Assistant professor in discrete mathematics

The workplace

At the Department of Mathematics (MAI) both education and research are conducted. The research covers a wide range of areas from pure mathematics to applications in technology, natural sciences, economics, and mathematics education. Our goal is to create an environment that encourages innovative thinking and is responsive to current conditions and needs.

This position in discrete mathematics will be placed at the division for Algebra, Geometry, and Discrete mathematics.

Learn more: Department of Mathematics and Work at the Department of Mathematics.

Work assignments 

The purpose of the employment is that the assistant professor is to be given the opportunity to develop independence as a researcher and to obtain both the research and teaching qualifications required for employment as associate professor.

The position is a five‑year tenure-track appointment, of which approximately 40% is allocated for research and supervision, and the remaining time is dedicated to teaching and administrative duties. In addition, the position includes funding to recruit a doctoral student.

The research group in discrete mathematics is particularly active in graph theory, with a focus on issues related to the area of ​​graph colorings. Research in algebraic combinatorics is also conducted at MAI.

Mathematics teaching at Linköping University includes courses in a large number of different areas on a variety of educational programs. For example, we offer several courses in discrete mathematics at both undergraduate and master level.

Regarding research, the primary task for this position is to conduct high-quality activities that strengthen the department's existing research environment in discrete mathematics.

As an Assistant Professor in Discrete Mathematics, you will teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels and supervise bachelor’s and master’s theses. The work may also include course development and course responsibility. 

You are active in the research community, participate in the division's activities such as seminars and workshops, participate in research projects, communicate results through scientific publications and help attract external research funding.

You contribute actively to the university's development work. Collaboration is an integral part of the university’s research and education mission. Collaboration in research takes the form of disseminating, making available and utilising research. Collaboration in education takes the form of planning, organising and carrying out good education in cooperation with stakeholders from the surrounding society. The employment may also involve administrative duties.

Your work includes monitoring developments nationally and internationally within your field of study and other societal developments that are important to your work.

You are flexible and have the ability to move between different types of pedagogical and scientific contexts. You share knowledge and contribute to the working group’s professional development, collegial ways of working and social community. The fact that you are present and active is something we see as self-evident in order to ensure that you are able to perform your duties in an optimum way and enjoy your working community.

Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who have a doctoral degree or equivalent scientific competence. We are primarily looking for candidates who have obtained their doctoral degree in the past five years.

For this employment particular attention will be paid to academic expertise, second to pedagogical expertise, and third to other proficiencies which are judged to be equivalent to each other.

Furthermore, potential to develop independence as a researcher is of the highest importance for this position. Therefore, the research statement is expected to comment on this aspect and to describe research initiated after the PhD studies.

In terms of pedagogical expertise, the following will be assessed:

• Of particular merit for the position is experience of teaching mathematics at Bachelor and/or Master level and that a teaching statement is appended to the application.
• Of merit is examination and course coordination responsibility; supervision of student theses; documented contributions to course design; undergraduate teaching experience from other areas of mathematics and engineering; administrative and management duties related to teaching.

In terms of academic expertise, the following will be assessed:

• A requirement for the position is expertise in discrete mathematics with a demonstrated ability to perform research in this area through journal publications and conference contributions.
• Of particular merit is research within one of the department's strong research areas, such as probabilistic and/or algorithmic graph theory, or research related to graph coloring You are encouraged to comment on how your research relates to one or more of these areas.
• Of merit is also other research in discrete mathematics, experience of interdisciplinary research, and experience of applying for and obtaining external research funding.

As teaching and research is conducted in Swedish and English, you must be able to demonstrate the ability to teach and conduct research in English and it is expected that you within two years will be able to teach in Swedish. 

The employment

This position is subject to a period of employment of 5 years, fulltime.

Starting date by agreement.

An assistant professor may be employed until further notice, for a minimum period of four years and a maximum period of six years, as determined by the institution of higher education before the employment begins. The employment may be renewed, by a maximum period of two years, if, as a consequence of sick absence, parental leave, or other special circumstances of the assistant professor, additional time is necessary in order to achieve the purpose of the employment.

An assistant professor shall, after application, be promoted to associate professor if he/she is qualified for employment as associate professor and has been assessed following a test to be suitable for such employment according to the grounds for assessment that the University has determined. 

For more information on eligibility requirements, assessment criteria and recruitment procedures for teachers, see Linköping University’s rules of appointment. 

Linköping University’s rules of appointment. 

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 below. 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.