Assistant Professor in Quantum Technology

Lund University, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Engineering, are looking for an up-and-coming researcher who wants to conduct pioneering research to take up a position as Assistant professor in quantum technology

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 have the opportunity to start as an assistant professor (associate senior lecturer) as part of Lund University Programme for Global Excellence. We are now looking for a promising, academically young researcher who can build and lead research in quantum technology. Quantum technology is a rapidly growing field of research that exploits controlled quantum states of microscopic systems—for example, electrons, atoms, ions or photons—to achieve radical improvements in terms of capacity, sensitivity and speed in various technical applications in, for example, information processing, communication systems or medical imaging. Internationally, quantum technology is divided into three pillars - quantum computation and simulations, quantum communication and networks, and quantum sensors and measurements.

At Lund University, quantum technology research is conducted within all three pillars, but the main part of the research is in quantum sensors and measurements. Activities include ultrafast quantum physics, quantum technology with rare earth atoms, quantum states in nanosystems, quantum information theory, quantum spectroscopy, quantum algorithms for optimization, ultracold atomic gases, quantum materials for quantum technology, cryoelectronics for quantum computers and time-dependent quantum processes. The research is conducted at both the Faculty of Science and LTH, mainly at the Department of Physics but also at the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Department of Electrical and Information Technology. Lund NanoLab and Lund Laser Center are central infrastructures for quantum technology research. Further information can be obtained via the Quantum in Lund website.

Lund University is working actively and strategically to strengthen its research profile in quantum technology, including through participation in several major national initiatives and calls for proposals. This is expected to provide significant resources for quantum technology research at Lund University in the coming years.

As an Assistant Professor you will develop your qualifications over a period of 6 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 all 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 more about working in Sweden here.  These films will also give you more information about Working in Lund, Moving to Lund and Living in Lund.

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

Duties – what we expect from you
We want you to thrive  and  make the most of your time at Lund University. As an assistant professor, you will therefore have the opportunity to engage whole- heartedly in the research you are passionate about. As the holder of this position, most 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 an 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.

The duties mainly include research and in addition teaching equivalent to 10-30% of a full-time position, calculated over the entire employment period. The content of the duties, as well as the distribution between research and teaching, may change over the employment period. Assignments within the department/faculty's councils and committees may also be included.

At Lund University, you will primarily work with research and lead a research group in quantum technology. You are expected to be able to build up active research within the subject area and related subject areas, which also means actively seeking external funding for research activities. This includes developing collaboration within quantum technology at the department but also at other faculties or universities. The teaching includes basic and advanced courses.

Qualifications for employment as an assistant professor

You hold a doctoral degree or have corresponding research expertise in quantum technology. We will primarily prioritise those applicants who have been obtained a doctoral degree within the last 7 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
• Recent and relevant experience from research in quantum technology outside Sweden
• Have a completed research plan that clearly describes the research that will be conducted during the employment in the subject. The plan should also describe how the applicant's research can complement and strengthen research in quantum technology at Lund University and describe relevant and realistic potential collaborations with existing research groups at the university. It should also clarify how an independent research profile will be achieved and should be able to form the basis for obtaining external funding. The research plan will carry weight in the assessment of the application.
• Has relevant postdoctoral experience in a research environment other than the university where you defended your thesis.
• Has the ability to develop into a good academic leader.
• Has scientific skills demonstrated through scientific publication in quantum technology.
• Has good pedagogical skills that include the ability to implement and plan teaching.
• Has the ability to supervise students.
• Good communication skills.
• Very good oral and written English language skills
• A motivation and the ability to learn Swedish.

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 Lund University,  for that reason we would like you to demonstrate that:

• You have documented good leadership skills, for example through positions of trust, leadership training and assessed leadership ability (Must be fulfilled to be eligible for nomination for the Swedish Research Council grant).
• You have not received a salary or scholarship from Sweden since 31 December 2022 (Must be fulfilled to be eligible for nomination for the Swedish Research Council grant).
• You have experience in leading and organizing research projects.
• You have experience in planning, developing and implementing teaching.
• You have experience in collaborating with wider society.
• You contribute in a positive way to the work environment.
• You have experience of applying and obtaining research funding from funding bodies outside Sweden
• You currently hold an international position in the research field
• You have very good cooperation skills, initiative, communication skills and independence

Form of employment
Fixed-term position, 6 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.

Application format and content
Your application must be written in English, as it may be reviewed by international experts. The application must be submitted in accordance with the Faculty of Science's instructions for applicants for teaching positions as assistant lecturers. Upload the application as a PDF file in the recruitment system no later than 2026-06-10.

In order for the application to be considered, the following requirements must be met:

1. The applicant must have a doctoral degree or equivalent competence in quantum technology. A certificate must be attached.
2. The doctoral degree or equivalent competence should have been achieved no more than 7 years, excluding deductible time, before the application deadline (2026-06-10). The application must state whether the applicant has been on leave due to illness, parental leave or other similar circumstances. A certificate must be attached.
3. The applicant must have a postdoctoral stay at a different university than the one at which the applicant has defended his/her thesis.
4. The application must be complete including a research plan (see instructions).

Interview dates for the position are scheduled for October 8, 2026.

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.

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, which includes completed five weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning or acquired equivalent knowledge by other means.

Requirements for promotion at the Faculty of Science

To be promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer), a B1* level in Swedish must be achieved.
*Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

An Assistant Professor shall, upon application, be promoted to a permanent position as Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) if they meet the qualification requirements for such a position and are also deemed suitable following an assessment based on the criteria established by the Faculty of Science for promotion to Senior Lecturer. The Assistant Professor may apply for promotion only once.

The assessment criteria for promotion to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer shall consist of:

1. A good national and international standing as a researcher

• The applicant conducts research of high quality that garners attention nationally and internationally.
• The applicant conducts research with a clear, independent profile.

2. Good teaching ability

• The applicant has good subject knowledge and can apply this in their teaching practice.
• The applicant has good teaching skills and demonstrates an ability to develop their teaching within the subject area.
• The applicant has a reflective approach to teaching and learning.
• The applicant has at least five weeks of training in teaching and learning in higher education, or equivalent

3. An ability to participate in the supervision of doctoral students

• The applicant has documented experience and the ability to supervise doctoral students.
• The applicant has a reflective approach to the supervision of doctoral students.
• The applicant has undergone at least two weeks of training in supervision, or equivalent.

4. An ability to cooperate with wider society and communicate their activities

• The applicant has documented experience and the ability to cooperate with wider society and communicate their activities.

5. A general ability to lead and develop activities

• The applicant has documented experience of, and ability in, academic leadership.

Requirements for promotion at the Faculty of Engineering
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: Further details on how the assessment is conducted can be found here:

• 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.

Within the Faculty of Science research and education is conducted within Astronomy, Biology, Physics, Geosciences, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medical radiation physics, Physical geography and Environmental Sciences. The Faculty of Science is gathered in the northern campus area in Lund. The Faculty of Science has approximately 1900 students, 330 PhD students and 730 employees.