Ledig stilling ved Nord universitet
Professor / Associate Professor in Algal Biochemistry
Deadline: 07.01.2020
About the position
The Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (Campus Bodø), Nord University, Norway, invites applications for a permanent position as professor/associate professor.
The faculty is in the process of establishing a new research division ‘Algal and Microbial Biotechnology’, aimed at fostering research andeducation that contributes to the development of ‘blue bioeconomy’ in the region. This move is concurrent with the sustainable utilisation of themarine resources, especially in the context of the climatic changes in the Arctic region. The division to be established in 2020, will conductresearch on macroalgae, microalgae and other microorganisms. The aim is to conduct studies on (i) fundamental sciences, including evolutionary adaptation of the aforementioned organisms, which provide cues for understanding their biological mechanisms that enable them to thrive in harsh and rapidly evolving Arctic environmental conditions; (ii) applied sciences employing biotechnological approaches to tap into the potential of these organisms as nutritional and nutraceutical sources, and the application of the organisms in bioremediation, considering the need for developing sustainable solutions for the environment.
We aim to appoint a full Professor/ Associate Professor in Algal Biochemistry to participate in research and education connected to the activities of the newly established group. This appointee is also expected to contribute to the overall development of the faculty.
The work tasks may change depending on the faculty's research and teaching needs, and the competence of the employee.
Duties and responsibilities
At the professor level, the candidate is expected to have strong credentials in the academic discipline mentioned later in this announcement. As an active researcher, the appointee should be engaged in national/international grant procurement, scientific publication and dissemination, research-based teaching - development of new courses or contributing to existing courses at all three levels of university education, supervision of students, mentoring of young researchers, research leadership roles, and fulfilling societal obligations of knowledge creation and sharing.
At the associate professor level, the candidate is expected to have credentials in the academic discipline indicated later in this announcement. As an early career researcher, the appointee should conduct innovative and out-standing research acceptable at international level, apply for external research grants, maintain a good publication record, and an internationally-anchored scientific network, teach at the three cycles of university education and supervise students.
Furthermore, the position entails the initiation and development of interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with colleagues, and development of the academic community at the university.
Qualification requirements
Applicants must have a Doctoral Degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Natural product Chemistry, and expertise in biochemicals derived from macro- and/or microalgae. The candidate should have proficiency in the chemistry of algal macromolecular content, particularly to explore and exploit microalgae as a source for high-added-value compounds/products. This includes experience in profiling, extraction and analytical method-development, and isolation, characterization and structural elucidation of molecules. Competence in algal metabolomic / lipidomic / glycomic / proteomic analysis is essential. Competence in mass spectrometry and molecular spectroscopy techniques such as FTIR, RAMAN and NMR is a requirement. As the faculty is gradually setting up new laboratories, the candidate should have experience in collaborating with external facilities, besides contributing to the build-up of the analytical capability at the faculty. Desirably, the candidate must have experience working with industry partners because the faculty aims for innovative research linked to the development of the algae industry in Norway. The applicant should have strong teamwork skills.
Professor
- Appointment at the rank of professor will be based on documented research and teaching competence, within the relevant discipline, that meets international standards for such appointments.
- Adequate professional educational competence is a requirement for this position. In addition to the basic skills in planning, implementation, evaluation and development of teaching and supervision that is required for the position of an associate professor (see below), applicants must provide documentary proof of the following: quality development in teaching and supervision, broad supervisory experience and joint professional development of educational quality. New supplementary provisions on professional educational competence came into force on 1 September 2019. For further information please refer to Nord University’s website.
Associate Professor
- For employment as an associate professor (research-oriented førsteamanuensis in the Norwegian system), a Norwegian doctoral degree is required, within the relevant field of study or an equivalent doctoral degree from abroad that is accepted as a Norwegian equivalent, or competence at a similar level documented by academic publication of the same scope and quality.
- For appointment as associate professor (teaching-oriented førstelektor in the Norwegian system) the applicant must document comprehensive research and development work which in quality and scope corresponds to the amount of work towards a doctoral degree.
