by
2026-03-31
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
The Department of Political Science at Umeå University has about 70 employees. The department conducts undergraduate education and research in political science and peace and conflict studies. For more information, see https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-political-science/.
The Department of Political Science is seeking two doctoral students in political science for the project Forest Governance Dilemmas. The call is an initiative within the research program Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research, WIFORCE, read more here: https://www.slu.se/om-slu/organisation/fakulteter/fakulteten-for-skogsvetenskap/wallenberg-initiatives-in-forest-research/om-wiforce/det-har-ar-wiforce/
The positions start on 1 May 2026 or by agreement. The application deadline is 31 March 2026.
Forest Governance Dilemmas examines how Swedish forest policy addresses complex trade‑offs in a period marked by shifting EU politics, geopolitical uncertainty and climate change. The project investigates how forest governance is shaped by tensions between environmental objectives, economic interests and landowners’ rights, and how these dilemmas are managed at EU, national and local levels.
By combining analyses of political decision-making with studies of forest owners, environmental organizations and other key actors, the project explores which governance models and policy instruments are most effective in achieving multiple objectives. The goal is to generate new knowledge about how forest policy works in practice and to support policymakers in developing more effective, flexible and inclusive forest governance. For more information, see: Wants to develop a forest policy framework | Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation
The PhD positions are located within the field of political science. Although applicants may propose their own areas of focus, the projects must clearly align with the overarching themes of the research program and contribute to studies of public policy and governance. The dissertations should specifically address issues related to policy instruments, governance models, institutional structures, and multi‑level governance within the context of forest or environmental administration.
We are therefore seeking candidates who already possess, or are highly motivated to develop, the ability to analyze political decision‑making processes—from how policies are formulated and implemented to how they are reassessed and transformed over time. The admitted doctoral students are expected to work with research approaches that enable in‑depth studies of different actors’ perspectives and the institutional context of forest policy. Depending on the project’s orientation, quantitative approaches and survey analyses may also be relevant alongside qualitative methods.
Positions as doctoral students in the doctoral program amount to four years of full‑time studies (240 ECTS). PhD students can also participate in teaching or other departmental activities up to 20% of the time. In such cases, the employment is extended correspondingly. The extent of teaching engagements will depend on the needs of the department as well as the interests of the PhD students.
Further information about the department's postgraduate education in political science, including its general study plan, is available at: https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-political-science/education/doctoral-studies/
The students will work in Umeå, and the doctoral program is given on site at Umeå University campus. Active participation and involvement in the Department's activities is expected.
Persons who have earned a degree at the advanced level, fulfilled course requirements for at least 240 ECTS points, of which at least 60 ECTS points are at the advanced level and at least 90 ECTS points are in political science, are eligible to apply. In Sweden or abroad, persons who have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge are also considered eligible to apply.
Applicants’ qualifications are assessed in terms of their ability to complete PhD dissertations and fulfil the course requirements of the PhD program. The evaluation includes a review of the applicants’ previous academic performance and the quality of submitted writing samples and project plans.
The evaluation of the ability to complete the PhD program also includes assessing the applicants’ analytical skills, communicative skills (written and oral), critical skills, independence, and ability to complete tasks within a given time frame.
Applicants must be proficient in both oral and written communication in English. It is considered a merit to be able to conduct interviews and workshops and to analyse empirical material (text and audio) in Swedish.
Experience with, or interest in, studying multi‑level governance—particularly interactions between EU, national, and local policy processes—is a strong asset. The ability to critically assess policy instruments (e.g., regulatory, market‑based, or voluntary tools) and governance strategies (e.g., top‑down, bottom‑up, network‑based models) is also highly valued.
Overall, we are looking for doctoral candidates who are intellectually curious, analytically strong, and committed to developing rigorous, theoretically informed, and empirically grounded research within the field of political science and environmental governance.
You apply via our recruitment system Varbi.
A complete application must include:
The application can be written in English or in Swedish. Attached documents must be in Word or PDF format.
Umeå University will offer a salary according to the current salary order for doctoral studies. The current entry-level salary for Ph.D. students is 33 100 SEK/Month. According to the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 12, Section 2), decisions on admissions cannot be appealed.
Formal requirements for the application can be found in this call. Additional questions can be addressed to the project leader Camilla Sandström, Camilla.sandstrom@umu.se, Director of doctoral studies Elisabeth Olivius at Elisabeth.olivius@umu.se or to the Head of the department Malin Eklund Wimelius at Malin.wimelius@umu.se.
The deadline for applying is 2026-03-31
We look forward to receiving your application!
Admission
1 maj eller enligt överenskommelse
Salary
Månadslön
Application deadline
2026-03-31
Registration number
AN 2026/207
Contact
Camilla Sandström, projektledare
camilla.sandstrom@umu.se
Union representative
SACO
090-7865365
SEKO
090-7865296
ST
090-7865431