Up to five tenure-track positions as Assistant professor – Umeå, Sweden

Faculty of Science and Technology

Welcome to apply to become one of our new Assistant Professors! With this faculty joint venture, with a six-year appointment we want to give junior researchers the opportunity to develop a long-term research activity and to qualify for promotion to an Associate Professorship. Welcome with your application!

Description of the employment

The persons we seek will conduct research and contribute to the continued development of the research environment in their respective field. Included in the work tasks are developing pedagogical merits that include teaching in undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as supervision of PhD students and postdocs. The person employed is expected to actively seek external funding for his or her research activities.

Employment is limited to 6 years, which consists of 75% own research and 25% teaching. The position is a “tenure-track”, which makes it possible to develop and establish a long-term research. An Assistant Professor has the right, upon request, to be considered for promotion to Associate Professor.

Qualification Requirements

According to Chapter 4, Section 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance: A person qualified for appointment as an Assistant professor is a person who has been awarded a PhD or has the corresponding research expertise. Primary consideration should be given to a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise within five years prior to the deadline for application for employment as an Assistant professor. However, a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise at an earlier date may also be considered if there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are sick leave, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

The PhD or corresponding research expertise must be in a field of relevance for the Faculty.

The position requires a good knowledge of English, both spoken and written.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for appointment as an Assistant professor shall be the degree of the scientific expertise required as a qualification for employment. Thereafter the degree of pedagogical expertise as well as administrative and other experience of significance with regard to the employment’s research field and the employment tasks that may be included in the position. Furthermore, the capacity to ability to develop and manage activities and staff at the university, the ability to establish cooperation between research and education at all levels, the ability to collaborate with other research groups, and to collaborate with the community in general.

Scientific expertise

Scientific expertise shall be demonstrated through independent scientific productivity. The criteria for assessment are:

• Breadth and depth of research – quality and extent
• Originality in research
• Productivity
• Contributions to the international research community
• Commissions of trust within the research community
• Ability to competitively obtain research funding
• Collaboration with the surrounding community

The scientific expertise shall be in the fields of natural science, technology, design, architecture or educational sciences. The degree of scientific expertise will primarily be assessed from scientific work published in internationally recognized academic journals and proceedings of academic conferences that apply a peer-review system. Particular weight shall be placed on the quality of the publications where the applicant is the first author. The documented ability to competitively obtain research funding, especially from more competitive and highly recognized funding bodies, is a merit. The description of the intended research plan to be conducted within the employment shall be given substantial weight in the selection of candidates. Furthermore, the ability to independently organize, and manage projects will be considered. A demonstrated ability to independently and flexibly to operate, communicate and collaborate inside and outside the academic environment is advantageous. International research experience is very advantageous.

Pedagogical expertise

The criteria for evaluation of pedagogical expertise are:

• ability to plan, implement and evaluate teaching and an ability to supervise and examine students at every level of education
• ability to vary teaching methods and examination forms in relation to anticipated study results and the nature of the subject
• experience of collaboration with the surrounding society in planning and implementation of education
• participation in the development of learning environments, teaching aids and study resources
• a reflective approach to student learning and one’s own role as a teacher

Pedagogical expertise can be attained through education in university pedagogy, other education of relevance for teaching at a university level or documented and proven experience teaching at the university level.

Candidates who do not speak Swedish at the time of appointment are expected to learn Swedish within three years from the start of the appointment.

Other assessment criteria

Administrative and other skills of interest should refer to the ability to develop and manage activities and staff at the university, the ability to establish cooperation between research and education at all levels, within the field of research of the appointment and with other research disciplines.

Assessment criteria and their weight

In the selection of candidates, the degree of research expertise shall be decisive. In addition, the degree of educational expertise as well as administrative and other competences of importance shall be taken into account with regard to the subject content of the employment and the duties to be included in the employment. Moreover, the degree of skill for development and leading activities and personnel at the university as well as the ability to cooperate and interact with the surrounding society and inform about research and development work will be considered.

Application

Please follow the instructions carefully. The application should be written in English and include:

• Personal letter. Please indicate here at which department that you see the position being placed at and motivate your choice.
• Application form (link)
• Certified copies of relevant degree certificates
• Copies of relevant publications
• Copies of relevant pedagogical work

Read more about the faculty here.

Read about the research conducted at our departments here.

Your application should be submitted through Umeå University’s digital recruitment system Varbi on 2020-10-19 at the latest.

Applying for promotion to Associate professor

As assistant professor, upon request, can be promoted to Associate professor if he or she meets the requirements for employment as an Associate professor and upon review is determined to meet the qualifications for such employment according to the evaluation criteria that shall be applied for promotion to Associate professor. This promotion entails a permanent position as Associate professor.

Prior to the employment of an Assistant professor, the criteria for promotion shall be established. The criteria for promotion are established within the employment profile by the dean and are given below under the heading of ‘Promotion criteria’.

The application for promotion shall be submitted six months before the fixed-term appointment ends. If an Assistant professor after evaluation is not promoted, the fixed-term appointment ends.

Established criteria for promotion can be found in the employment profile decided by the dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology on June 16, 2020 (pdf).

Umeå University is dedicated to providing creative environments for learning and work. We offer a wide variety of courses and programmes, world leading research, and excellent innovation and collaboration opportunities. More than 4 100 employees and 34 000 students have already chosen Umeå University. We welcome your application!

Umeå University wants to offer an equal environment where open dialogue between people with different backgrounds and perspectives lay the foundation for learning, creativity and development. We welcome people with different backgrounds and experiences to apply for the current employment.

We kindly decline offers of recruitment and advertising help.

Type of employment Temporary position longer than 6 months
Contract type Full time
First day of employment Upon agreement
Salary Monthly salary
Number of positions 1-5
Working hours 100 %
City Umeå
County Västerbottens län
Country Sweden
Reference number AN 2.2.1-886-20
Contact

• Richard Bindler, professor, richard.bindler@umu.se

Union representative

• SACO, +46 90-786 53 65
• SEKO, +46 90-786 52 96
• ST, +46 90-786 54 31

Published 10.Aug.2020
Last application date 19.Oct.2020 11:59 PM CET