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 about 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, including several molecular biology 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, 6 years, according to chapter 4, section 12a 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 molecular microbiology and education at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The employment includes teaching equivalent to 10-30% of a full-time, calculated over the entire term of employment. 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 successful candidate is expected to play a key role in building up active research within the specified field and neighbouring research areas. This also involves applying for external funding and developing cooperation with other university units and other governmental organisations, involved in this type of research.

The successful candidate is expected to be involved in teaching as well as course developments within the specified field and neighbouring research areas at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The teaching comprises courses on all levels within the field, as well as supervision of Bachelor, Master and PhD 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 the equivalent expertise earlier may be eligible if there are special grounds (see chapter 4, section 4a of the Higher Education Ordinance)

For this position the qualified applicants must have a doctorate within the field of biology or a related area.

For academic staff at Lund University the general qualification requirements are to be suited to and having the general ability required to complete the duties of the post well.

Basis of Assessment
A good ability to develop and carry out high-quality research activities, and teaching skill. The main selection criteria for the position are scientific and pedagogic skills, with an emphasis on scientific skills. We are looking for applicants with a strong research background in molecular microbiology.

Qualified applicants should demonstrate:

  • Strong research qualifications with regard to quality and quantity of scientific publications.
  • High potential for obtaining research grants in competition from national and international research funding sources.
  • Good ability to collaborate with colleagues in their own and adjacent research disciplines.
  • Documented education at the academic level in microbiology as well as documented scientific skill and experience in molecular microbiology is a requirement. The research focus should be fundamental science with a focus on molecular biological mechanisms, and may refer to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms.

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 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 and indicating how the applicant's research enhances the ongoing research of the department and also indicate the research environments with whom the applicant could potentially form 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 is a strong merit.

The evaluation of applicants will also take into account how applicants can benefit from available research infrastructure and existing scientific environment at the department.

Documented experience of teaching and pedagogical skills in implementation and development of courses and curricula are merits. Experience in supervision of undergraduate and graduate students are merits.

Academic leadership and experience in communicating the importance of science and research for society is a merit.

Very good skills in English, both written and spoken, is a requirement for the position. It is expected that a non-Swedish-speaking candidate will acquire sufficient knowledge in about three years to teach and communicate in Swedish. 

When making the appointment, consideration will be given to the Lund University 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
We would recommend you to write your application in English, since it will be assessed by international experts. The application should be formulated according to the Faculty of Science’s 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 PA2019/2124
Contact
  • Professor Mats Hansson, +4646 222 49 80, mats.hansson@biol.lu.se
  • Head of Department 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 11.Sep.2019
Last application date 06.Nov.2019 11:59 PM CET

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