Academic career progression, promotions and positions
On this page you will find information about possible career paths, promotions, and positions at Stockholm University.
An academic career path
An academic career path, or tenure track, is Stockholm University’s way of giving newly graduated PhD researchers a chance to grow. The aim is to create a strong foundation for long‑term development and excellence in both research and education. The career path consists of three steps: associate senior lecturer, senior lecturer, and professor.
The journey begins with a fixed‑term position as associate senior lecturer, which requires a doctoral degree or equivalent qualifications. As an associate senior lecturer, you have the opportunity to apply for promotion to a permanent position as senior lecturer. After that, as an senior lecturer, you may apply to become a professor.
Examples of career paths
Rules of employment and the teaching portfolio
The Rules of employment for the recruitment and promotion of teachers at Stockholm University, AOSU, the regulations on employment and promotion for teachers decided by the University Board are compiled.
Rules of Employment for the Recruitment and Promotion of Teachers at Stockholm University (AOSU)
The teaching portfolio is an open web resource for university teachers who want to create, update, or further develop their digital teaching portfolio. The resource is available in both Swedish and English.
The faculties’ regulations for employment and promotion
Are you considering the next step in your academic career – perhaps toward promotion to Senior lecturer or Professor?
The guidelines, instructions, and application forms you need can be found at your respective faculty. All information is gathered on each faculty’s local webpage.
Positions within the academic tenure track at Stockholm University
Associate senior lecturer
A position as associate senior lecturer is a fixed‑term, merit‑based appointment, typically lasting between four and six years. It is primarily intended for those who obtained their doctoral degree, or achieved equivalent competence, no more than seven years before the application deadline for the associate senior lecturer position. This stage normally follows a postdoctoral period or an equivalent qualification phase.
Senior lecturer
A position as senior lecturer is the second‑highest academic teaching position, requiring demonstrated scholarly and teaching excellence. The position may be obtained either by applying for an advertised lectureship position or by applying for promotion from associate senior lecturer to senior lecturer.
Professor
A position as professor is the highest academic teaching position, where scholarly excellence must be demonstrated through independent research achievements that significantly exceed the requirements for qualification as a senior lecturer, both in quality and in scope.
Positions outside the academic tenure track at Stockholm University
Lecturer
A lecturer’s duties mainly involve teaching and associated activities. The teaching is mainly conducted in the first cycle, and is of such a nature that research competence is not required. The teaching may constitute skills training. A person is qualified for employment as a lecturer if he or she has demonstrated teaching expertise and has a relevant university degree or equivalent qualifications.
Adjunct professor
The purpose of appointing an adjunct professor is to tie a qualified researcher with special expertise in a specific field to the University. Adjunct professors are employed on a part-time basis and should have a main occupation outside of higher education (e.g., in the business world or in the public sector). The qualification requirements for employment as an adjunct professor are the same as for indefinite-term employment as a professor.
Visting professor
The purpose of appointing a visiting professor is to tie a person with special expertise to the University for a limited period of time. Under normal circumstances, a visiting professor is a person from another university. The qualification requirements for employment as a visiting professor are the same as for indefinite-term employment as a professor.
Adjunct teacher
The purpose of appointing an adjunct teacher is to complement expertise at the university when necessary to provide high-quality education. Adjunct teachers are employed on a part-time basis and should have a main occupation outside of higher education.
Visiting teacher
The purpose of appointing a visiting teacher is to tie a person with valuable knowledge to the University for a limited period of time. A visiting teacher may be a person from another university.
Part-time fixed-term teacher
Part-time fixed-term teachers may, under special circumstance, be appointed when there is a need for specialist expertise in teaching, or in cases of urgent, temporary needs. The duties of a part-time fixed-term teacher mainly involve teaching and associated activities
Stabsforskare/Staff scientist
The duties of a staff scientist include development work and other tasks which support research, as well as research conducted in connection with research infrastructure and/or one or more technology platforms.
A staff scientist must have demonstrated scientific and technical skills of great importance to the operations of the research infrastructure or technology platform and holds a doctoral degree in a subject relevant to the position.
Rules for employment as Staff Scientist and Senior Staff Scientist
Senior stabsforskare/Senior staff scientist
The duties of a senior staff scientist include advanced development work, other tasks which support research, as well as research in connection with research infrastructure and/or technology platforms. For the senior staff scientist, these tasks include continuously documenting this development in international peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, they provide users with advanced support both during the planning phase and after the experiments or the studies have been performed. A senior staff must demonstrate significant scientific and technical skills of decisive importance for the operations of the research infrastructure or technology platform and holds a doctoral degree in a subject relevant to the position.
Rules for employment as Staff Scientist and Senior Staff Scientist
Doctoral student
A doctoral studentship is a combination of education and research. You are admitted to a doctoral programme and at the same time receive a fixed‑term position that allows you to deepen your expertise in a subject area, contribute to new knowledge, and develop within an academic environment. During your studies, you work closely with experienced researchers, take courses and participate in projects, and build competencies that open doors to future careers in academia, industry, or society.
Handling procedures for the recrutiment of doctoral candidates at Stockholm University
Postdoctoral researcher
A postdoctoral position is a fixed‑term, merit‑based appointment focused primarily on research and intended as a first career step after completing a PhD. The purpose of the position is to provide an early opportunity to develop independence as a researcher and to create conditions for further academic advancement. The postdoc is expected to devote the majority of their time to research, but up to one fifth of the working hours may be allocated to teaching. A postdoctoral appointment is a full‑time position.
Handling procedures for the appointment of postdoctoral fellows at Stockholm University