Research Assistant

Uppsala Universitet · Full-time

Box 256, Uppsala, Sweden

Do you want to work on research about role-playing games as a tool for democratic development, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Do you want an employer that invests in sustainable employee relations and offers secure, favorable working conditions? Welcome to apply for a position as Research Assistant at Uppsala University. The Department of Informatics and Media is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Uppsala University. The department has a broad research profile based on current research areas focused on, among other things, information systems, interaction design, and media and communication. The Department of Informatics and Media has teaching responsibilities in program education and freestanding courses within the Faculty of Social Sciences. The department also conducts activities at Campus Gotland. The department has an annual budget of approximately 86 million SEK and has approximately 80 employees. Read more about the Department of Informatics and Media. We are seeking a Research Assistant as part of the project "Larpocracy: Developing spaces for deliberation and democratic skills through role-playing games," which is funded by EU Horizon Europe. Larpocracy aims to promote democratic engagement and political expression through live action role-playing games (larp). The project addresses the declining engagement in traditional democracy and the limitations of today's social media in promoting good democratic dialogue. By using live action role-playing as a platform, the project hopes to create inclusive and democratic social spaces, both online and offline, where young people can develop important democratic skills such as negotiation abilities. The goal is to provide recommendations to designers and decision-makers on how best to utilize live action role-playing as a tool for democratic engagement. The project is coordinated by Uppsala University and conducted in collaboration with Tampere University, University of Greenwich, and several larp producers. Responsibilities The position involves development and studies of larp and larp productions with a focus on democracy, as well as scientific reporting in the form of academic and popular science articles and policy documents. Qualifications You must have a Master's degree in a subject relevant to the position, and have documented education and experience in both qualitative and quantitative methodology. Personal experience in the design and organization of live action role-playing games is a requirement. Strong skills in spoken and written Swedish and English are required for this position. Desirable/Merits Previous personal research on live action role-playing games is a merit for the position. About the Employment The employment is time-limited, 2 months. The position is 50% full-time. Start date October 1 or by agreement. Work location: Uppsala. For information about the position, contact: Annika Waern, [email protected] Welcome to submit your application no later than September 15, 2026, UFV-PA 2026/2595. Uppsala University is a broad research university with a strong international position. The ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a difference in society. Our most important asset is all 7,500 employees and 53,000 students who, with curiosity and commitment, make Uppsala University one of the country's most exciting workplaces. Read more about our benefits and what it's like to work at Uppsala University https://uu.se/om-uu/jobba-hos-oss/ The employment may be subject to security clearance. As a condition of employment, the applicant must be approved during security vetting. We decline offers of recruitment and advertising assistance. Applications are received through Uppsala University's recruitment system. Trade union representatives: Saco-S - [email protected], Seko - [email protected], ST (OFR/S) - [email protected]