Work assignments
Employment as a postdoctoral researcher in economic history is available at the Division of Economics in the Department of Management and Engineering. The position is linked to the VR funded research project ‘Birthing Inequity: Legacies of Colonial Maternal Health and Child Welfare Services in Africa’. The project investigates the long-term impact of British colonization on maternal and child health in former colonies in Sub-Saharan Africa. It bridges the colonial and post-colonial periods in two phases: (1) mapping colonial-era investments in maternal and child welfare services, training of local health personnel, and policy variation across colonies using archival sources; and (2) measuring the persistent and dynamic effects of this historical health infrastructure on contemporary maternal and child health outcomes, drawing on microdata from IPUMS-DHS and the like. The project combines qualitative and quantitative methods and contributes to economic history, historical demography, and the history of global health. The postdoctoral researcher will work in this project in collaboration with other project members. The specific focus will be determined through consultation between the hired candidate and the division. Your tasks will include:
- Contributing to one or both phases of the project depending on your profile and interests.
- Independent and collaborative research, contributing to the collection and/or analysis of archival and/or quantitative data.
- Co-authoring articles of high scientific quality in respected peer-reviewed scientific journals within the field of economic history.
- Actively participating in seminars, discussion groups, and other activities organized within the division.
- Presenting research findings at conferences and research seminars.
- Serving as a competence resource within your area of expertise for the division.
- Utilizing opportunities for teaching and supervision when they support career development and align with the research direction.
As postdoc, you will principally carry out research. A certain amount of teaching may be part of your duties, up to a maximum of 20% of working hours.
Qualifications
To be qualified to take employment as postdoc, you must have been awarded a doctoral degree or have a foreign degree that is deemed to be equivalent to a doctoral degree. This degree must have been awarded at the latest by the point at which LiU makes its decision to employ you.
It is considered advantageous if your doctoral degree is no older than three years at application deadline for this job. If there are special reasons for having an older doctoral degree – such as taking statutory leave – then these may be taken into consideration.
We are seeking applicants who have a PhD in economic history or related discipline (e.g. economics, economic geography, demography, statistics, history).
The successful candidate must demonstrate a high level of research expertise, evidenced by the quality of their PhD dissertation and/or publications. Documented experience with data management and statistical analysis in Stata or R, GIS, and spatial econometrics is required. Experience working with colonial archival sources and a research interest in African history are highly meriting. The evaluation will also consider personal qualities such as a willingness to collaborate, academic independence, and strong communication skills. Full proficiency in spoken and written English is required.
The workplace
You will be employed at the Division of Economics within the Department of Management and Engineering. The department conducts undergraduate education, doctoral training, and research within both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Engineering. It comprises several divisions, of which the Division of Economics operates primarily within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and has approximately 30 employees. The division has a broad and important teaching mission, including education in the Master of Science in Business and Economics programme, the International Business and Economics Programme, the Master’s Programme in Economics, the Bachelor’s Programme in Political Science and Economics, as well as standalone courses.
The Division of Economics encompasses several research profiles, but is united by three overarching principles that shape its research environment: a strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration; a problem-driven research agenda that addresses pressing societal challenges in collaboration with actors outside academia; and a clear emphasis on policy-relevant research aimed at translating findings into actionable insights.
The employment
This post is a temporary contract of two years with the possibility of extension up to a total maximum of three years. The position as a postdoc is full-time.
Start date: September 1, 2026, or as per agreement.
Salary and employment benefits
The university applies individual salaries.
More information about employee benefits is available here.
Union representatives
Information about union representatives, see Help for applicants.
Application procedure
Apply for the position by clicking the “Apply” button. Your application must be received no later than May 25, 2026.
Applications and documents received after the date above will not be considered.
Please attach your selected research publications electronically, in pdf or word format, in the application template. Research publications, e.g. monographs, which cannot be sent electronically should be sent in three sets by mail to the University Registrar at Linköping University, University Registrar, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden. The publications must be received by Linköping University no later than the deadline for application.
Please note that printed publications will not be returned. They will be archived at Linköping University.
In the event of a discrepancy between the English translation of the job announcement and the Swedish original, the Swedish version shall take precedent.
We welcome applicants with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives – diversity enriches our work and helps us grow. Preserving everybody’s equal value, rights and opportunities is a natural part of who we are. Read more about our work with: Equal opportunities.
We look forward to receiving your application!
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