The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais (HES-SO Valais-Wallis) has over 2,800 students. Through research and innovation, it contributes to economic and social development and the creation of jobs. The School of Social Work helps expand our knowledge of the social work field and passes on that expertise by working closely with private and public sector partners in the canton of Valais and further afield. It offers innovative solutions to today’s complex societal issues and helps predict what challenges tomorrow’s society may face. Why not come and join us?

For our research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, titled ”Social work as police work? Exploring the interfaces between social policy, social workers by reporting practices and policing across European welfare states” (SoWPoW), at the School of Social Work, we invite applications for the following position:

The aim of the project is to explore the growing intersections between social work and policing and how they impact social work practice across three European welfare states: Switzerland, Sweden, and Ireland. The principal objectives of the project are to empirically analyse when and how social work professionals refer cases to the police and other situations where they perform roles related to policing and crime control. Theoretically, the project will assess how the incorporation of policing functions into social work influences professionals’ engagement with structurally marginalised groups and how this reshapes the broader societal role of social work. From a public policy perspective, the project will provide a comprehensive mapping of the continuities and differences in the social welfare-crime control nexus across various European welfare regimes. It will also generate policy recommendations to ensure the preservation of social work values and objectives.

Position description

• Contribute to a research project focusing on either Switzerland or Ireland.
• Plan, conduct, transcribe and analyse qualitative interviews and other forms of qualitative research.
• Write scientific articles.
• Participate in and organise scientific events.
• Carry out administrative tasks related to the project (organising meetings, co-authoring the annual report, taking minutes, etc.).
• Engage in teaching and work with the project team.

Selection criteria

• PhD in social work or equivalent (e.g., sociology, anthropology, political science, or a related field).
• Prior experience with and knowledge of the social work profession, welfare research or socio-legal aspects of public administration. Knowledge of welfare-related issues in either Switzerland or Ireland is considered an asset.
• Expertise in qualitative research methods (e.g., interviewing, observation, document analysis, etc.). Experience with quantitative methods is an advantage.
• Flexibility and resilience under pressure.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively within a team, as well as independently and remotely.
• Autonomy, dynamism, organisational skills and initiative.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and in one of the following languages: German, French or Italian.

For this project we will collaborate with Dr Annika Lindberg from the University of Gothenburg.