Assistant Professor in Statistics with a focus on Data Science

The Department of Statistics employs about 15 researchers, teachers, doctoral students, and other staff. We conduct research in several areas: analysis of high-dimensional data, Bayesian methods, spatial-temporal models, non-Gaussian modeling, applied research in social science, as well as stochastic models and computational statistics.

We are looking for an up-and-coming researcher who wants to conduct pioneering research to take up a position as Assistant professor in statistics with a focus on data science.

What we offer the successful candidate

Do you want to become a research leader of tomorrow through pioneering projects and research ideas? If so, you now have the opportunity to start as an assistant professor (associate senior lecturer) as part of Lund University Programme for Global Excellence. We are looking for a promising, academically young, researcher who can build and lead research within high-dimensional statistical methods for data-rich inference.

As an Assistant Professor you will develop your qualifications over a period of four years after which you may be promoted to a tenured position as a senior lecturer, with opportunities for further career advancement.
You will receive five weeks of training in teaching and learning in higher education and get the opportunity to learn Swedish through the University’s Swedish language courses for new international staff.  As you prepare to move to Sweden, we offer you support through our relocation service, and if you’re bringing your family, they’ll receive support and make new connections through Lund’s International Citizen Hub who provides a gateway to Swedish society and your new community.

At the turn of the year 2026/2027, Sweden's largest scientific funder, the Swedish Research Council, will announce attractive funding for Assistant Professors with an international background. Our ambition is that appointments within the framework of the Lund University Programme for Global Excellence will be nominated for this funding. Read more about the Swedish Research Council here.

Ready to shape the future of research? Learn more about why Lund University might be the right choice for you here and learn more about working in Sweden here . These films will also give you more information about Working at Lund University School of Economics and Management, Moving to Lund and Living in Lund.

Read more about the University joint announcement: https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/lund-university-programme-global-excellence

Read more about research at the Department of Statistics.

Duties – what we expect from you

We want you to thrive at Lund University and be able to make the best of your time at the Lund University School of Economics and Management and the Department of Statistics. As an assistant professor, you will have the chance to engage whole-heartedly in the research you are passionate about. As the holder of this position, the majority of your time will be allocated for your own research in collaboration with strong research environments, research infrastructures and international platforms.

In addition to conducting research, during your time as Assistant Professor you will also develop your teaching expertise, outreach and collaboration skills, along with Swedish language proficiency. Throughout your employment, you are an active member of your department and participant in its diverse work.

We hope that one of your first duties will be to conduct an innovative research project that is funded by the Swedish Research Council.

At the Department of Statistics, you will mainly work on research (60%) and teaching (40%). You will produce scientific papers, actively participate in scientific conferences, write grant applications, build a research network, organise workshops and supervise PhD students. The department has developed several courses within data science, e.g., Bayesian methods, Advanced Machine Learning, Deep Learning and AI methods. You are expected to teach these types of courses and to develop new courses in this field. Teaching can be at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. Supervision of undergraduate and master essays is also expected.

You will work closely with the Department of Statistics’ research groups with access to a network of faculty, researchers, and shared computational resources.

Qualifications for employment as an assistant professor

You hold a doctoral degree or have corresponding research expertise in statistics, mathematical statistics, biostatistics, or data science. We will primarily prioritise those applicants who have obtained a doctoral degree within the last five years from the closing date for applications for the position. If you have official documentation proving that there are special circumstances— such as parental leave, military service or illness, after graduating - that have prevented you from working as a researcher, the doctoral degree in the subject can in such cases have been awarded earlier. In this case, you must include this documentation with your application.

