Sociologist with Postgraduate Training Service (Kommundoktorand)

Do you want to participate in developing social services together with both research and practice?

How do we know that the efforts of social services make a difference to the people we meet? How can we better monitor results, understand clients' experiences and develop ways of working that strengthen the quality of our support?

Halmstad municipality is now looking for a municipal doctoral student who wants to combine research studies with close-to-activity work. Here you get the opportunity to contribute to new knowledge that can make a real difference for residents, while you are an active part of the development of social services.

The service is conducted in collaboration between Halmstad Municipality and Halmstad University. You will be employed in the social services at the same time as you will be admitted to doctoral studies at licentiate level.

Your tasks

As a municipal doctoral student, you share your time between research and work in social services. The service covers 50 percent postgraduate education and 50 percent business work during four years. You will contribute to developing knowledge in matters that are important for the core mission of the social services.

In the role you will:

 - plan and implement an independent research project

 - conduct research studies leading up to a licentiate degree

 - participate in doctoral courses, seminars and conferences

 - present research results to both researchers and businesses

 - help turn research into practical development in social services

 - strengthen knowledge development through collaboration between academia and activities.

The doctoral programme is conducted at the Academy of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, within the research environment Centre for Research on Welfare, Health and Sport (CVHI).

Your qualifications

We are looking for you who have a degree in health and lifestyle at advanced level, which is relevant to the doctoral programme and who want to participate in developing the social services of the future through research and business development.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Health and Lifestyle
• eligibility for doctoral education
• good ability to express yourself orally and in writing in Swedish and English
• experience from social services or other relevant welfare activities
• the ability to formulate research questions and translate ideas into a research plan.

Crediting

• experience in research, development or investigation
• experience of follow-up and quality work
• experience of client or user involvement
• scientific publications or other relevant academic works
• experience of collaboration between academia and practice.

To succeed in the role, you need to be able to take responsibility for your work and drive processes forward independently. You identify issues that need to be developed and take initiatives to find solutions that contribute to new knowledge and business benefits.

You have a good analytical ability and can investigate complex issues from several perspectives to draw well-founded conclusions. Since the role involves collaboration between research and practice, you also need to be responsive and collaborate well with different professions and stakeholders.

You plan, prioritise and follow up your work so that both research projects and business assignments are driven forward with good quality. At the same time, you act with integrity and a professional approach in your meeting with people, businesses and research environments.

We offer you

We give you the opportunity to combine research and practical work in a role that contributes to the development of social services.

We offer you:

• half-time doctoral education for four years up to the licentiate degree
• guidance and support from experienced researchers
• a stimulating research environment with national and international networks of contacts
• the possibility of influencing the development of the working methods of social services
• close collaboration between Halmstad Municipality and Halmstad University
• a meaningful work where research and business development meet.

As a municipal doctoral student, you will have the opportunity to contribute to both scientific knowledge development and better conditions for the people to whom the social services are provided.

Further information

The doctoral programme is conducted at half-time for four years and leads to a licentiate degree. At the same time, the service covers part-time work in the social services. Placement takes place in dialogue taking into account the candidate's wishes, needs and suitability from the research area. You do not need to be employed in Halmstad municipality today to apply.

We would like you to attach to your application:

• research plan on 3-4 pages
• CV
• degree certificates and grades
• relevant essays, independent works and any scientific publications.

The research plan shall describe a research area with clear relevance to the activities of the social services. You have the opportunity to leave several research ideas, but a maximum of four.

The selection is based on an overall assessment of competence, scientific maturity, analytical skills, the quality of the research sketches and other experiences considered relevant to the assignment.

Information on recruitment process

The deadline for applications is October 15.

After the end of the application period, a first selection process is carried out in which the research plans are anonymised and summarised. The research plans are then discussed by SOL collaboration, which assesses the relevance and quality of the proposals.

Applicants will receive feedback on their research plans at the end of October. Interviews are planned to be conducted during the month of November and reference is made after interviews.

The goal is for the recruitment to be completed and the position appointed by 15 January.