Associate Professor in Development – Kristiansand, Norway

A permanent 100 % position is available at the University of Agder, Faculty of Social Sciences, as Associate Professor in Development studies, at the Department of Global Development and Planning. The position is located at Campus Kristiansand. The starting date is preferably during autumn 2023 but is negotiable with the Faculty.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has four departments, Department of Global Development and Urban Planning, Department of Information Systems, Department of Political Science and Department of Sociology and Social Work. For more information on the faculty, look here.

The Department of Global Development and Planning at UiA is Norway´s oldest research community within development studies. In addition to development studies the staff and subject portfolios also encompasses social geography, planning and communication. The department´s academic staff is made up of researchers with teaching and research experience in poverty issues, globalisation and political economy, state and welfare politics in the South, rural/urban migration, natural disasters and crisis management, climate and environmental issues, social movements, gender, integration and mobility, city and regional planning, local development and participation processes. The multidisciplinary environment allows for creative thinking, methodologically as well as theoretically. Today we have 15 permanent positions, 10 PhD positions and 1 post doc position.

Responsibilities

The department is seeking to expand its teaching and research staff with a permanent position in the field of theory of science, development ethics and innovative methodologies. The department has an active research environment and offers two Bachelor programmes; one in Global Development Studies, the other in Planning and Communication. It also offers two Master’s programs, one in Global Development, Crisis and Change, the other in Planning, Process and Place. The position is at the intersection of the programmes.

We are looking for applicants with solid competence in the fields of philosophy of science and development ethics, and with the ability to connect these fields to subject matter such as globalisation, decoloniality, solidarity, social inequality, civil society and gender. A firm footing within feminist epistemologies is desirable. We are also seeking someone who can contribute to methodological renewal and work across disciplines to meet societal challenges. In that regard we are looking for someone with an interest and experience in exploring how to combine social science with modeling and simulation, both in research and teaching. We are particularly concerned with the epistemological issues surfacing within such collaborative efforts and seek someone with an interest in the above. Furthermore, we are specifically looking for you who are committed to ensuring a good connection between teaching and research, who can think innovatively about teaching and institutional collaboration and who can take on academic coordination tasks, such as being a study program coordinator. Hence, we are encouraging early career scholars to apply.

Required qualifications

The criteria of employment are pursuant to the Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts.

Criteria for educational competence for appointment as Professor/Associate Professor at UiA.

The following qualifications are required:

• PhD degree from a Norwegian or accredited foreign university within the field of development studies, but adjoining fields may also be of interest.
• Fluency in English, both written and oral.

The applicant must have submitted the PhD for assessment within the application deadline and must have been approved before starting a potential position.

Desired qualifications

• To be able to contribute to the long-term development of the Department’s inter-disciplinary research.
• International publishing and experience from international cooperation will be emphasized.
• Documented experience from teaching is emphasized, as well as experience with working in cross -disciplinary teams.
• Experience from development of new academic courses is a prerequisite.
• Some experience with coordination of study programmes is preferable.

The working language at the University of Agder is Norwegian. Since the position involves teaching at the department’s bachelor- and master programmes it is strongly desired that the applicant masters the Norwegian language or another Scandinavian language both oral and written.

The University of Agder will facilitate the completion of courses in Norwegian. Permanently employed staff is expected to be proficient in Norwegian within three years.

Personal qualities

We are looking for you who:

• Have a passion for theory and methodology.
• Have a strong focus on teaching and dissemination.
• Value teamwork.
• Want to settle in Southern Norway and help build an exciting professional environment

Personal qualities and suitability for the position will be emphasised. A comprehensive assessment of the applicants’ scientific qualifications forms the basis of appointment. In the ranking of eligible applicants, emphasis will be given to the suitability of each applicant’s field of specialization in relation to meeting the needs of the Department and complementing the academic staff.

We offer

• a variety of responsibilities in a large, exciting and socially influential organisation
• a position with opportunities for development in a diverse environment
• modern facilities and a comprehensive set of welfare offers
• membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

More about working at UiA.

The position is remunerated according to the State Salary Scale, salary plan 17.510, code 1011 Associate professor 710 000 – 740 000 NOK NOK gross salary per year. In the case of particularly highly qualified applicants, a higher salary may be considered. A compulsory pension contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund is deducted from the pay according to current statutory provisions.

General information

UiA is an open and inclusive university. We believe that diversity enriches the workplace and makes us better. We, therefore, encourage qualified candidates to apply for the position independent of gender, age, cultural background, disability or an incomplete CV.

The successful applicant will have rights and obligations in accordance with the current regulations for the position, and organisational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities of the position must be expected. Appointment is made by the University of Agder’s Appointments Committee for Teaching and Research Positions.

Short-listed applicants will be invited for interviews and a demonstration of their teaching competency, usually in the form of a trial lecture. With permission from the applicant the university also will conduct a reference check before appointment. Read more about the employment process.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act § 25 (2), applicants may request that they are not identified in the open list of applicants. The University, however, reserves the right to publish the names of applicants. Applicants will be advised of the University’s intention to exercise this right.

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence.

Application

The application and any necessary information about education and experience (including diplomas and certificates) are to be sent electronically. Use the link “Apply for the position”.

The following documentation must be uploaded electronically:

• CV
• Diplomas and certificates
• List of publications
• Academic articles (no more than 10)

The applicant is fully responsible for submitting complete digital documentation before the closing date. All documentation must be available in a Scandinavian language or English.

Closing date: October 1st, 2023.

Contact

For questions about the position:

• Head of Department  Morgan Storm Scoville-Simonds, e-mail morganss@uia.no

For questions about the application process:

• Senior Advisor HR Anna Færavaag anna.c.faravaag@uia.no

University of Agder

The University of Agder has more than 1500 employees and almost 14 000 students. This makes us one of the largest workplaces in Southern Norway. Our staff research, teach and disseminate knowledge from a variety of academic fields. Co-creation of knowledge is our common vision. We offer a broad range of study programmes in many fields. We are situated at two modern campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad respectively.

We are an open and inclusive university marked by a culture of cooperation. The aim of the university is to further develop education and research at a high international level.