PhD Fellowship in SustainCare — Building Sustainable Care Systems for Older People in the Nordic–Baltic Region
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PhD Fellowship in SustainCare — Building Sustainable Care Systems for Older People in the Nordic–Baltic Region
The Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, invites applications for a PhD fellowship linked to the international research project SustainCare from March 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The position as PhD is limited to a period of 3 years.
The PhD project
The PhD fellow will contribute to the aims of the NORDFORSK funded SustainCare project, which seeks to develop knowledge and solutions for more sustainable, equitable and community-based long-term care (LTC) for older people across Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania. SustainCare is theoretically and empirically concerned with how formal and informal care systems intersect, how inequalities in access and outcomes emerge, and how new forms of collective support in the shape of Community Circles/Fællesskabscirkler might reshape the politics and practices of care. Within this framework, the PhD project is expected to examine the dynamics of older people’s care needs, care provision and policies across the Nordic–Baltic region, allowing the PhD to formulate an own project while working in close collaboration with the project team, sharing research protocols and analysis. Possible angles include how the need for care will evolve, the mix between formal and informal care provision and implications for care poverty, and the implications of community-based Community Circles/Fællesskabscirkler for equality in care provision. The fellow is expected to combine quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore the project’s questions, as well as contributing to comparative and interdisciplinary analysis in cohort with the wider project team.
The PhD fellow will be associated with the research group Velci - Changing Societies: Welfare and Diversity.
The Doctoral School
The accepted candidate will be enrolled as a PhD fellow at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Business with approximately 50 PhD fellows from all over the world. It provides PhD training and research within an interdisciplinary, international and professional environment. It is part of a dynamic community of researchers who share a commitment to understanding society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. Researchers engage in topics that are geographically, theoretically and methodologically diverse. The Doctoral School has one PhD program. The program offers work in progress seminars, thematic professional development seminars, PhD courses, feedback, and social activities for the enrolled PhD fellows.
For more information about the Doctoral School contact the Head of the Doctoral School, Professor Lars Buur (lbuur@ruc.dk).
Responsibilities and tasks
The PhD fellow will be expected to undertake research and up to 500 teaching hours at the Department of Social Sciences and Business. They will be responsible for carrying out independent research under the supervision of Professor Tine Rostgaard. During employment PhD fellows are required to take 30 ECTS of course work and have a stay at another research environment in Denmark or abroad. For more information, see chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. Read more on what it entails to be a PhD Fellow at Roskilde University.
Qualifications
The PhD fellow must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent within a social science discipline, such as Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Anthropology, International Development Studies or Global Studies.
The following qualifications are required:
You are required to be enterprising and to possess good communication skills and to be a visible, involved participant in the Department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the Department.
Assessment
In the assessment regarding employment consideration will be given to:
In the application assessment, consideration will also be given to the following criteria:
Your project description shall be no more than 5 pages (excluding tables, literature pages and references)
Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Professor Tine Rostgaard, tiro@ruc.dk.
Terms of employment
The employment is full time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to the Dean of Social Sciences Morten Frederiksen.
The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean 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.
Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/
Only applications in English are accepted.
Applications must include:
1. Cover letter
2. CV
3. Documentation of education including grades from Master’s programme or equivalent. If you master degree is not awarded within the ECTS frame, please provide us with:
Your bachelor diploma and grades. An official English translation of diplomas. A description of the master programme including the official duration (in years).
4. Your description of the PhD project (no more than 5 pages)
5. Your time schedule of the PhD project
6. If applicable: Documentation for any research experience, work experience or publications.
Please submit your application no later than November 9, 2025.
Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
The PhD project
The PhD fellow will contribute to the aims of the NORDFORSK funded SustainCare project, which seeks to develop knowledge and solutions for more sustainable, equitable and community-based long-term care (LTC) for older people across Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania. SustainCare is theoretically and empirically concerned with how formal and informal care systems intersect, how inequalities in access and outcomes emerge, and how new forms of collective support in the shape of Community Circles/Fællesskabscirkler might reshape the politics and practices of care. Within this framework, the PhD project is expected to examine the dynamics of older people’s care needs, care provision and policies across the Nordic–Baltic region, allowing the PhD to formulate an own project while working in close collaboration with the project team, sharing research protocols and analysis. Possible angles include how the need for care will evolve, the mix between formal and informal care provision and implications for care poverty, and the implications of community-based Community Circles/Fællesskabscirkler for equality in care provision. The fellow is expected to combine quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore the project’s questions, as well as contributing to comparative and interdisciplinary analysis in cohort with the wider project team.
The PhD fellow will be associated with the research group Velci - Changing Societies: Welfare and Diversity.
The Doctoral School
The accepted candidate will be enrolled as a PhD fellow at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Business with approximately 50 PhD fellows from all over the world. It provides PhD training and research within an interdisciplinary, international and professional environment. It is part of a dynamic community of researchers who share a commitment to understanding society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. Researchers engage in topics that are geographically, theoretically and methodologically diverse. The Doctoral School has one PhD program. The program offers work in progress seminars, thematic professional development seminars, PhD courses, feedback, and social activities for the enrolled PhD fellows.
For more information about the Doctoral School contact the Head of the Doctoral School, Professor Lars Buur (lbuur@ruc.dk).
Responsibilities and tasks
The PhD fellow will be expected to undertake research and up to 500 teaching hours at the Department of Social Sciences and Business. They will be responsible for carrying out independent research under the supervision of Professor Tine Rostgaard. During employment PhD fellows are required to take 30 ECTS of course work and have a stay at another research environment in Denmark or abroad. For more information, see chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. Read more on what it entails to be a PhD Fellow at Roskilde University.
Qualifications
The PhD fellow must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent within a social science discipline, such as Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Anthropology, International Development Studies or Global Studies.
The following qualifications are required:
- Experience working with qualitative methods, such as interviews and policy documents, and as a minimum training in quantitative methods (e.g., regression, multivariate analysis, survey analysis)
- Interest in comparative analysis and the relevant theoretical approaches and empirical data
- Excellent communication skills in both written and oral English
You are required to be enterprising and to possess good communication skills and to be a visible, involved participant in the Department’s daily activities, in addition to being willing to engage in disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration across the Department.
Assessment
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 application assessment, consideration will also be given to the following criteria:
- Educational skills and any further professional qualifications.
- Grades at Master’s program or equivalent.
- Quality and relevance of the project description.
- Considerations regarding ethical aspects and access to the field.
- The quality and relevance of the methodological and theoretical choices.
- The consistency and coherence between the problem and the choice of method and theory.
- Ideas for dissemination plan (seminar, workshop and intended publications).
- The realistic and feasible scope of the PhD project.
- Ability to complete the PhD project.
- Relevance of the project to the profile of the Doctoral School and the research project SustainCare
Your project description shall be no more than 5 pages (excluding tables, literature pages and references)
Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Professor Tine Rostgaard, tiro@ruc.dk.
Terms of employment
The employment is full time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to the Dean of Social Sciences Morten Frederiksen.
The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean 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.
Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/
Only applications in English are accepted.
Applications must include:
1. Cover letter
2. CV
3. Documentation of education including grades from Master’s programme or equivalent. If you master degree is not awarded within the ECTS frame, please provide us with:
Your bachelor diploma and grades. An official English translation of diplomas. A description of the master programme including the official duration (in years).
4. Your description of the PhD project (no more than 5 pages)
5. Your time schedule of the PhD project
6. If applicable: Documentation for any research experience, work experience or publications.
Please submit your application no later than November 9, 2025.
Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.
Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.