Professor and Director to Lund Social Sciences Methods Centre

Social Sciences Methods Centre

The Faculty of Social Sciences has a long tradition of outstanding and internationally recognized research in theory development and empirically grounded studies. Our research environments are characterized by a methodological curiosity, where different methods and approaches are explored and studied critically and creatively.

The Faculty of Social Sciences established the Methods Center on January 1, 2024. The Methods Center is an interdisciplinary initiative and includes all the faculty's departments. The Methods Center's purpose and objective is to develop social science research methods in an innovative and creative spirit through various types of activities, for example workshops, seminars and conferences. The Methods Center is organized as an umbrella organization and encompasses four areas: Qualitative Methods Lab; Experimental Methods; Computational Social Sciences, as well as the Skill School (https://www.sam.lu.se/en/research/lund-social-science-methods-centre). The Faculty of Social Sciences is currently seeking a professor and director for the newly established Methods Center.

Duties and areas of responsibility

We are seeking a research leader who will actively and with great commitment take on the role as director of the Methods Center. The director will have the overall responsibility for the Methods Center and, with innovative ideas and in close cooperation with the center's coordinators and the faculty's researchers, will develop the activities in a creative spirit that directly enriches specific research environments/subjects and the Faculty of Social Sciences as a whole. The director will also collaborate with relevant international, national and local actors and ensure that the Methods Center functions as a hub for researchers throughout Lund University. Additionally, the director is expected to actively seek research funding that will benefit the Methods Center, lead and participate in research projects, and engage in the international research debate. These duties require a high level of physical presence.

The position will be in one of the following departments: Center for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Department of Cultural Geography and Economic Geography, Department of Psychology, Department of Sociology of Law, School of Social Work and Social Policy, Department of Sociology or Department of Political Science. Applicants are asked to clearly indicate which department they are interested in being placed at and justify their choice of subject affiliation.

The directorship comprises 50 percent of a full-time position. During the first five years, the remaining time will be dedicated to research activities within the home department. This includes a commitment to securing external research funding for others, actively participating in postgraduate training, and engaging in other departmental research activities.

Competence

To be eligible for employment as a professor, candidates must have demonstrated both scientific and pedagogical skill (Higher Education Ordinance ch. 4 § 3). Applicants must provide clear documentation of current and internationally outstanding academic credentials, including research achievements as well as experience in managing research programs and teaching.

Scientific expertise must be demonstrated through independent research efforts that significantly exceed the requirements for docent competence. Documented experience in interdisciplinary research is an asset.

Equal emphasis is placed on the evaluation of pedagogical expertise as on scientific expertise. The applicant must have documented teaching experience at the undergraduate, advanced and postgraduate levels and, to be eligible, must have supervised at least one doctoral student as the main supervisor to completion.

Applicants must have completed at least five weeks of higher education pedagogical training or possess equivalent knowledge acquired through other means, unless special circumstances apply. Applicants without formal university teaching training are expected to complete such training within one year of employment. At Lund University, a general eligibility requirement for teaching staff is the suitability and general ability to perform the duties effectively.

Teaching is conducted in Swedish and English. An applicant whose native language is not Swedish (or Danish or Norwegian) who accepts the position is expected, within two years, to acquire sufficient proficiency in spoken and written Swedish to actively participate in management, administration and other relevant activities conducted in Swedish.

Assessment basis

We are seeking a candidate with extensive analytical experience, a deep understanding of the potential of both qualitative and quantitative empirical material, and strong knowledge of research design. Experience in interdisciplinary research collaborations is advantageous.

It is of great importance that the applicant is established as an independent researcher at the international level, demonstrated by: (1) contributions to outstanding and innovative method development within their own research field, (2) publications in internationally prominent journals and with leading publishers, following the prevailing research traditions, (3) documented ability to plan and lead scientific activities, (4) documented national and international research collaborations, and (5) securing research grants as the principal investigator in competitive processes. Experience in leading and developing a larger interdisciplinary research environment is also considered an advantage.

In assessing teaching skills, experience in teaching and other teaching activities at all levels, as well as in supervision and examination, will be considered. The ability to supervise doctoral students to completion is a particularly important factor in the assessment.

Applicants must possess excellent cooperation skills, strong leadership abilities in a research environment, good administrative competence, and effective communication skills. They should also have the necessary qualities to successfully fulfill the role of professor and director of the Methods Center. The applicant must demonstrate a strong ability to engage and cooperate with the surrounding society and effectively communicate their work beyond the university setting.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority, which means that employees enjoy specific benefits, including generous annual leave and a favorable occupational pension scheme. Learn more about being an employee at Lund University on the University website: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/work-lund-university.

The appointment as professor is full-time, permanent position. Start date: October 1, 2025, or by agreement.

How to apply

Please submit your application through Lund University's recruitment system no later than January 31, 2025 at the latest. The applicant is responsible for making sure that the application is complete, in accordance with the vacancy announcement and instructions, and for scanning the application and submit it to the University by the application deadline.

The application must be prepared in accordance with the Faculty of Social Sciences' instructions, which can be found on the faculty's website: Academic qualifications portfolio for the Faculty of Social Sciences at Lund University