UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus comprehensive university at the international forefront.

Our vision is to be a driving force for developing the High North. The Northern Sami notion eallju, which means eagerness to work, sets the tone for this motive power at UiT. Along with students, staff and the wider community, we aim to utilise our location in Northern Norway and Sápmi, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio and interdisciplinary advantage to shape the future.

Our social mission is to provide research-based education of high quality, perform artistic development and carry out research of the highest international quality standards in the entire range from basic to applied.

We will convey knowledge about disciplines and contribute to innovation. Our social mission unites UiT across various studies, research fields and large geographical distances. This demands good cooperation with trade and industry and civil society as well as with international partners. We will strengthen knowledge-based and sustainable development at a regional, national and international level.

Academic freedom and scientific and ethical principles form the basis for all UiT’s activities. Participation, co-determination, transparency and good processes will provide the decision-making basis we need to make wise and far-sighted priorities. Our students and staff will have the opportunity to develop their abilities and potential. Founded on academic integrity, we will be courageous, committed and generous in close contact with disciplines, people and contemporary developments.

We will demonstrate adaptability and seek good and purposeful utilisation of resources, so we are ready to meet the expectations and opportunities of the future. We will strengthen the quality and impact of our disciplines and core tasks through the following three strategic priority areas.

Faculty of Science and Technology

The position

A open permanent position as Associate Professor in Earth Observation is available at the Department of Physics and Technology. 

The position is affiliated with the Earth Observation group, which conducts research in the field of satellite remote sensing, with particular emphasis on High North environmental monitoring. The EO group is the host for several ongoing research projects funded by the Norwegian Research Council, European Research Council, and European Space Agency, focusing on the detection of polar ocean and sea ice properties from space. The group specializes in signal processing and the development of processing algorithms for obtaining geophysical parameters from synthetic aperture radar, altimetry, and multi-sensor EO data. Strong collaborations with the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET), Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), NORCE, and other institutions in Tromsø provide opportunities for field-based data collection and research-based innovation.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position in Tromsø within a reasonable time, within 6 months after receiving the offer.

The position’s field of research or work

We seek a person with strong analytical skills and research experience with interests in both theoretical and applicative aspects of remote sensing. The hired person should complement ongoing research activities in the EO group, such as the Arctic and climate focus. They can also expand the group’s research in new directions of high scientific and societal relevance.

The position will have teaching and supervision obligations corresponding to 50 % of the workload. The successful applicant will be involved in teaching of courses in basic physics, Earth observation and related topics such as signal and image processing and pattern recognition to students from undergraduate to postgraduate levels, and supervision of master and doctoral students. Commitment to internationally high standards for teaching quality, recruitment and public outreach activities is expected. 

The candidate is expected to contribute to secure additional funding through national or international grants and ensure additional long-term financing for the group’s activities.

As an associate professor, we expect the candidate to aim at developing further to a full professor

Contact

Further information about the position and UiT is available by contacting 

• Group leader, Associate Professor Malin Johansson, email: malin.johansson@uit.no 
• Head of Department of Physics and Technology, Professor Olav Gaute Hellesø, email: olav.gaute.helleso@uit.no 

Qualifications and evaluation

You must hold a PhD in remote sensing for Earth observation or in a relevant field like mathematics, statistics, computer science, physics, or electrical engineering. This can be a Norwegian PhD, or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognised as equivalent. You must document experience in executing independent original research in a thematic area aligned to the EO Group. Familiarity and expertise with advanced data analytics methodology, e.g., signal processing, low-level EO data processing algorithms, radiative transfer modelling, and/or integration of remote sensing data and numerical modelling, are considered assets. 

At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). The publishing record will be assessed with respect to the career stage of the candidate, and we will emphasize the potential of the candidates more than the seniority. Teaching and supervision experience and your teaching philosophy and strategy will also be part of the evaluation. You should document your ability to obtain external funding from relevant sources and be able to initiate and lead research at a high international level. We will also assess outreach, network, commercialization of EO data/products. 

We will emphasize the applicant’s motivation for the position and personal suitability, including collaboration skills and approach to make a good work environment. UiT wishes to increase the proportion of female researchers in academic positions. In cases where two or more applicants are found to be approximately equally qualified, female applicants will be given priority. As an associate professor, we expect the candidate to aim at developing further to a full professor. 

You must be fluent in oral and written English and ideally should have a good command of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language to level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Applicants who are not fluent in a Scandinavian language must be willing to learn Norwegian within 3 years and pass the language exam level B2 (“Bergenstesten” or equivalent). UiT offers relevant Norwegian language courses for new employees.

Pedagogical basic competence

All applicants for teaching and research positions shall document their pedagogical competence.

You must have acquired basic competence for teaching and supervision at higher education level. This includes basic skills in planning, conducting, evaluating and developing teaching and guidance.

Documentation requirement 

a) Applicants who have completed education or courses designed to provide teaching competence for teaching at universities and colleges, equivalent to a minimum of 200 hours, must attach diploma and curriculum for the completed course. 

b) Other applicants shall describe, assess and document their competence as a teacher and supervisor. The skills must be documented in the form of a teaching portfolio. 

If the pedagogical competence can be acquired within two years of appointment, applicants shall not be ranked based on pedagogical competence.

Those who do not satisfy the requirements may be appointed on a permanent basis on the condition that they satisfy the requirements within two years of appointment. 

For information about basic pedagogical competence and teaching portfolio, see here (Only in Norwegian) 

We offer

• Lead supervision of one new doctoral position at startup, with opportunities for further primary and co-supervision down the line 
• The possibility to work in a vibrant group at the forefront of research
• Opportunity of R&D sabbatical leave 
• Good welfare arrangements for employees
• Good arrangements for pension, insurance and loans in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• If you have to relocate to Tromsø then the Faculty of Science and Technology may reimburse your moving costs. Further details regarding this matter will be made available if you receive an offer from us.

Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.

Work- and salary conditions 

The successful candidate must be willing to get involved in the ongoing development of their department and the university as a whole.

The allocation of working hours is flexible and allocated on a case-by-case basis. In general, Associate Professors will spend an equal amount of time on teaching and research and development work after time spent on other duties has been deducted. As a norm, the time resources spent on administrative duties constitutes 5 % for academic staff. 

The remuneration for Associate Professor is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1011. 

As a state employee, you have one of the best pension schemes availiable. For more information see: spk.no.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University in Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment.

We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application.

If there are qualified applicants, we invite least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it.

Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

Application

The application must include: 

• Cover letter including a short description of interests and reasons for applying for the position
• CV containing a complete overview of experience, professional work and references
• Diplomas, diploma supplements and transcripts (all degrees, in original language and translated) 
• Description of your research stating which works you consider most important and a brief description of the other listed works
• Academic works, up to ten. The doctoral thesis is regarded as one work
• Brief research plan and vision statement (1 page) for the next 3-5 years, also identifying internal and external collaboration partners
• Documentation of external research funding raised during the career, of any size and scope. This documentation should be clear about your roles in the projects
• Documented pedagogical competence 
• Three references with contact details 

Documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language. The application and submitted documents must be sent electronically via www.jobbnorge.no 

Assessment

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications on the basis of the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position.

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview shall among other things, aim to clarify the applicants personal suitability for the position and motivations. A trial lecture may also be held.

General information

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment.

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

More information about moving to Norway and working at UiT: http://uit.no/mobility

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

In case of discrepancies between the Norwegian and the English version of this description, the Norwegian version takes precedence. 

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