Postdoctoral fellow in Educational Work with a focus on Aesthetic Subjects

The Department of Creative Studies at Umeå University's Faculty of Arts and Humanities offers education and research in the aesthetic subjects of Visual Arts, Music, and Sloyd (educational crafts). The department has approximately 45 friendly colleagues who are united in their passion for the aesthetic subjects. This creates a creative environment where people with different creative interests come together, such as wood and textiles, fashion design, visual arts and design, photography, graphic design, sound, music, and music production. For more information, please visit the department's website at: https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-creative-studies/

At the department, research is conducted within Educational Work. The research primarily centers on the aesthetic subjects in schools and teacher education, as well as the municipal culture schools, and collaboration. The research represents several areas, such as professional research, school development, digitalization, academicization, sustainable development, knowledge production of practical knowledge, and values in subject practices. Gender, policy, media ecology, curriculum theory, and subject didactics are some prominent perspectives. The department also conducts research in collaboration with school authorities regarding the development of schools on a research basis and proven experience, an area that has been strengthened by the national initiative ULF (Development, Learning, Research). Learn more here: https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-creative-studies/research/

The department invites applications for a postdoctoral fellow position in education with a focus on aesthetic subjects. In this context, aesthetic subjects refer to the school subjects of Visual arts, Music, and Sloyd (educational crafts).

This postdoctoral fellow position is part of a Career Programme for for researchers who have recently obtained their doctoral degree in Educational Sciences, initiated by Umeå School of Education. As a postdoctoral fellow in the career program, you will be part of an interdisciplinary network centred on activities that strengthen research, networking and internationalisationin addition to your regular research context. Expected starting date is by agreement but no later than January 2027.

Find more information about the Career Programme here: https://www.umu.se/en/umea-school-of-education/research/career-program/

Job description
As a postdoctoral fellow, you are expected to independently conduct your own research project, including publications and engagement with the surrounding community. The research will be focused on educational work with a focus on one or more of the aesthetic subjects: Visual Arts, Music and Sloyd . You are expected to contribute to the development of the department's research environment, for example by initiating collaborations with other researchers at the department, participating in and organizing seminars and other academic gatherings. You are also expected to attend other meetings and staff activities at the department, such as workplace meetings and staff days. Teaching at first-, second- and third-cycle levels (undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral levels) may occur up to a maximum of 20%, depending on the needs of the department.

Qualifications
In order to be appointed as a postdoctoral fellow, it is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree within Educational Work or a subject relevant to the focus of the position. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the employment decision.

To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior to the application deadline. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.

A precondition is that the applicant has not previously been employed as a postdoctoral fellow at Umeå University for more than a year within the same or equivalent discipline.

Good ability to communicate orally and in writing in English, alternatively in Swedish or another Scandinavian language, as well as good ability to collaborate, are requirements for the employment.

In the selection process, primary importance will be given to research expertise. 

When ranking the candidates, importance will be given to:

• The applicant's research merits
• The originality and feasibility of the outlined project
• How well the planned project complements the research environment at the Department of Creative Studies, as well as the existing research environment's potential to positively contribute to the execution of the planned project.

Application
The application must include:

• A cover letter in which the applicant explains their interest in starting the employment as a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Creative Studies, and outlines their qualifications (2-3 pages)
• A research plan that demonstrates the originality, feasibility, and relevance of the project to the research environment at the department (3-5 pages)
• A Curriculum Vitae
• A list of publications
• Copies of doctoral degree certificate and other relevant degrees
• Contact information for two persons willing to act as referees

The application must be written in Swedish or English, in Word or pdf format. Applications will be submitted via the e- recruitment system Varbi no later than 2026-08-12.

Further information
The employment is fixed-term and full time for two years, starting according to agreement but no later than January 2027. 

The position is based in Umeå and a high level of on-site presence in the environment is required.

Umeå University is a government agency, which means that employees are offered special benefits. Read more here: https://www.umu.se/en/work-with-us/benefits/

For more information about the position, contact:
Head of Department, Stina Wikberg, +46 (0)90-786 58 66, stina.wikberg@umu.se, 
Deputy Head of Department, Per-Åke Rosvall, +46 (0)90-786 56 00, per-ake.rosvall@umu.se eller 
HR-Coordinator, Anneli Taflin, +46 (0)90-786 89 31, anneli.taflin@umu.se

We look forward to receiving your application!