The appointment regulations at Chalmers define positions and assessment criteria for teaching, research and research support staff. Their purpose is to ensure quality, transparency and competitive career paths in research, education and research support.
This page describes the role of the Faculty Appointment Committee, academic position structure at Chalmers, research support roles, the tenure track system and the title of Docent.
Faculty Appointment Committee
The Faculty Appointment Committee is a central committee at Chalmers that prepares matters related to academic staff positions on behalf of the President.
The committee is chaired by the Vice Presidents of Chalmers and includes members from several departments.
At regular meetings, the following typically participate:
- the chair
- faculty representatives
- the recruitment partner for the Faculty Appointment Committee
- a student representative
- the head of the relevant department
The committee provides recommendations prior to decisions on employment or promotion.
For professorships, the recommendation is submitted to the President.
For other positions, the recommendation is submitted to the head of the relevant department.
Appointment Regulation for Teaching and Research Staff
The appointment regulation for teaching and research staff covers positions that are subject to external expert review when appointed. It also includes fixed-term positions where expert review is expected to have been carried out at the candidate’s home institution.
The academic position structure includes:
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Professor
- Full Professor
- William Chalmers Distinguished Professor
- Assistant Teaching Fellow, Teaching Fellow and Senior Teaching Fellow
- William Chalmers Distinguished Teacher
- Lecturer of the Practice and Senior Lecturer of the Practice
- Artistic positions
- Visiting, adjunct and affiliated positions
Rules and processes for recruitment and promotion are currently under revision. Until further notice, the processes described in the previous Rules of Procedure (C2024-0892) remain in force.
Appointment Regulation for Research Support Staff
The appointment regulation for research support staff covers positions that provide specialist expertise, method and instrument development, as well as technical and scientific support that enable and strengthen research at the University.
These roles are not part of the academic position structure and are not subject to external expert review in connection with recruitment.
The research support positions include:
- Technician
- Research Engineer
- Senior Research Engineer
- Research Specialist
- Senior Research Specialist
Tenure Track
At Chalmers, the position of Assistant Professor is part of the tenure track system. It offers outstanding early career researchers the opportunity to develop into independent researchers and academic leaders.
The position is a five-year career development appointment that includes start-up funding, usually with resources for at least one doctoral student. This provides strong conditions for establishing an independent research profile.
During the employment period, both research and teaching competences are developed.
After five years, an evaluation is carried out with the possibility of promotion to a permanent position as Associate Professor.
The tenure track system also includes the position Assistant Teaching Fellow. The purpose is to enable the employee to develop as an independent teacher and acquire the pedagogical qualifications required for eligibility as a Teaching Fellow.
Once the requirements have been fulfilled, the employee may be assessed for permanent employment, normally no earlier than after 18 months.
The Title of Docent
Docent is an academic title that confirms a higher level of scholarly and teaching competence than a doctoral degree and functions as a quality marker at Chalmers.
A Docent is expected to be able to act as principal supervisor for doctoral students, lead internationally competitive research, serve as opponent or member of grading committees and contribute to teaching at second-cycle and third-cycle level.
The title of Docent does not constitute employment but is a qualification that provides eligibility in contexts where Docent competence is required.
Eligibility requirements and procedures are regulated in the Procedures for the title of Docent.
From April 2026, matters concerning the title are handled by the Chalmers Docent Committee.
Instructions for compiling an application for a research and teaching position
The following instructions apply to the majority of the positions that are processed by the Faculty appointment committee and that are regulated by the Rules of Procedure - Chalmers University of Technology’s Appointment Regulations for Teaching and Research faculty. In addition to your CV, you need to ensure that you properly document your pedagogical experience and your higher education pedagogical training.