Doctoral Student in Service Studies for the project “Sustainable Leadership for the Benefit of Citizens.”

The Department of Service Studies at Lund University is recruiting a doctoral student for the project “Sustainable Leadership for the Benefit of Citizens.” Managers play a central role in linking strategic goals to everyday work, particularly in the public sector where their decisions directly affect citizens. At the same time, work‑related health issues among Swedish managers—especially women—is increasing substantially, posing risks to equality. Although public‑sector managers operate in highly complex environments, support for sustainable leadership remains largely unexplored. This makes managerial work‑related health issues a critical blind spot that must be addressed to achieve sustainable societal solutions.
Read more about the project here:
https://www.ses.lu.se/forskning/samhallsnara-forskning/management-organisering-arbete/forskningsprojekt-hallbart-chefskap-invanarnas-basta

The doctoral student will be part of the national Graduate School for the Future Public Sector (FOFOS). FOFOS is a transdisciplinary and innovative research school serving as a national knowledge hub for developing new action‑oriented knowledge to support public sector transformation.
More information: https://www.mdu.se/forskning/forskarskolor/forskarskolan-fofos

FOFOS is part of SustainGov, one of Sweden’s five Impact Innovation programmes initiated by the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas, and Vinnova.

Work Duties

As a doctoral student, you will primarily pursue your own doctoral studies, including the independent authorship of a doctoral thesis. Departmental duties of up to 20% of full‑time may occur, mainly in the form of teaching, and the employment period will be extended accordingly. The doctoral student will be provided with a workplace at the Department of Service Studies, Campus Helsingborg. Attendance at the department and active participation in the research and teaching environment are required.

Eligibility

Information about the study plan and eligibility for third‑cycle education in Service Studies is available at:
https://www.ses.lu.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning.

General eligibility

General eligibility for third‑cycle studies is granted to applicants who have:
• completed a second‑cycle degree,
• completed course requirements of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 are at second‑cycle level, or
• acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in another way, in Sweden or abroad.

Specific eligibility

Specific eligibility is granted to applicants who have completed at least 30 second‑cycle credits in the social sciences (e.g., Service Management, Business Administration, Human Geography, or Sociology), or who have obtained equivalent knowledge. Applicants must also have completed independent projects of at least 15 credits at second‑cycle level.

Basis of Assessment

Regulations for doctoral employment are stipulated in Ordinance SFS 1998:80. Only applicants admitted to third‑cycle studies may be appointed. When selecting among candidates, primary emphasis is placed on the applicant’s ability to successfully complete the doctoral programme. In addition to pursuing their own studies, the appointee may be required to undertake teaching, research, and administrative tasks in accordance with the ordinance.

Applicants will be ranked based on an overall assessment of:
• the quality of submitted theses and papers,
• the research proposal,
• grades from previous studies,
• relevant work experience, and
• personal suitability.

Given the demanding nature of doctoral studies in Service Studies, applicants must be highly motivated and able to work independently under time pressure.

Proficiency in spoken and written Swedish and English is required.

Meritorious qualifications

• Experience collaborating with individuals from different professional backgrounds, roles, and types of organisations; interest in and knowledge of public‑sector challenges.
• Documented ability to carry out research projects independently and in collaboration with others.
• Previous publication experience.
• Interest in contributing to teaching at the Department of Service Studies.

A limited number of applicants will be invited to complete a written assignment during the final stage of the selection process and will be called for an interview.

Terms of Employment

The position is a four‑year, fixed‑term appointment in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 5, Section 7).

Application

Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application must include:

• a letter of introduction in Swedish or English (max. 1,000 words) containing a brief presentation of yourself, your qualifications, and a short description of why you are interested in the PhD programme in Service Studies at Lund University,
  • a brief draft research plan (research proposal) in Swedish or English (max. 2,000 words including references), outlining a concrete plan for implementing the project “Sustainable Leadership for the Benefit of Citizens” including research problem, purpose, and methods,
  • a CV in Swedish or English demonstrating eligibility for third‑cycle studies in Service Studies,
  • master’s‑level thesis/theses (minimum 15 credits) in Service Management or an equivalent field, in Swedish or English,
  • names and contact details of two referees,
  • any other documents you wish to cite in support of your application.

You may be asked to submit your degree certificates within 14 days after the application deadline.