Positions at KI

PhD student

Unlike other recruitments, a PhD student is recruited to a place in an education program and not to an employment. This means that the process and regulations are partly different, but the need to choose the right candidate is as important for recruitment of doctoral students as in other recruitments. It should be noted that the chance of a successful recruitment increases if the offered individual research training is defined in advance and a correct requirement profile is formulated.

Postdoc

An employment as postdoc is a time-limited merit-based employment with a main focus on research as a first career step after the dissertation. A person can be employed as postdoc at KI for a maximum of four years, partly according to a collective agreement for  postdocs (PKA) of a maximum of three years and partly as an so-called special fixed-term employment of a maximum of 1 year (was introduced October 1, 2022 with the new Employment Protection Act).

In order to be employed according to PKA, the doctoral degree should have been completed in the last three years before the end of the application period. If there are special reasons, the degree may have been completed earlier. Special reasons refer to leave due to illness, parental leave, commission of trust within trade unions, service in the total defense or other similar circumstances as well as clinical service or service / assignments relevant to the subject area. An employment according to PKA may also be extended based on the above special reasons. However, it must always be extended on the basis of parental leave. An employment as postdoc refers to full-time work.

Scholarship for postdoctoral studies may be granted to persons residing in other countries who comes to Sweden with the intention of staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons resident in Sweden and / or have completed full or part of their academic education at KI or any other university in Sweden cannot qualify for a scholarship from KI. Postdoctoral studies financed with a scholarship do not count as employment time as a postdoc (maximum four years).

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor is a time limited career development position with the possibility to apply for promotion to Senior Lecturer. The period as Assistant Professor is normally after the period as a postdoctoral researcher or an equivalent position. To qualify for a position as Assistant Professor a candidate must have graduated with a PhD no more than five years before the application deadline. The duration of employment as Assistant Professor can vary from a minimum of four years to a maximum of six, which should be decided by the university prior to the employment. An Assistant Professor has the right to apply for promotion to Senior Lecturer. If the Assistant Professor fulfills the assessment criteria for Senior Lecturer at KI and the special promotion criteria he/she can be promoted to Senior Lecturer and receive a permanent position. For more information regarding promotion, please visit To apply for promotion from Assistant Professor to Senior Lecturer.

Principal Researcher

A Principal Researcher has a doctoral degree and has achieved sufficient research expertise to be a Research Leader. The Principal Researcher must, among other things, have demonstrated hers/his own established line of research and be nationally and internationally recognized. A principal researcher’s main duty is to conduct research but teaching and supervision should also be included in their duties.

Research Specialist

Those eligible for employment as a Research Specialist are those who have a doctoral degree and have documented research experience after the defense of the PhD thesis. A research specialist's duties include participating in research activities.

Senior Research Specialist

A Senior Research Specialist has a doctoral degree and have shown a demonstrated good scientific independence to which her/his own contribution has been significant.  A senior research specialist's duties include participating in research activities. The employment as a Senior Research Specialist usually takes place after the qualification period as a Research Specialist, post doc, Assistant Professor (biträdande lektor/ forskarassistent) or equivalent.

Research Infrastructure Specialist

A Research Infrastructure Specialist has a doctoral degree and have shown technical and methodological expertise.  A research infrastructure specialist’s duties include providing qualified competence as well as technological and/or methodological service and development.

Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist

A Research Infrastructure Specialist has a doctoral degree and demonstrated good technological and methodological independence in which her/his own contribution has been significant. The Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist should also have demonstrated documented broad and in-depth expertise in a number of technologies/methods focused on both service and development. A Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist’s duties include providing qualified competence as well as technological and/or methodological service and development. An appointment as a senior research infrastructure specialist may be made after a qualification period as a research infrastructure specialist, research specialist and/or postdoc.

Lecturer

Lecturer is a teaching position with the principle task of taking care of education. Eligible to be employed as an Lecturer is the one who has demonstrated teaching expertise and completed a doctoral degree.

An Adjunct Lecturer at KI shall have their main employment and activities outside the higher education sector. The purpose of the employment is to contribute expertise that is not generally found within the ordinary activities and which are necessary for education of high quality.

Assistant Senior Lecturer

Assistant Senior Lecturer is a teaching position where the main tasks are in education. Qualified to be employed as an Assistant Senior Lecturer is the one who has demonstrated scientific and teaching expertise. Since it is a teaching position with main tasks in teaching, high demands are placed on teaching expertise.

Senior Lecturer

Senior lecturer is the second highest employment as a teacher. All Senior lecturers at KI must demonstrate both research and teaching expertise.You can apply for an advertised senior lectureship or if you are employed as Assistant Professor you can apply for promotion to Senior Lecturer. The position Senior Lecturer can also look different depending on its profile. An applicant can choose between applying for a Senior Lectureship with a focus on research where high requirements are placed on the scientific expertise or applying for a Senior Lectureship with a focus on education and research where high requirements are placed on the teaching expertise. For more information about the assessment criteria for Senior Lecturers see the instructions for appointments procedure for teachers at KI.

An Adjunct senior lecturer at KI shall have the main employment and activities outside the higher education sector. The purpose of the employment is to contribute expertise that is not generally found within the ordinary activities and the position should be of importance and benefit to KI.

Professor

The position as professor is the foremost academic position at KI

A professorship can look different depending on its profile. An applicant can choose between applying for a professorship with a focus on research where high requirements are placed on the scientific expertise or applying for a professorship with a focus on education and research where high requirements are placed on the teaching expertise. For more information about the assessment criteria for Professors please see the instructions for appointments procedure for teachers at KI.

Senior Professor

The standard rule is that Professors who are employed after the age of 69 will have the title of Professor. If the employment is time limited, the title Senior professor can be used.

Special rules regarding personell older than 69 years old, you find here.

TA personnel

Other technical and administrative personnel are called TA staff within KI.