Rules for employment as Staff Scientist and Senior Staff Scientist

Responsible unit: Human Resources Office

Contact: Kristina Löfstedt

(The document has been reviewed in June 2025.)

1 Introduction

Stockholm University has highly qualified employees who work in various ways to support and develop technical and methodological prerequisites for the research of others. Their competences are of the greatest importance for the ability to conduct research and doctoral education of the highest international quality.

These employees often, but not always, conduct their own research and in this way they contribute strongly to the further development of instrumentation, methods and protocols. Many of them are responsible for the operation and availability of research infrastructures or research platforms, including the so-called "core facilities".

The rules defined in this document specify which job titles, qualification requirements and duties, that apply for this category of employees. The purpose of the rules is to create clarity and attractiveness regarding employment and in this way create good conditions for the supply of competence for these key functions. Increased clarity regarding these appointments also facilitates interactions with users, research-funding bodies and other external stakeholders.

2 Job titles, qualification requirements and duties

For this category of employees, the title stabsforskare/Staff Scientist and senior stabsforskare/Senior Staff Scientist shall be used.

2.1 Stabsforskare/Staff Scientist

2.1.1 Qualification requirements

Eligible to be employed as a stabsforskare/Staff Scientist is someone who has demonstrated scientific and technical skills of great importance to the operations of a research infrastructure or technology platform and holds a doctoral degree in a subject relevant to the employment. In addition, other skills of importance for the employment can be set as requirements for eligibility.

2.1.2 Duties

The duties of a stabsforskare/Staff Scientist include development work and other research supportive tasks, as well as research conducted in connection with a research infrastructure and/or one or more technology platforms. In addition, other work duties may be included.

2.2 Senior stabsforskare/Senior Staff Scientist

2.2.1 Qualification requirements

Eligible to be employed as a senior stabsforskare/Senior Staff Scientist is someone who has demonstrated significant scientific and technical skills of decisive importance for the operations of a research infrastructure or technology platform and holds a doctoral degree in a subject relevant to the employment. The skills should have been demonstrated through their own innovative development of instruments and/or methods and be documented in scientific publications. In addition, other skills of importance for the employment can be set as requirements for eligibility. Employment as a senior stabsforskare/Senior Staff Scientist shall normally have been preceded by an employment as a stabsforskare/Staff Scientist at the university.

2.2.2 Duties

The duties of a senior stabsforskare/Senior Staff Scientist include advanced development work, other research supportive tasks, as well as research in connection with research infrastructure and/or technology platforms. Furthermore, the tasks include continuously documenting the development in international peer-reviewed journals as well as providing users with advanced support during the planning phase, and after the experiments or the studies have been performed. In addition, other work duties may be included.

3. Instructions

Decisions on job profile, employment and employment conditions are made in accordance with the current decision-making and delegation policy.

New appointments shall always consider the Instrument of Governments criteria of merit and competence. Information about vacancies should be provided in an appropriate manner in accordance with § 6 of the Employment Ordinance (job advertisement).

For stabsforskare/Staff Scientists, already employed at Stockholm University, who are assessed to fulfill the requirements for employment as senior stabsforskare/Senior Staff Scientists, decisions on a title change can be made without being preceded by a job advertisement. Such a decision does not imply any change to the terms of employment. The respective department and center under the faculty are responsible for establishing guidelines and criteria for these assessments.

The policy document in pdf format

Rules for employment as Staff Scientist and Senior Staff Scientist Pdf, 163 kB.