Postdoctoral researcher in War Studies with focus on women’s voluntary defence organisations in Finland and Sweden

Published: 17 March 2026

The Swedish Defence University is an internationally renowned university in the area of defence, crisis management and security. We offer a unique academic environment where military and civilian researchers, teachers and students interact. We educate and train top-level executives, experts, and researchers for the task of analyzing and managing current and future crises, security issues and conflicts. The university educates all military officers in the Swedish armed forces and leads the academic progression of the military profession. We conduct research in the areas of Law with a focus on International and Operational Law, Leadership and Command & Control, Military History, Political Science, Systems Science for Defence and Security and War Studies. The Department of War Studies conducts research and education in the subject of War Studies. The department consists of about 160 employees and has about 1000 students and participants in commissioned programmes. The department offers education at all levels within the framework of four programmes: the Officer Programme (undergraduate level), the Senior Officer Programme (advanced level), the Master's Programme in War and Defence (advanced level), and the Postgraduate Programme in War Studies (postgraduate level). In addition, a number of independent courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level are also offered. War Studies is a social science whose central object of study is war and the use of force. The discipline contains research on how military capability is created, led, organized, maintained over time and comes into effect in operations, in wars, conflicts and crises. War Studies also includes social and ethical aspects as well as critical perspectives in relation to war and warfare. The discipline has both a general theoretical and knowledge-based dimension, as well as a practical and applied dimension linked primarily to the education of officers. The Swedish Defence University is the only university in Sweden where the discipline is taught.

The position is based in the Division of Functions and Perspectives at the Department of War Studies in Stockholm. 

Project description

The postdoctoral researcher will participate in an interdisciplinary research environment within the field of war studies, linked to a three-year research project investigating the role of women’s voluntary defence organisations in Finland and Sweden (Lottakåren and Naisten valmiusliitto) in relation to war, civil defence and the reconstruction of a national/total defence system.

Work tasks

The postdoctoral researcher will play a central role in the research project by conducting an independent study. This includes carrying out archival and ethnographic research, as well as writing and presenting research findings. The position involves close collaboration with other researchers in the project with the aim to foster knowledge exchange and cooperation between Finland and Sweden.

The position also includes teaching, which may account for up to 20 per cent of the total working hours. This gives the researcher the opportunity to contribute to the university’s educational activities whilst continuing their own academic development.

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, you must hold a PhD in War Studies, Political Science or another subject area relevant to the research tasks, such as Sociology, International Relations, Gender Studies, Anthropology or History, or a foreign qualification deemed equivalent to a PhD. The degree must have been obtained no more than three years prior to the closing date for applications. The degree requirement must be met by the time the appointment decision is made. When calculating the three-year period, the starting point is the closing date for applications. If there are special reasons, such a degree may have been obtained earlier. Special reasons refer to leave of absence due to illness, parental leave, positions of trust within trade unions, etc.

Applicants must not previously have been employed as a postdoctoral researcher for more than one year within the same or a related subject area with the same employer.

It is a requirement that the applicant has previous experience of qualitative and interpretative research methods. This includes the ability to independently conduct interviews, observations or text analyses, and to analyse the material based on an interpretative, hermeneutic or similar qualitative methodological tradition.

As the project involves empirical data gathering from Sweden and Finland, the applicant must have a full command of Finnish and Swedish. This refers to a documented ability to speak and write both languages to a very high standard, equivalent to native speaker level or close to it, so that complex research-related discussions can be conducted without linguistic constraints.

Great importance is attached to personal suitability. To thrive and be suited to the role, you should be motivated, organised and communicative, and have a good ability to take the initiative and undertake new tasks. We expect you to actively participate in the department’s research activities and enjoy collaborating with others.

Desirable qualifications

• Publications in the fields of gender, war and/or total defence
• Excellent ability to express yourself verbally and in writing in English

About the employment

This is a fixed-term, full-time position for two years under the central collective agreement, with the possibility of a one-year extension. Start date: as soon as possible or by agreement. Location: Stockholm

Employment at the Swedish Defence University may involve a security clearance in accordance with the Security Protection Act (2018:585).

The position may also involve wartime deployment. If you are already assigned to wartime duties in your current role at a government agency and your skills are required within the Swedish Defence University’s wartime organisation, negotiations will take place between the relevant agency and the Swedish Defence University regarding your placement.

Start date by agreement.

The Swedish Defence University applies individual salary setting.

Employee benefits at the Swedish Defence University - FHS/Benefits/employee.

Application

Your application must include a personal letter explaining why you are qualified for the post (max. 1 page), a CV including academic publications, and a copy of your doctoral degree. If you have not yet completed your PhD, please state your planned completion date in the application.

Applications must be submitted via the Swedish Defence University’s recruitment system by clicking on the ‘Apply’ link on the job advertisement page. The recruitment system contains a number of screening questions to be answered. Here you should enter your experience and qualifications and upload any supporting documents you wish to submit in support of your application.

The complete application must be received by the Swedish Defence University no later than midnight on the closing date, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Further information regarding the position can be obtained from Senior Lecturer Jenny Hedström, jenny.hedstrom@fhs.se.

We look forward to receiving your application by April 26, 2026!

To get in contact with union representatives please send an e-mail to saco@fhs.se, OFR/O@fhs.se and OFR/S@fhs.se In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence. Please do not send offers of recruitment or advertising services.

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