Ph.d.-stilling: An Eye for Equity – fremme lighed og diversitet i børns liv

The Department of People and Technology (IMT), Roskilde University, invites applications for a position as PhD. student of social science. The candidate will begin on Oct 1st, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position as a PhD student is limited to a period of 3 years.

Description of the PhD project
The Ph.D. position is part of a large, innovation-focused research project funded by ‘Partnerskab for Børneforskning’, where researchers from Roskilde University, Copenhagen University College and Aalborg University collaborate with managers, administrators and pedagogical staff from Fredensborg Municipality and Copenhagen Municipality. The research project's four sub-projects will investigate and qualify the pedagogical work of creating equal and diverse children's lives through the organization of a common and local evaluation culture at all levels of municipal daycare. Theoretically, the project is rooted in international research on social equality (Fraser 1999, Osgood 2015), equality and diversity (Krøjer 2025, Bittner 2022) and postmodern evaluation theory (Krogstrup 2005). The project uses action research methods (Gunnarsson et al. 2015) to investigate how evaluation and documentation (Paananen & Lipponen 2018) sharpen or blur the pedagogical eye for equality and diversity (Padovan-Özdemir & Hamilton 2022), and how enhanced evaluation capacity can support pedagogical work for equal and diverse children's lives.

The Ph.D. project constitutes part C of the research project: An Eye for equality and diversity in ECEC practice. Part C examines practice stories to understand how equality and diversity become visible or invisible to ECEC professionals and students in 5 different daycare centers. Further, part C conducts research workshops to explore how ECEC professionals’ eye for equality and diversity in pedagogical practice could be qualified. The theoretical and methodological framework of the project is defined, but the Ph.D. student may shape this within the framework of the project. The Ph.D. student will be part of the project's research team, which is: Project leader, associate professor Jo Krøjer (RUC), associate professor Marta Padovan-Özdemir, professor Julie Borup Jensen (AAU), associate professor Christian Aabro (KP) and associate professor So?e Rosengard (KP).

Candidates with knowledge of equality and diversity, early childhood education and care, pedagogical practice development and experience with empirical, qualitative research and preferably action research are preferred.

The primary supervisor of the PhD project is Associate Professor Marta Padovan-Özdemir IMT, Roskilde University.

PhD students are expected to attend national and international conferences and write scientific papers to be published in international literature as well as write and defend a PhD thesis based on the research project.

Section of Work and Social Sustainability and the Doctoral School of People and Technology
You will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of People and Technology. Read more about the doctoral school here: https://ruc.dk/en/doctoral-school-people-and-technology.

As a Phd Student you will be placed in the Section of Working Life and Social Sustaianability and be part of the research group OrgESS (Organisation, Ethics & Social Sustainability) at IMT (RUC). OrgESS is an interdisciplinary, social science research group engaged in creating new, critical knowledge on social change, how it arises, is created and can support people's opportunities to live meaningful lives across various societal and organizational changes. A particular interest for the research group is the connection between social change and (in)equality.

The Department of People and Technology
The Department of People and Technology encompass human, social, health and IT sciences as well as planning, intervention and design-oriented disciplines. In round figures, the institute employs 150 academic staff, 30 TAP, 50 PhD students (internal and external) and 80 external lecturers. Also, a varying number of research assistants and student assistants are employed. The Department develops interdisciplinary and sustainable solutions to important societal challenges. Research and development work is carried out in close collaboration with public, private and civil organizations. The department utilizes a wide range of innovative and experimental research approaches that support human agency and active engagement in everyday life.

Responsibilities and tasks
As a PhD fellow you are trained at an international level to undertake research. You are responsible for carrying out independent research under supervision and receive constructive feedback in the PhD program to finish your PhD thesis. During your employment you are required to take 30 ECTS of course work and gain experience of teaching activities. You are also required to have research environmental change (3-6 months) during your PhD enrollment. The environment change can take place at foreign or local universities or research institutions. The PhD position is an educational position, and the main tasks are in accordance with chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Program at the Universities and
Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions (https://ufm.dk/en/legislation/prevailing-laws-and-regulations/education?les/engelsk-ph-d-bekendtgorelse.pdf).

Qualifications
You must hold a master’s degree or equivalent within the field of psychology, health science, or related fields. You should have documented skills in qualitative methods. Qualifications within the following areas are required:

• Danish, since the project includes Danish-language fieldwork

We also emphasize the following qualifications:

• Enthusiasm for collaborative research and participatory knowledge development
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral English
• Creativity and capable of independent research work

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 collaborations across different sections of the IMT 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: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/transparency-tools/quali?cations-frameworks/other-quali?cations-frameworks/danish-qf-for-higher-education?set_language=en&cl=en).
• Any additional academic requirements stated in the job advertisement.

In the assessment regarding enrollment, 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

  • Based on the ambition of the overall project description, the PhD project description should account for how the project would shape the exploration of practice stories to understand how equality and diversity become visible or invisible to ECEC professionals and students in 5 different day care centers. And suggest how research workshops may be designed to explore how ECEC professionals’ vision of equality and diversity in pedagogical practice could be qualified. A motivated research question, theoretical concepts, and empirical design should be presented.
  • Considerations regarding theoretical and methodological approaches
  • Your project description is limited to 5 pages/ 12.000 characters (excl. references)

• Quality and relevance of the methodical and theoretical choices

• Consistency and coherence between the problem and the choice of method and theory

• If the PhD project seems realistic and feasible

• Ability to complete the PhD project

• Relevance of the project to the profile of the Doctoral School

Questions
For further information about the position or project, please contact Associate professor Marta Padovan-Özdemir; caitlin52mgordondavisgregory@livingstonrucbarry-williamsgarza-burns.dk.

Terms of employment
The employment is full time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to Peter Kjær, Head of Department.

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
4. Your description of the PhD project
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 April 30, 2026.
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.