Lund University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

The Department of Biology contains all biological research in Lund within neighbouring buildings, providing unique opportunities to create innovative education and research programs in biology. A total of around 300 people, of which about 80 are PhD students, work at the department. The Biological Museum holds one of the largest university collections of animals and plants in the world. The Department has excellent facilities for growing plants, field stations and molecular laboratories.

Research at the department covers many biological disciplines, from molecular biology to ecosystems. We offer several Bachelor and Master programs for both Swedish and international students. Find out more about the department at https://www.biology.lu.se/

Type of employment
Limit of tenure, (tenure-track position) , 6 years, according to chapter 4, section12a of the Higher Education Ordinance, with the opportunity to promotion to senior lecturer.

Job description
Employment as Associate Senior Lecture is a career development position, where the holder is to be given the opportunity to develop his or her independence as a researcher and educator.

The principal duties cover research in the area of plant community ecology and evolutionary biology, with a focus on terrestrial ecosystems, and teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The teaching should be 10-30% of a full-time position, calculated over the entire employment period. The content of the work assignments, as well as the distribution and scope of research and teaching, may change during the term of employment.

The applicant will establish a research program of high international quality within the subject area, as described above, and/or related areas. This also includes applying for external funding and developing collaborations with other university units or organizations.

Applicants are expected to actively contribute to the development and implementation of PhD student courses as well as the supervision of PhD students. The applicant is also expected to contribute to the development and implementation of undergraduate education at all levels, as well as to supervise bachelor and master students. 

Eligibility
A person who holds a PhD or has the corresponding research expertise shall be qualified for appointment as an Associate Senior Lecturer. Priority should be given to candidates who have completed their degree or have obtained corresponding expertise no more than five years before the last date for applications. A person who has obtained a PhD or equivalent expertise earlier may still be eligible if there are special grounds (see Chapter 4 Section 4a HEO). 

For academic staff at Lund University, the general qualification requirements are to be suited to and having the general ability required for completing the duties associated with the position.

This position requires a PhD degree or equivalent  in biology.

Basis of Assessment
The main assessment criteria are scientific and educational skills, of which scientific skill has the greater weight. The candidate is expected to have an excellent ability to develop and implement high quality research as well as good teaching skills. We are therefore seeking a candidate who has a strong research profile in plant ecology and good potential to attract external research funds. 

Qualified candidates should demonstrate:

•  strong research qualifications with regard to the quality and quantity of scientific publications,

•  good potential for obtaining research grants in competition from national and international research funding sources, as well as

•  good ability to collaborate with colleagues in their own and adjacent research disciplines.

Documented research skills within the field of plant ecology and community ecology as defined in the job description above, is required. Documentation of research skills and experience in plant community ecology and the processes that drive community assembly and biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems is a strong merit.

In the assessment of applicants, strong emphasis will be placed on the extent to which the applicant through her or his experience and expertise can be expected to strengthen and develop the scope of research within the department. This should be demonstrated by submitting an independent research plan as part of the application, describing the applicant’s present research as well as a research plan showing how the applicant's research enhances the research profile of the department as well as the specific research environments with which the applicant could anticipate developing collaborations.

The scientific qualifications will be assessed mainly based on the quality of published work and scientific productivity from an international perspective.

Relevant post-doc experience as well as documented capability of obtaining research grants in competition from national and international research funding sources is a strong merit

Documented pedagogical skills including experience in supervision as well as implementation and development of courses and curricula are merits.

Academic leadership and experience in communicating research in plant ecology and its importance for society is a merit.

Excellent knowledge in written and spoken English is a requirement. It is expected that a non-Swedish-speaking candidate will acquire sufficient knowledge in about three years to teach and communicate in Swedish.

The appointment will take into account the Lund University's Appointment Rules.

Promotion
An associate senior lecturer is to be promoted, on application, to employment as a senior lecturer on an indefinite-term contract if he or she has the qualifications required for the post and is assessed to be suitable in accordance with the qualification requirements and assessment criteria established by the Faculty of Science. An associate senior lecturer may only apply for promotion once.

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria for promotion to a permanent position as senior lecturer:

  • Well documented research expertise is important for the discipline. The following criteria will be applied:

           - High national and international standing as a researcher 
           - 
High-quality publications in international research journals.
           - 
Independent research profile.
           - 
Qualifications corresponding to those of a reader.
           - 
Participation in scholarly conferences or workshops.
           - 
Research funding from national or international funding bodies.

  • Well documented teaching expertise. The following criteria will be applied:

           - Good subject knowledge and documented experience of teaching at different levels of higher education.
           - 
Documented ability to develop and renew courses and teaching methods.
           - 
Documented ability to lead and organise education.
           - D
ocumented ability to supervise Master´s and PhD students.
           - 
Five weeks´training in teaching and learning in higher education or the equivalent.

  • An ability to interact with wider society and provide public information on current research and development.

  • An ability to work as a leader in higher education, including leading research projects and participating in decision-making bodies at university, faculty or department level.

An application for promotion to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer is to be submitted to the faculty at the latest 6 months before the appointment as Associate Senior Lecturer ends. The application for promotion is to be judged by the teacher’s appointment board after acquisition of the opinion of at least two experts on the subject.

Design and content of the application 
The application should be formulated according to the Faculty of Sciences instructions for applications for an academic position 

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment As soon as possible
Salary Monthly
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100
City Lund
County Skåne län
Country Sweden
Reference number PA2018/4152
Contact
  • Assoc Prof Ola Olsson, +4646-222 37 74, ola.olsson@biol.lu.se
  • Dep Head of Dept Carin Jarl-Sunesson, +4646-222 01 24, carin.jarl-sunesson@biol.lu.se
  • Recruitment Officer Helen Johansson, +4646-222 36 09, helen.johansson@science.lu.se
Union representative
  • OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli, +4646-222 93 62
  • SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet, +4646-222 93 64
  • SEKO: Seko Civil, +4646-222 93 66
Published 19.Dec.2018
Last application date 15.Feb.2019 11:59 PM CET

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