Working in researcher roles
Join a world-class research environment with supportive colleagues, modern infrastructure and a strong focus on societal impact. This page outlines researcher and associate researcher roles and what you can expect.
Focus on research – a different path than teaching
Researcher and associate researcher positions focus mainly on research, often funded through external grants.
Teaching roles – such as professor, senior lecturer and associate senior lecturer – follow separate appointment tracks.
[Academic teaching positions – professor, senior lecturer, associate senior lecturer]
How to apply
All available positions are listed on the vacancies page. Each position includes an advertisement with detailed instructions. We cannot accept applications by email or other channels.
You apply through the University’s recruitment system, Varbi.
[Vacancies]
[How to apply – application guide]
Types of employment
Researchers and associate researchers contribute to the University’s research environment, either on a fixed-term or indefinite contract.
These roles are mainly intended to help you build your research qualifications. The duration varies and is specified in each job advertisement. Employment terms follow the Employment Protection Act (LAS) and relevant agreements.
These are long-term positions that offer scope to develop your research programme and contribute to your unit’s strategic goals.
Duties and scope
The specific duties are outlined in each vacancy announcement. In general, the main focus is research. Depending on the needs of the department, the role may also involve teaching (usually up to 20 percent), as well as supervision, applying for research funding, and communicating research findings to a broader audience.
Appointment framework
Researcher and associate researcher positions offer valuable opportunities to build your academic qualifications. You can strengthen your future applications through publications, external funding, and collaborative work.
These positions are not covered by the University’s Appointment Rules. This means there is no promotion pathway from these roles to teaching positions. If you wish to become a senior lecturer or professor, you need to apply through open recruitment.
Employment conditions and benefits
As an employee you are entitled to benefits regulated in Swedish law and agreements, as well as the benefits offered by Lund University, which even surpass the Swedish standard.
Most research staff work within a flexible hours system. A full-time schedule typically involves eight hours per day, Monday to Friday. Core working hours are from 09.00 to 15.00, with flexibility to start earlier or finish later.
Staff are entitled to additional time off on weekdays that fall between a public holiday and a weekend, and also benefit from shorter working hours before certain public holidays.
Some roles may require irregular hours or weekend work, depending on the nature of the position.
Employer and union representatives at the University are currently reviewing the working hours of researchers and associate researchers to ensure they are appropriate. Until further notice, individual working hours will continue to be managed as they are today.
While the University is mainly campus-based, remote work is possible for research staff through formal agreement. This can include working from abroad, depending on the role and with managerial approval.
Salaries are set individually based on factors such as responsibility, required skills, the role’s impact, and market conditions. Regular salary reviews are carried out under the framework of national collective agreements.
We provide internal training and leadership development for staff who take on supervisory or managerial responsibilities. All management roles are guided by university-wide policies, ensuring consistent and effective leadership across the organisation.
As a government agency, the University is bound by national collective agreements negotiated with unions such as Seko, OFR/S/P/O, and Saco-S. These agreements govern key employment conditions, including salary, benefits, leave entitlements, and local adaptations. All employees are covered by these agreements, regardless of whether they are union members.
Ready to take the next step?
Visit our vacancies page to see current opportunities:
You can also set up job alerts in Varbi to receive new postings daily or weekly.
Create job alerts – Subscribe on Varbi
Questions?
Contact the person or people listed in the vacancy announcement.
Contact
For questions about the recruitment process or a specific position, please contact the person or people listed in the vacancy announcement.