Professor in Political Science

please visit our website: https://www.uu.se/en/department/government .

Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for research and education at both doctoral and undergraduate levels within the subject area, as well as for the development of the field. Teaching and supervision at all levels of education. The faculty’s ambition is that the appointee will be able to dedicate 50 percent of their working hours to their own research. There may be an opportunity for a paid sabbatical semester after a number of years of employment.

Dissemination of research and development work, as well as participation in, planning, and management of research projects (including applications for research funding). Administrative duties, including leadership assignments at the departmental and other levels within Uppsala University, may also occur.

Eligibility and assessment criteria

A person who has demonstrated both research expertise and teaching expertise shall be qualified for appointment as professor (Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 4, Section 3). The teaching expertise, scientific competence, and professional expertise must be relevant to the subject content of the position and the duties included in the appointment.

Research expertise shall have been demonstrated through independent research contributions and through activities of high international quality. The applicant must have demonstrated the ability to plan, initiate, lead, and develop research, as well as the ability to obtain research funding in competition.

The applicant’s teaching expertise shall have been demonstrated through merits in education and teaching. Furthermore, the applicant must demonstrate well-documented expertise in supervision at undergraduate, advanced, and especially doctoral levels, and otherwise fulfil the requirements stipulated in Uppsala University’s Appointment Regulations (§ 32) and the supplementary guidelines of the Faculty of Social Sciences (section 2b).

A general eligibility requirement is that the applicant must have good collaborative skills and otherwise fulfil the suitability requirements necessary to perform the duties well. In addition, the applicant must demonstrate documented and strong leadership skills.

It is desirable that the applicant has the ability to teach in both Swedish and English. A person who at the beginning of employment masters only one of these languages will be given the opportunity to acquire skills in the other language within a reasonable period after appointment.

Assessment criteria: Research expertise, leadership expertise, and teaching expertise

For the appointment of teachers at the University, the degree of expertise required for eligibility for the appointment shall constitute the assessment criteria.

In filling this professorship, emphasis will be placed on the following assessment criteria: research expertise, leadership expertise, and teaching expertise. Careful consideration will be given to all three aforementioned assessment criteria as well as to the general eligibility requirement, which includes, among other things, good collaborative ability.

When ranking qualified applicants, particular emphasis will be placed on research expertise, leadership expertise, and teaching expertise. The applicant must demonstrate depth, breadth, and extent in all three assessment criteria. A combined assessment of the criteria will be made so that an applicant who is assessed as significantly more qualified in terms of leadership and teaching expertise than another applicant who is somewhat more scientifically qualified may be ranked ahead of the latter.

Research expertise

In assessing research expertise, primary consideration shall be given to scientific quality. The scope of the research, particularly with regard to depth and breadth, shall also be given importance. Furthermore, importance shall be attached to the ability to establish and maintain local, national, and international research networks and to obtain external research funding in competition. The applicant’s contribution to the international and national scientific community shall be assessed on the basis of, among other things, the quality and scope of scientific publications in the publication channels most relevant to the field, with emphasis on the last 10 years. Requirements for international merits shall be assessed with regard to the nature and specific conditions of the subject area. Research expertise must have been demonstrated through independent research contributions that both qualitatively and quantitatively significantly exceed what is required for qualification as docent.

The applicant should normally have supervised at least one doctoral student to completion as principal supervisor, unless special reasons exist.

Leadership expertise

Leadership expertise is demonstrated through the ability to lead operations and staff, make decisions, assume responsibility, and motivate and provide others with the conditions necessary to effectively achieve common goals. The ability to coordinate groups, contribute to creating engagement, participation, and job satisfaction, and the ability to manage conflicts are further examples of demonstrated expertise.

In addition, the degree of administrative and other expertise relevant to the subject content and duties of the position shall be considered. Experience of leadership responsibility, demonstrated through responsibility for departmental environments or other positions of trust at university and departmental levels, is considered meritorious.

Teaching expertise

Equal care shall be devoted to the assessment of teaching expertise as to research and leadership expertise. In assessing teaching expertise, primary consideration shall be given to pedagogical quality. Scope, both breadth and depth, shall also be taken into account. Furthermore, importance shall be attached to the ability to plan, initiate, lead, and develop education and teaching, as well as the ability to integrate research into teaching based on research in the relevant field, subject didactics, and higher education pedagogy.

Assessment criteria; other expertise

The ability to collaborate with the surrounding society and to communicate research and development work will be considered. As a professor in a field such as political science, it is important to be able to convey political science perspectives and issues also in non-academic contexts. Experience and expertise in this regard are considered meritorious.

When the University appoints new teachers, applicants shall be selected who, following a qualitative overall assessment of competence and expertise, are deemed to have the best ability to carry out and develop the relevant duties and contribute to the positive development of the activities.

Merits must be documented in such a way that both quality and extent can be assessed.

In this recruitment process, the recruitment committee may make use of interviews, trial lectures, and reference checks. Applicants should therefore provide a list of references who can highlight the applicant’s professional expertise as well as personal qualities relevant to the position, such as collaborative ability, leadership ability, and working methods.

Personal circumstances (parental leave, part-time work due to childcare, union assignments, military service, or similar) that may be taken into account in the assessment of merits should be stated in connection with the account of merits and experience.

Application procedure

A complete application, which may also be submitted in English, shall include:

• Cover letter
• List of appendices
• Curriculum Vitae
• Account of scientific merits
• Publication list
• Account of leadership expertise
• Account of teaching merits
• Account of other merits
• Scientific and pedagogical works cited
• List of references (names, contact details, previous working relationship)

Any publications cited that are not submitted through Uppsala University's recruitment system should be sent in triplicate to the Faculty of Social Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 256, 751 05 Uppsala. Mark the package with the reference number UFV-PA 2026/1104.

Links to relevant regulations and guidance

Instructions for applicants: Faculty of Social Sciences Supplementing the University’s Appointment Regulations (section 6a).

For further information, see Uppsala University’s Appointment Regulations and section 2b in Faculty of Social Sciences Supplementary Guidelines.

On the university’s website you will find more information about the Faculty of Social Sciences recruitment process in both English and Swedish.

About the position

The position is permanent and full-time. Starting date by agreement. Placement: Uppsala

Information on the appointment is provided by

Head of Department Sven Oskarsson, tel 018-471 6324, email Sven.Oskarsson@statsvet.uu.se.

Questions about the appointment procedure may be addressed to: samfak@samfak.uu.se.

We look forward to receiving your application by September 30th 2026, UFV-PA 2026/1104

In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.