From 1 February 2024, the job titles senior research engineer and senior research assistant will be withdrawn and replaced by staff scientist. The change is being implemented to adapt the title to the way posts are named in research funding in the outside world.
Background
In 2023, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, the positions senior research engineer and senior research assistant were reviewed, primarily from the perspective of talent acquisition, in order to recruit and retain the high and specific competence represented by these positions.
The review included a trend analysis that showed that several Swedish higher education institutions are reviewing their research-funded positions. The review also showed that staff scientist is a common concept on the international labour market and that in some contexts it is also used nationally, whereby the term staff scientist was chosen to replace senior research engineer and senior research assistant in both Swedish and English.
Change
Against this background, the Human Resources Director has decided to change the title of employed senior research engineers and senior research assistants as of 1 February 2024 to staff scientist. The work content, salary and other terms of employment will not change. The decision, which was made on 29 November 2023, also included initiated calls for proposals and ongoing recruitment of senior research engineers and senior research assistants.
Continued process
The decision, made by the Vice-Chancellor, to investigate the conditions for the introduction of a new research-funded position also includes investigating career opportunities. This work will continue during the spring semester of 2024.
The working group, led by Human Resources Director Lars Nordlander, includes Ann-Christin Edlund, Carina Eurenius-Lindberg, Carina Mattsson, Elin Sonning, Magnus Wolf-Watz, Philip Buckland, Samuel Sandstrom, Sara Filppa and Susanne Sundqvist.