Professor in Child Studies

Linköping University; Linköpings kommun; On-site; SEK 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Linköping University invites applications for a permanent, full‑time professor to act as research leader in Child Studies. The role focuses on establishing an interdisciplinary research area, expanding activities, and securing external funding while maintaining high scholarly standards in publishing and teaching.

You will collaborate across the university and internationally, supervise doctoral work, and contribute to education in Swedish and English.

Qualifications

• Documented expertise in child and youth studies.
• Proven ability to secure external research funding as principal applicant.
• High-quality publications in international channels.
• Demonstrated leadership in research environments.
• International collaboration and ability to lead a research group.
• Experience leading and developing a research environment.
• Ability to supervise doctoral students through all stages.
• Pedagogical expertise at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Pedagogical leadership at doctoral level.
• Pedagogical teaching in child and youth studies.

Responsibilities

• Lead interdisciplinary research area within Child Studies to broaden and strengthen activities.
• Secure external funding and manage research projects.
• Teach and supervise at doctoral level in both Swedish and English; contribute at undergraduate/postgraduate levels.
• Foster a cohesive, collaborative research culture and mentor staff and students.
• Represent the division in seminars, workshops and external networks.

Skills

Academic leadership

Grant funding

International collaboration

English teaching

Education

PhD in child/youth studies

Job description

We have the power of over 50,000 students and co-workers. Students who provide hope for the future. Co-workers who contribute to Linköping University meeting challenges of today. Our fundamental values rest on credibility, trust and security. By having the courage to think freely and innovate, our actions together, large and small, contribute to a better world.

Work assignments

At Child Studies, Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, Sweden, unique interdisciplinary research is conducted with a focus on children’s agency and social interactions, and with a critical and theoretical awareness of the changing meanings attached to children and childhood across time and place. Child Studies offers doctoral education and undergraduate education focusing on issues relating to children and childhood. Teaching includes an international Master’s programme, as well as independent courses and teacher education. The faculty at Child Studies share an interest in critical approaches to cultural, social, political and historical processes.

We are now seeking a professor who, in the role of research leader, can establish and develop an interdisciplinary research area through which Child Studies can continue to broaden and strengthen its activities. Applicants are expected to propose, describe and justify their research area in the application.

We are looking for someone with strong motivation, commitment and the capacity to collaborate within the division, across the university, and through national and international external networks. It is also essential that the holder of the position has the ability to secure external research funding in order for the research area to grow. The role also includes monitoring developments nationally and internationally within your field of study, as well as maintaining an overview of developments in the field of child and youth studies and broader societal development that’s relevant to the research.

The duties include, together with other professors, taking a leading role in creating cohesion and a strong scientific environment in order to guide the Child Studies unit into the future. This includes contributing the division’s core activities: research, teaching, mentorship, knowledge exchange, publication and academic leadership. You are active in the research community, participate in Child Studies’ activities such as seminars and workshops, lead research projects, communicate results through academic publications and contribute to a collegial academic culture.

The primary duties associated with this position are research, research leadership, teaching at doctoral level and doctoral supervision. The position also includes some teaching and supervision at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in both Swedish and English. The distribution of tasks may vary depending on research projects and teaching needs.

We expect you to be flexible and have the ability to move between different types of pedagogical and scientific contexts. You share knowledge and contribute to the working group’s professional development, collegial ways of working and social community. We consider it self-evident that you are present and active at the workplace so that you can perform your duties in the best way possible and settle well into the workplace community.

As the holder of this position, you are expected to contribute actively to the university’s development work and collaboration activities. Collaboration is an integral part of the university’s research and education mission. Collaboration in research takes the form of disseminating, making available and utilising research. Collaboration in education takes the form of planning, organising and implementing good cooperation in educational contexts.

Qualifications

We are looking for a candidate who has demonstrated both academic and pedagogical proficiency. For this employment, primary attention is paid to the academic expertise, and second to pedagogical expertise, and third to other proficiencies which are judged to be equivalent to each other.

We are looking for a candidate who is prominent within the field of child and youth studies or within other areas in the social sciences, educational sciences or humanities where issues relating to children and young people have been central to your scientific activity and expertise.

In terms of academic expertise, the following will be assessed:

• A requirement for the position is documented academic expertise within, or related to, the field of child and youth studies.
• A requirement for the position is documented expertise in securing external research funding as principal applicant in competitive contexts.
• A requirement for the position is publication at a high scientific level in international publication channels.
• Of particular merit for the position is a well‑argued account, grounded in demonstrated scientific expertise, of how the proposed research area will contribute to broadening and developing the research environment at Child Studies.
• Of particular merit for the position is documented international research collaboration.
• Of particular merit for the position is documented leadership ability within research.
• Of merit for the position is experience of leading and developing a research environment.

In terms of pedagogical expertise, the following will be assessed:

• A requirement for the position is documented expertise in the role of supervisor or assistant supervisor of at least one doctoral student through all stages from admission to public defence.
• A requirement for the position is documented pedagogical expertise from teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Of particular merit for the position is documented pedagogical expertise at doctoral level relating to teaching, planning and leadership.
• Of merit for the position is documented pedagogical expertise in teaching within the field of child and youth studies.

In terms of other proficiencies, the following are considered central:

• A requirement for the position is that the applicant demonstrates good collaborative skills, initiative and a structured approach to work.
• Of particular merit for the position is documented administrative and organisational expertise, demonstrated through the ability to plan and develop activities, and to manage operations and staff.
• Of merit for the position is documented ability regarding collaboration with the wider community.

The ability to teach and conduct research in English is a requirement. Within two years, you must be able to teach and conduct research in Swedish.

The workplace

You can read about the the workplace here Department of Thematic Studies (TEMA) - Linköping University and Child Studies (TEMAB) - Linköping University

The employment

This employment is permanent, full‑time.

For more information on eligibility requirements, assessment criteria and recruitment procedures for teachers, see Linköping University’s rules of appointment.

Background screening may come to be carried out before any decision on employment is made.

Salary and employment benefits

At Linköping University, salaries are set individually and differentiated, in accordance with the applicable collective agreements (RALS/RALS‑T) and the university’s salary‑setting guidelines.

More information about employee benefits is available here.

Union representatives

Information about union representatives, see Help for applicants.

Application Deadline

Your application must be received no later than September 15, 2026.

We welcome applicants with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives - diversity enriches our work and helps us grow. Preserving everybody's equal value, rights and opportunities is a natural part of who we are.