Doctoral student in Private Law with focus on Maritime and Transport Law
Reference number PAR 2025/722
The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.
The Department of Law is part of the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. The Department of Law conducts exciting interdisciplinary research and education in the subject of law. The Department has expanded greatly over the last few years and it is steadily growing with new researchers and lecturers joining the staff. Today, there are more than 100 employees, approximately 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students and around 20 doctoral students. More information about the department is at https://www.gu.se/en/school-business-economics-law/law.
This advertisement applies to both doctoral student position and admission to the LLD programme. Only those admitted to the doctoral programme can be employed as doctoral students.
General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university’s doctoral student pages: https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies.
Duties
The doctoral project in Private Law with focus on Maritime and Transport Law must relate to one of the following Private Law projects, all of which focus on Maritime and Transport Law.
– The maritime and transport industries’ intangible assets and intellectual property strategies.
– The legal implications of ‘The maritime single window’, particularly those relating to civil law.
– The maritime and transport industries’ regulation of greenhouse gas emissions through civil law regulatory models.
The overall research question in these projects concerns the regulation of phenomena in maritime and other transport by means of Private Law. The project is part of ongoing research on regulatory models conducted within the framework of the Private Law group and the Ocean group at the Department of Law.
Doctoral studies comprise four years of full-time studies, and lead to a doctoral degree. Teaching in Private Law or other legal subjects may be included up to 20 per cent of full-time, which will result in a corresponding extension of the studies.
The main part of the doctoral studies consists of writing a thesis (doctoral dissertation), equivalent to 177 credits. In addition, doctoral courses of 63 credits must be completed.
Preliminary start of the doctoral studies is in February 2026.
Eligibility
Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.
The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are:
1. having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
2. the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or
3. the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.
An applicant meets the specific eligibility requirements if he or she has been awarded a Swedish juristexamen or corresponding degrees, i.e., an LLB degree (min. 3 years full time studies, 180 ECTS credits) and an LLM degree, or otherwise has acquired the same level of
knowledge and skills. When assessing whether the qualifications are sufficient, particular consideration shall be given to the requirements to successfully carry out the doctoral studies within a specific legal subject area.
Applicants must have completed the requisite degrees (LLB and LLM) or must have passed all courses required for such degrees on the 14 November 2025, at the latest.
Assessment criteria
Selection among qualified applicants will primarily be based on the assessment of each applicant’s ability to complete the doctoral programme.
During the selection process, an overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, the qualities of the planned project and the Department’s ability to provide necessary support will be carried out.
When assessing the project outline, the following aspects will be considered: the applicant’s knowledge of previous and current research within the field; the scholarly basis of the research questions; the adequacy of proposed methods; and the feasibility of completing the project within four years of full-time doctoral studies.
If two or more applicants are deemed equally qualified, considerations regarding gender equality and other forms of diversity will be taken into account.
Very good knowledge of Swedish, both spoken and written, is an advantage.
Researchers at the Department of Law endeavour to communicate research in clear and accessible Swedish. Furthermore, research findings should also be communicated in clear and accessible English.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interviews.
Admission to doctoral studies is decided by the Head of Department on the recommendation from the Department’s Doctoral Recruitment Committee.
Admission and employment
Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.
The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100.
Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time.
The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.
Please note, doctoral studies at the Department of Law require physical presence to conduct the studies. If the admitted applicant needs a residence permit for higher education to pursue studies in Sweden, the department has the right to revoke the admission decision if the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit no later than at the start of the studies.
Application
In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system. It is the
responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and
that it is submitted no later than 14 November 2025.
The selection of candidates is made on the basis of the qualifications registered in the application. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
The application must be submitted electronically in the online recruitment system no later than 14 November 2025.
The application must include:
1. A CV of no more than one page
2. A project outline of no more than seven pages, excluding References
3. Application for admission to doctoral studies on the designated form, available at the website
4. Certified copies of the LL.B. and LL.M. degrees including Diploma supplement providing information about the programme’s
length, content, passed courses and grades
5. Proof of sufficient knowledge of English and Swedish
6. A writing sample, e.g., a master or bachelor thesis or another text authored by the applicant
All degrees, diploma supplements and certificates must be certified and translated by an authorised translator into Swedish or English.
Applications must be received no later than 14 November 2025.
Project outline
The project outline shall set out the research question, theory, methodology, and sources of relevance for the project.
The project outline should contain the following headings:
1. Aim, background, and literature review
2. Research problem/research question
3. Methodology
4. Originality and relevance of the project
5. Implementation of the proposed project
6. Reference list (please use the Oxford or the Harvard system format for in-text citations and the reference list)
Contact information
Claes Martinson, professor, project leader, claes.martinson@law.gu.se
Christine Forssell, research coordinator, christine.forssell@law.gu.se
Unions
Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande
Information for International Applicants
Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:
https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/
The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.
Salaries are set individually at the University.
In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.
In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.