Requirements – what you must have

To be able to be appointed as an Assistant Professor within the framework of Lund University Programme for Global Excellence, the applicant must have:

• A good ability to initiate, develop and implement high-quality research
• Good teaching ability
• Recent and relevant experience from research in statistics, mathematical statistics, biostatistics, or data science outside Sweden
• A project plan for an innovative project within research in high-dimensional statistical methodology, that you submit with your application. The project plan should focus on your planned research for the coming years and should be no longer than four pages, excluding references.
• Documented good leadership skills, e.g. through elected office assignments, leadership courses and assessed leadership skills
• Good communication skills
• Very good oral and written English language skills
• A motivation and the ability to learn Swedish,
• not received any renumeration or grant from Swedish employers or funding bodies from 31 December 2022 onwards

Additional qualifications – other credentials that we consider desirable  

We want you to thrive at Lund University and be able to make the best of your time at the Department of Statistics, for that reason we would like you to demonstrate that you can:

• Contribute in a positive way to the work environment
• Currently hold an international position in the research field
• Have experience of applying and obtaining research funding from funding bodies outside Sweden

Form of employment

Fixed-term position, four years, in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12a of the Higher Education Ordinance, with the opportunity for promotion to permanent employment as a senior lecturer.

Promotion – what is required to be promoted to senior lecturer 

When you are an assistant professor, you can apply for promotion to permanent employment as a senior lecturer. You will undergo a special assessment to determine if you fulfil the faculty’s requirements for employment as a senior lecturer. It is important for you to know that you can only apply once for promotion and that you must apply for promotion at least six months before your employment as an assistant professor ends.

When you apply for promotion, you will be assessed based on whether you have: 

• developed within your field during your time as an assistant professor
• good national and international standing as a researcher
  • A high level of scholarly competence relevant to the subject and terms of employment of the position. This includes four publications accepted during the employment period in journals on the so-called Norwegian List
  • Active participation in the research environment of the department and faculty, for example by participating in and organising seminars. In addition, emphasis is placed on engagement in the broader international research community, such as participation in international conferences and workshops, serving as a referee or expert, and other forms of scientific collaboration.
  • Submitted applications for at least two externally funded research projects.
• good teaching ability, which means a good ability to conduct, develop and lead teaching and other educational activities at different levels and using a variety of teaching methods
  • An ability to reflect on your own pedagogical development.
  • Actively contributed to the development of the department's courses.
  • At least 1700 hours of teaching (including preparatory time and supervision) on different courses and levels.
  • Completed at least five weeks training in teaching within higher education.
• ability to participate in supervision of doctoral students to achieve a doctoral degree
  • Co-supervised one or more doctoral students
  • Completed a course on doctoral supervision
• ability to engage with wider society and communicate your activities
  • Documented initiative(s) for collaboration outside academia, liberal adult education activities, or dissemination of research results beyond academia.
• ability in other contexts to lead and develop activities
  • Documented experience of taking a leading role in initiatives such as the organisation of conferences, workshops, or seminar series, or of various administrative duties (e.g., serving on committees or boards), and shown an active interest in common departmental tasks.

General requirements profile for a senior lecturer at Lund University School of Economics and Management are presented here:

https://www.lusem.lu.se/about-lund-university-school-economics-and-management-lusem/work-lund-university-school-economics-and-management/apply-academic-position-lusem

Application procedure

Please send in your application by clicking on the ”Apply for position” button in the upper right-hand column of the vacancy notice.

The application should be written in English.

LUSEM uses academic qualifications portfolio to document and present qualifications. Please submit your application in three separate PDF-files according to the template and instructions.

You find the template and the instructions here: 

• Intstructions to applicants: https://www.lusem.lu.se/sites/lusem.lu.se/files/2024-02/instructions-to-applicants-for-emlpoyment-as-professor-and-senior-lecturer-at-LUSEM.pdf
• Template academic qualifications portfolio (Word). If this link doesn't work, please try another browser. https://lusem.prodwebb8.lu.se/sites/lusem.lu.se/files/2024-02/template-a-g-qualification-portfolio-lusem.docx

Please let us know if you have any questions on how to write the application.

Also note that we have another similar job opportunity avaliable at the department:

https://lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:921796/