemination of findings within and beyond academia.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary research team working on law, vulnerability, socio-law studies, and public administration.

Skills

Empirical research methods

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Academic writing

Education

PhD in sociology of law / law / STS / political science / public administration

Job description

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 46 000 students and 8 500 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

The Faculty of Social Sciences at Lund University is one of the leading education and research institutions in Sweden and operates both in Lund and Helsingborg.

Position

We invite applications for a two-year postdoctoral position at the Department of Sociology of Law at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Lund in the context of the WASP‑HS project “Vulnerability in the Swedish welfare state”, co‑led by Associate Professor Jannice Käll and Guest Professor Sofia Ranchordas. The position should ideally start by no later than January 1, 2027.

Project Focus

Across Scandinavia, welfare states have become increasingly digitalised and automated over the past decades. This shift has led to significant improvements in public services, streamlined administrative decision‑making processes, and enhanced the majority of government‑citizen interactions. However, the digitalisation and automation of welfare systems have also excluded thousands of citizens who lack the capacity to engage critically with digital technology. Moreover, digital tools have not been employed to address longstanding structural problems and inequalities. A substantial body of critical scholarship has highlighted the risks of algorithmic bias, the digital exclusion of individuals who already face barriers to accessing welfare rights, and the erosion of accountability resulting from reliance on opaque algorithmic processes. Yet, many aspects remain underexplored.

This postdoctoral project aims to investigate, from an empirical and interdisciplinary perspective, how digital technology both reflects and exacerbates underlying structural and systemic inequalities, shapes the politics and moral dimensions of the welfare state, and influences how Swedish public authorities perceive welfare recipients. In collaboration with other members of the project team, it will also explore—and potentially help develop—novel approaches by which Swedish public authorities seek to address these challenges, enhance citizen engagement, mitigate structural vulnerabilities, and empower individuals to navigate an increasingly automated welfare system.

Responsibilities

• Conduct empirical research (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) on how Swedish public authorities engage with citizens in the governance of welfare automation.
• Analyze how citizen participation initiatives address vulnerability, exclusion, and empowerment in the automated welfare state.
• Examine the legal and governance frameworks shaping the use of AI and ADM in welfare provision.
• Publish research in leading academic journals and contribute to the dissemination of findings within and beyond academia.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary research team working on law, vulnerability, socio‑legal studies, and public administration.

Requirements

• A PhD (completed or near completion) in sociology of law, law, STS, political science, public administration, sociology, or related fields.
• Strong and demonstrated expertise in empirical research methods (e.g., interviews, ethnography, surveys, case study research).
• Demonstrated interest in vulnerability, welfare state governance, digitalisation, and citizen rights.
• Excellent verbal and written proficiency in Swedish (C1/C2) and English.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to an international, collaborative research environment.

We Offer

• A stimulating interdisciplinary research environment with opportunities to shape an emerging field of inquiry.
• The possibility to engage in the wide WASP‑HS community and its interdisciplinary events.
• Funding for fieldwork in Sweden and participation in international conferences.
• Mentorship, publication support, and career development opportunities.
• Salary and employment conditions in accordance with university regulations.

Application

Please submit the following documents as a single PDF:

• Cover letter (max. 2 pages) outlining your motivation, research interests, and fit for the project.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications.
• A research plan for your project (5 pages)
• Contact details of two academic referees.

The department offers courses at all levels. The department also runs the bachelor’s program in criminology in collaboration with the Department of Sociology. The Sociology of Law Department is keen to engage in cross‑disciplinary collaboration and has good contacts with professionals and public authorities.

Contact

• Anna Melin, HR Partner, [e-mail]