The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.
The Department of Earth Sciences currently has approximately 70 employees working in the areas of physical geography, ecosystem science and geology. We have specializations in regional climate, polar climate, paleoclimate, urban climate, alpine and polar ecology, GIS and remote sensing, hydrogeology, geophysics, quaternary geology and microgeochemistry. Our three priority research themes are "Climate and Climate Change", "Earth Surface Processes" and "Geosphere". The department is well-equipped with laboratories, such as a drone lab, a GIS teaching lab, an ice lab and a biogeochemical analysis lab. The department's work focuses on Fennoscandia and the polar regions.
Our mission is to develop and deliver research, education and services to society that improve our understanding of how the Earth system works and in particular the impact of human activity on the Earth system. Our department strives to achieve diversity in the workplace and create a family-friendly environment, and Sweden also has generous family leave and childcare policies. Further information can be found on our website: https://www.gu.se/en/earth-sciences.
The Department of Earth Sciences is now recruiting two doctoral students in dendroclimatology (natural science, focus on physical geography).
University-wide information about what it means to be a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages: https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies
Duties
About the research project
The two doctoral students will be part of a project that investigates the potential to improve temperature reconstructions in both the northern and southern hemispheres by using quantitative wood anatomy from tree rings. According to previous reconstructions based on natural archives such as ice cores, lake sediments and tree rings, the climate variations of the southern and northern hemispheres appear to differ considerably over the last few millennia. This is not in line with how climate models characterize the same time period, as they indicate that the climate histories are relatively similar, mainly synchronized by large volcanic eruptions and elevated levels of carbon dioxide. With the great progress and observed benefits of quantitative wood anatomy in mind, the aim is to build boreal and austral networks of such data from previously sampled and newly sampled trees growing in extratropical regions to investigate whether this discrepancy can be resolved.
The doctoral students will work together with a team of postdoctoral fellows, technicians and doctoral students towards an overall analysis of global temperature variations relevant to the last two thousand years, but will primarily be responsible for regional and local data products. They will participate in fieldwork (sometimes to remote locations), sample preparation, data production, and data analysis as well as the publication of scientific articles.
About the doctoral program
Doctoral studies comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree.
As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period, and result in a corresponding extension of the studies. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.
Eligibility
Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.
The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are:
- having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
- the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or
- the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.
Specific eligibility includes that the candidate has a good level of spoken and written English.
Assessment criteria
The selection of applicants who meet the basic and specific eligibility requirements will be based on the ability to assimilate the doctoral studies.
In addition to general and specific eligibility requirements, the following criteria are meritorious:
- Documented experience in dendrochronology and ability to perform challenging fieldwork in remote environments
- Documented experience in programming (Matlab, R or similar) and working with large datasets and statistics.
Admission and employment
Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.
The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100.
Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time.
A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at doctoral level for four years.
The position at the Department of Earth Sciences is full-time. The planned start date is 1 November 2025, or later as per agreement.
The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.
Please note, doctoral studies at the Department of Earth Sciences require physical presence to conduct the studies. If the admitted applicant needs a residence permit for higher education to pursue studies in Sweden, the Department of Earth Sciences has the right to revoke the admission decision if the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit no later than at the start of the studies.
Contact information
For more information about the positions, please contact:
Research leader Dr. Jesper Björklund, [email protected]
Hans Linderholm, Head of the Department of Earth Sciences and Professor of Physical Geography, [email protected], Tel: +46 70 858 9504
Unions
Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande
Application
You can apply to be admitted to doctoral education via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per this notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.
The application should include:
- A short introductory letter describing motivation and suitability for the doctoral position (max. one A4)
- CV
- Copies of degree certificates
- Copy of master's degree project (or equivalent), as well as other relevant publications
- A brief text in which the candidate discusses the potential and challenges of using quantitative wood anatomy in dendroclimatological research on a global scale (max. 500 words including references)
- Copies of employment certificates or other documents considered important for the application
- Contact information from two references who are familiar with the candidate's qualifications.
Applications must be received by 30th of June 2025
Other information
The University of Gothenburg is a government agency, which means special benefits, more holidays and a good pension. You can read more about our employee benefits here.
Like most Scandinavian countries, Sweden offers a high quality of life with generous vacation time and tax-funded healthcare. Like all employers in Sweden, we provide 480 days of parental leave, which can be used freely by the two parents up until the child is 12 years old. Families in Sweden are guaranteed a place in preschool within 4 months of applying, and education is free of charge. The university is located in Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city, with excellent public transport and a lively international environment.
Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services and https://www.movetogothenburg.com.
The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations. In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed. In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.
