Doctoral student in the history of polar governance in the national polar research school

KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Built Environment

Project description

Third-cycle subject: History of Science, Technology and Environment

We are seeking a PhD student interested in the history and geopolitics of governance in the polar regions. Particularly welcome are proposals that concentrate on Antarctica, non-Western perspectives on polar regions, bi-polar commonalities or languages other than English. Your proposal can embrace any theoretical tradition but needs to fit into one of the three fields covered by the program: the history of the environment, technology, or science. Both marine and terrestrial perspectives are welcome, as well as studies on the role of non-state actors in polar governance.

This doctoral position is a part of the National Research School of Excellence in Arctic and Antarctic Learning (SEAL), which offers PhD students a world-class training environment spanning the natural sciences, technology, law, and humanities, with a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and science diplomacy. Within SEAL, you will have opportunities to join field courses with natural science PhD students from Sweden and abroad. A successful candidate must thus be open to interdisciplinary learning and interaction.

Supervision: Kati Lindström is proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master’s degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge
• demonstrate the ability to independently write longer scientific texts

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyze and work with complex issues.
• fluency in a language other than English, relevant for the polar region in question
• openness to interdisciplinarity.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal skills. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years’ time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. In the case of studies that are to be completed with a licentiate degree, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

As a doctoral student, you are entitled to a workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement. Read more about Doctoral studies (PhD) | KTH | Sweden.

Union representatives

Contact information for union representatives.

Doctoral Students`network (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

Contact information for doctoral section.

To apply for the position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH’s recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge, including language proficiencies.
• Application letter with a brief description of the research idea, your interest in the polar regions and relation to interdisciplinarity (2-3 pages long).
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified.
• Example of your written academic work: For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant’s consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Feature Image: [Polus Antarctics] [cartographic material]. ca. 1680. Alexander E. MacDonald Canadiana Collection #144. Credit: Library and Archives Candada.