Call for Ph.D. application: Working Life and Social Sustainability

The Section for Working Life and Social Sustainability at the Department of People and Technology (IMT), Roskilde Universitet, invites applications for a position as PhD student in social science. The candidate will begin on December 1, 2026. The PhD student position is limited to a period of three years.

The Section for Working Life and Social Sustainability invites PhD applications concerning social sustainability in working life, organizations, and beyond.

The section’s research focuses on social change, how it arises, is created, and how it affects people's living conditions, participation, and working lives. Roskilde Universitet specializes in collaborative and participatory research. A special focus of Roskilde Universitet is on interventions in all types of organizations and workplaces, and how they enhance or reduce social sustainability.

Roskilde Universitet invites applications related to:

• Gender equality and gender-based harassment
• New perspectives on democracy and influence in working life
• Socially sustainable organizations and working lives
• Social inequality and inclusion in the welfare society

Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of and interest in empirical, qualitative research methods as a foundation for the PhD project. Quantitative research applications are not relevant to this call.

The primary supervisor of the PhD project will be a senior VIP within the Section for Working Life and Social Sustainability.

You will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of People and Technology. You can read more about the doctoral school here: https://ruc.dk/en/doctoral-school-people-and-technology.

As a PhD student, you will be placed in the Section for Working Life and Social Sustainability and be part of one of the two research groups: OrgESS (Organisation, Ethics & Social Sustainability) or ALIV (Working Life) at IMT/RUC.

OrgESS is an interdisciplinary, social science research group engaged in creating new, critical knowledge on social change, how it arises, is created, and can support people's opportunities to live meaningful lives across various societal and organizational changes. OrgESS theorizes and conceptualizes how societal transformations become socially sustainable. Therefore, OrgESS’ researchers develop and engage in multiple forms of participatory research methods. A particular interest for the research group is the connection between social change and (in)equality.

The Working Life research group conducts interdisciplinary research drawing on the humanities and social sciences – more specifically the fields of social psychology, education, and sociology of work. The focus of research is on transformations of contemporary work and their consequences for working life. A common characteristic is a strong empirical emphasis. This contributes to an orientation towards dialogue with practitioners and a wish to support innovation and change in dialogue with society.

The Department of People and Technology encompasses human, social, health, and IT sciences, as well as planning, intervention, and design-oriented disciplines. Approximately, the institute employs 150 academic staff, 30 TAP, 50 PhD students (internal and external), and 80 external lecturers. Additionally, a varying number of research assistants and student assistants are employed.

The department develops interdisciplinary and sustainable solutions to important societal challenges. Research and development work is carried out in close collaboration with public, private, and civil society organizations. The department utilizes a wide range of innovative and experimental research approaches that support human agency and active engagement in everyday life.

As a PhD fellow, you are trained at an international level to undertake research. You are responsible for carrying out independent research under supervision and receiving feedback in the PhD program to finish your PhD thesis.

During your employment, you are required to take 30 ECTS course work and gain experience in teaching activities. You are also required to undertake a research exchange (3-6 months) during your PhD enrollment period. This exchange can take place at foreign or local universities or research institutions. The PhD position is an educational position, and the main tasks are in accordance with chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Program at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions (https://ufm.dk/en/legislation/prevailing-laws-and-regulations/education/files/engelsk-ph-d-bekendtgorelse.pdf).

You must hold a master’s degree or equivalent within the field of social science. You should have documented skills in qualitative methods. Qualifications within the following areas are required:

• Fluency in Danish, since the project is expected to include Danish-language fieldwork

Roskilde Universitet also emphasizes the following qualifications:

• Enthusiasm for collaborative research and participatory knowledge development
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral English
• Creativity and capability for independent research work

You are required to be enterprising, to possess good communication skills, and to be a visible, involved participant in the department’s daily activities, in addition to willingness to engage in collaborations across different sections of the IMT department.

In the assessment regarding employment, consideration will be given to:

• Relevant master’s degree or equivalent (according to Danish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education).
• Any additional academic requirements stated in the job advertisement.

In the assessment regarding enrollment, consideration will also be given to the following criteria:

• Educational skills and any further professional qualifications
• Grades from a master’s program or equivalent
• Quality and relevance of the project description
  • A motivated research question, theoretical concepts, and empirical design should be presented.
  • Considerations regarding theoretical and methodological approaches
  • Your project description is limited to 5 pages/12,000 characters (excluding references and time schedule)
• Quality and relevance of the methodological and theoretical choices
• Consistency and coherence between the problem and the choice of method and theory
• Whether the PhD project seems realistic and feasible
• Ability to complete the PhD project
• Relevance of the project to the profiles of the Doctoral School and the Section for Working Life and Social Sustainability

For further information about the position, please contact: Associate Professor Jo Krøjer jokr@ruc.dk or Associate Professor Agnete Meldgaard Hansen agmeha@ruc.dk.

The employment is full-time, 37 hours per week, and you will report to Peter Kjær, Head of Department.

The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.

According to the Pay Transparency Directive, the salary ranges for the various job categories at Roskilde Universitet are listed here.

After the deadline for applications, the Head of Department will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee, including the chairperson of the assessment committee.

Shortly after the application deadline, all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.

The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and, later on, their assessment.

Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.

To apply for the position, visit www.ruc.dk/en/job/.

Only applications in English are accepted.

Applications must include:

• Cover letter
• CV
• Documentation of education, including grades from a Master’s program or equivalent
• Your description of the PhD project
• Your time schedule for the PhD project
• If applicable: Documentation for any research experience, work experience, or publications.

Please submit your application no later than August 15, 2026.

Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.

Roskilde Universitet wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

The hiring process at Roskilde Universitet may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.