Purpose
Digital Futures postdoc fellowships aim to support talented early-career international researchers in pursuing their research ideas within a new research group and institution. As this is a mobility programme, the emphasis is on early-career researchers moving to a new institution to continue their research.
We highly welcome international applicants from institutions worldwide who have recently completed or will soon complete their doctorate.
Background
Digital Futures is a cross-disciplinary research centre that explores and develops digital technologies to address major societal challenges in Sweden and globally. We generate knowledge, innovations, and future leaders of high industrial relevance and strategic importance. Today the centre involves twelve partners across the three sectors: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, AstraZeneca, City of Stockholm, Ericsson, Hitachi Energy, Region Stockholm, Saab, Skanska, TRATON and Xylem. This partnership forms the foundation of a vibrant ecosystem where scientific knowledge, innovation, and societal needs intersect. Find out more about Digital Futures here.
Digital Futures’ research is organised around its Research Matrix, which contains four societal contexts: Smart Society, Digitalised Industry, Rich and Healthy Life, and Educational Transformation, and three core scientific themes: Trust, Cooperation, and Learn.
Digital Futures Research Matrix
What the call offers
- The opportunity to conduct research in a new research group at a leading university of institute within the Digital Futures environment, fostering knowledge and expertise for a sustainable future.
- 2.4 million SEK toward salary costs for two years for each employed postdoc fellow. Funds will be transferred to the main supervisor responsible for employing the postdoc fellow.
- Access to Digital Futures’ resources, its network of academic and industrial partners, infrastructure and testbeds, events, and happenings.
- Mentorship and support in career development and research leadership education.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted through the HotCRP system. Each applicant can submit a maximum of one application.
Submission site link: will be included when the call opens.
Mandatory pre-registration stage:
All applicants must complete a pre-registration in the system no later than two (2) weeks before the full submission deadline. At the pre-registration stage, applicants must upload:
- The project title and abstract
- Letter of support from the main supervisor
- Letter of support from the co-supervisor
Applications without both letters of support at pre-registration will be considered ineligible and will not be allowed to proceed to full submission.
Required Application Documents
The following documents must be submitted by the full application deadline.
Incomplete applications will not be evaluated and page limits are strict.
- Abstract (≤ 300 words): A brief, public-friendly overview describing the proposed research activities, objectives, methods, and potential outcomes.
- Proposal of research activities: Should include research questions, objectives, methodology, and significance for the field and Digital Futures. Use clear language for reviewers from various disciplines. (max 2 pages, excluding references. Font type Times New Roman, Font Size 11, normal margins)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV): Detailing publications (link to GoogleScholar or equivalent is accepted), relevant professional experience and expertise. (max 2 pages. Font type Times New Roman, Font Size 11, normal margins).
- Research statement: Describing past and current research. (max 1 page, excluding references. Font type Times New Roman, Font Size 11, normal margins).
- Study certificates
- Copy of the PhD Diploma or certificate
- If the doctoral degree has not yet been obtained, the applicant must submit a signed statement by the PhD supervisor or another representative from the current institution stating the year of enrollment in the PhD studies and the expected graduation date.
Translations into English or Swedish are mandatory if the original documents were not issued in these languages.
Who can act as supervisor
Each application must include one main supervisor and one co-supervisor.
- The main supervisor must be a faculty member at KTH or Stockholm University1, and a Digital Futures faculty member or eligible to become a Digital Futures faculty member. The eligibility criteria can be found here. The main supervisor is responsible for the postdoc’s supervision, employment, and management of the funding.
- The co-supervisor must be a faculty member at KTH or Stockholm University or RISE Division of Digital Systems, or an affiliated scholar at Digital Futures.
A list of Digital Futures faculty members and affiliated scholars can be found here.
Restrictions:
- Main supervisors of postdocs funded in the most recent call (Spring 2026) are not eligible to act as main supervisors in this call.
- In each call, faculty members can only supervise a maximum of 2 projects. Of these two projects, only one as Main Supervisor.
1Stockholm University will fund up to two postdoc fellowships.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Hold a doctoral degree (or equivalent): The doctoral degree must be awarded before the postdoc fellowship commences, expected between January 2027 and June 2027.
- Complete the mandatory pre-registration and submit all required application documents within the specified deadlines, including the mandatory translations into English or Swedish if original documents are not in these languages.
- Provide two letters of support, one from a main supervisor and one from a co-supervisor affiliated with Digital Futures partner institutions by the pre-registration deadline.
Applications that do not fulfill all eligibility criteria, including submission of required documents, will not be considered.
Evaluation stages
Stage 1 – Eligibility Screening
- Applications are first screened to ensure that all eligibility criteria are fulfilled.
- Only eligible applications proceed to full evaluation.
Stage 2 – Scientific Review and Ranking
Eligible applications will be evaluated by a committee of faculty members from KTH, Stockholm University, and RISE according to:
- Applicant’s qualifications
- International research experience
- Scientific quality and feasibility of the proposed project
- Alignment with Digital Futures research programme
Funding decision and employment
Funding decisions will be announced in December 2026. Employment procedures will be handled by the host institution of the main supervisor.
Information and data handling
- All submitted proposals and personal data will be handled per national and international regulations.
- Documents will only be accessible to authorized staff at KTH, Stockholm University, and RISE involved in the evaluation process.
- Stockholm University will store proposals for up to 6 months after the submission deadline. KTH will store proposals for up to a year. Successful proposals are stored for up to 6 months after the end of the fellowship.
- Candidates may withdraw their application at any time upon request.
Contact & Questions
For further questions, contact:
Claudia Enciso (Operations Team, Digital Futures)
Sandra Pauletto (Associate Director, Mobility, Digital Futures)
by mail sent to postdoc-call@digitalfutures.kth.se