Assistant Professor in Circular building - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

We are looking for an up and coming researcher who wants to conduct pioneering research in Circular building. In Sweden and Europe there are many opportunities to obtain funding for pioneering research. Lund university will coach you in the art of grantsmanship. Our ambition is for you to be nominated in February 2025 as one of Lund university’s candidates for a Swedish programme of excellence for international researchers, the Wallenberg Academy Fellows (WAF). This programme is funded by one of the largest private funders of scientific research in Europe, the Wallenberg Foundations. If you are granted, Lund University will match the amount that the Wallenberg Foundations awards you.

What we offer the successful candidate
If you want to become a future research leader in basic research, with groundbreaking projects and research ideas, you have the chance to start as an Assistant Professor at Lund University. You will be able to develop your research and teaching qualifications, during six years and can then be promoted to a permanent position as a senior lecturer and eventually to professor.

You will receive five weeks of training in pedadogy in higher education and also have the opportunity to learn Swedish through the university's Swedish course for new international employees. We offer you support in your move to Sweden. If you have family, they will get new contacts and support through Lund's International Citizen Hub (https://internationalcitizenhub.com/).

In Sweden there is an excellence programme for international researchers, the Wallenberg Academy Fellows, funded by the country’s largest private foundation. If you become one of Lund University’s nominees for the prestigious Wallenberg Academy Fellows 2025 (WAF), you will also receive a start package from the University. The size of the start package will be negotiated along with other terms of employment and applies for your five first years as Assistant Professor. Read more about the Wallenberg Academy Fellows programme here: https://kaw.wallenberg.org/en/calls/2025-nomination-wallenberg-academy-fellows-program.

On the research
A circular building industry is an important part of a sustainable society and tackles the building industry's major challenges regarding climate impact, energy use in the production of materials and in operation, use of natural resources and reduced amounts of waste. LTH's profile area Circular Building Sector contributes with knowledge and research within this field. With this position we offer the opportunity to contribute to the circular transition and you will get the opportunity to work in a creative and international environment. In your work, you will meet and collaborate with researchers from several different disciplines. Depending on your background, you will be affiliated with the Department of Building and Environmental Technology or the Department of Construction Sciences – but in your daily work, your task is to work within the entire area of circular buildings within LTH and Lund University.

Subject
Circular building

Subject description
The research will be linked to one of the subjects Structural Engineering, Structural Mechanics, Building Services, Building Physics, Fire Safety Engineering, Engineering Acoustics or Material Sciences, depending on the applicant's background and own research interests. With one of these topics as a base, the research will involve the circular aspects of the construction sector of the future. Examples of circular aspects can be methods for upgrading existing structures, demountable building systems, quality assurance methods for reused materials and components. Linkage to standards, legislation and regulations will also be included. The research will include laboratory work, the extent of which depends on the specific subject.

Work duties
As an Assistant Professor, you will have the opportunity to focus on the challenging research questions that you want to focus on. To qualify as a senior lecturer, you also need to develop your teaching skills during your time as an Assistant Professor and show that you are good at collaborating with the surrounding community. Of course, you will also participate in the daily work and development of the department.

At LTH, you will mainly work with:

• Research within the subject area.
• Teaching in the first, second and third cycles of studies.
• Supervision of degree projects and doctoral students.
• Actively seeking external research funding.
• Collaboration with industry and wider society.
• Administration related to the work duties listed above.

Qualification requirements for employment as Assistant Professor
You must have completed a doctoral degree or have equivalent scientific competence within buildings sciences. Priority will be given to applicants who have completed their doctoral degree after February 15, 2019.  If there are documented special reasons, such as parental leave, military service or illness after graduation that prevented you from working as a researcher, a degree in the subject may have been awarded earlier.

Assessment criteria
For appointment to Assistant Professor, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and carry out high quality research.
• Teaching ability.

Requirements - what you must have in order to carry out your tasks

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.
• Current experience from research within buildings sciences and construction outside Sweden, including also some aspect(s) of circularity.
• A project description of an innovative project involving basic research within the subject of Circular Building. The project description should be part of a research plan that describes the research that is intended to be conducted during the employment, and how the applicant's scientific subject background can contribute to the development of the subject Circular building sector. The quality of the research plan will form a significant part of the assessment of the application. The research plan must also describe the type of research infrastructure at Lund University and/or at facilities with an open application procedure that is deemed to be critical for the implementation of the plan.
• Documented good leadership qualities, for example through positions of trust, leadership training and assessed leadership skills.
• Good communication skills.
• Has or has had a postdoctoral position.
• Documented experience in teaching at least at first cycle of studies.
• Collaborative skills, initiative and the ability to solve work tasks independently.

Other qualifications - what we also would like you to have

• You have several years of international employment in the research field, without a salary or scholarship from Sweden in the meantime.
• You make a positive contribution to the working environment.
• You have documented experience of cross-disciplinary collaborations.
• You have documented experience of experimental methods relevant to the subject base.
• You have documented experience of experimental work.

The extent to which the applicant, through their experience and skills, may complement and strengthen ongoing research, undergraduate education, departmental innovation, and how they can contribute to the future development of the LTH Profile area Circular Building Sector will also be taken into consideration.

Terms of employment
This is a full-time, fixed-term employment of 6 years. The employment is regulated in accordance with Chapter 4 Section 12a§ HEA. The purpose of the appointment is for the teacher to be given the opportunity to develop research autonomy and acquire the scholarly and teaching qualifications required for eligibility for appointment as a senior lecturer.

We offer 
Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme.  Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/work-lund-university.

Instructions on how to apply
Applications shall be written in English. Please draw up the application in accordance with LTH’s Academic qualifications portfolio – see link below. Upload the application as PDF-files in the recruitment system. Read more: http://www.lth.se/english/working-at-lth/to-apply-for-academic-positions-at-lth/

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Promotion - what is required for you to be promoted to Senior Lecturer in Circular building
When you are an Assistant Professor, you may apply for promotion to a permanent position as a Senior Lecturer. You will undergo a special assessment to determine whether you fulfil the requirements set by the faculty for employment as a Senior Lecturer. It is important that you know that you can only apply for promotion once, and that you must apply for promotion at least six months before the end of your employment as an Assistant Professor.

Qualification requirements
Appointment to Senior Lecturer requires that the applicant has:

• A PhD or corresponding research competence or professional expertise considered important with regard to the subject matter of the post and the work duties it will involve.
• Demonstrated teaching expertise.
• Completed five weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning, or acquired equivalent knowledge by other means.

Assessment criteria
The assessment criteria specify the aspects to be considered, and the level to be achieved, for the assessment criteria to be deemed fulfilled. The following assessment criteria must be fulfilled for appointment to Senior Lecturer: 

• A good national and international standing as a researcher. The requirement for international experience shall be assessed with consideration to the character and traditions of the subject.
• Good teaching ability, including a good ability to conduct, develop and lead teaching and other educational activities on different levels and using a variety of teaching methods.
• An ability to supervise doctoral students to achieve a PhD.
• An ability to collaborate with wider society and communicate his or her activities.
• A general ability to lead and develop activities.

Additional requirements

• Good ability to collaborate, independence and drive.
• Sufficient knowledge of Swedish to carry out administrative and educational tasks that require an understanding of Swedish.
• Progression in research and teaching expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to attract external research funding in competition.