- Applicants must provide documentary proof to show that they possess basic skills in planning, implementation, evaluation and development of teaching and supervision. New supplementary provisions on professional educational competence came into force on 1 September 2019. For further information please refer to Nord University’s website. Applicants who are unable to provide documentary proof of adequate professional educational competence when employed must acquire such competence over the course of a two-year period. Nord University offers a course on University Pedagogy which covers this requirement.
In addition:
- Good oral and written presentation skills in English and Norwegian (or possibly another Scandinavian language)
- For applicants who do not have one of the Scandinavian languages as their native language, oral and written Norwegian language skills must be acquired within a period up to two years to be able to participate actively in all functions associated with the position.
Qualified applicants will be ranked according to the following criteria:
- Research and development that are relevant to the position.
- Emphasis will be placed on publications within the last five years.
- Experience with international research networks and projects with external funding
- Experience from teaching and academic supervision at bachelor-, master- and doctoral- levels from the university/college sector
- Pedagogical skills
- Educational qualifications from a college, university or equivalent
- Relevant professional practice
- Good skills in communication and collaboration with colleagues and industry partners.
- Individual qualities that can contribute positively to the workplace environment
- Good oral and written presentation skills in English and Norwegian (or possibly another Scandinavian language)
We offer
The position is compensated according to government regulations, LPL 17.510, code 1013 Professor or code 1011 Associate Professor.
Salary by agreement.
- Advantages within the Government Pension Fund for borrowing, insurance and pension.
- Creative and collegial working environment
- A workplace with steady progressive development
- Flexible working hours
- Active university sports team
General information
The person who is appointed must abide by the applicable laws, agreements, and directives. The responsibilities and duties associated with the position may change with future reorganization at Nord University.
The public sector workforce is expected to reflect the diversity of the population in general. Nord University therefore encourages qualified candidates with disabilities, gaps in their CV, immigrant backgrounds or different life experiences to apply for the position. Nord University practices moderate allocation according to gender quotas as per the Basic Agreement for State Employees.
If applicants indicate that they have disabilities or gaps in their CV, their details may be used anonymously for the purposes of governmental annual review.
Contact information
Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting :
- Dean/professor Ketil Eiane, ketil.eiane@nord.no, Telephone: +47 75 51 73 33
- Professor Kiron Viswanath, kiron.viswanath@nord.no, Telephone: +47 75 51 73 99
- Office Manager Irene Stork, irene.stork@nord.no, Telephone: +47 75 51 74 42
Application process
Applicants will be evaluated by an expert committee. Short-listed applicants will be called for an interview and trial lecture. These will be decisive for the appointment.
If there are many applicants, an internal committee may be convened to identify the most relevant candidates in the pool. These candidates will then be evaluated by expert committee. All applicants will be informed of the outcome.
Application
Applications must be submitted online by the closing date of 7th January 2020.
The electronic application must contain:
- Cover letter, including a description of research plans for over a 5-year period, focusing on the area of specialisation mentioned in the announcement text
- Complete CV summarizing education, positions held, teaching and research experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities
- A complete list of scientific production with information about where they have been published, the impact factor and the number of citations. The list should include five publications (pdfs to be submitted) that the applicant believes to be most important, along with a statement indicating their relevance to the announced position.
- Documentation of other activities which the applicant considers relevant to the position and desires to be considered in the assessment.
- Copies of diplomas, transcripts and certificates
- Contact information for 2-3 referees
All documentation to be considered is to be uploaded as attachments to the application.
Complete documentation in electronic form must be submitted by the closing date for the application.
After the application period has expired a list of applicants will be published. Note that, in special cases, information about particular applicants to a position may be made public even though the applicant has requested that their application should be processed confidentially. Applicants requesting an exemption from publication of their details must explain their reasons for doing so in their application. In this case, advance notice will be given in the event of a decision to make any information about the applicant public.
Application deadline: 07.01.2020
Ref.nr. 30087355
fnokode:1234