Job description

A position as Associate Professor in Meteorology is available at the University of Oslo (UiO), Department of Geosciences.

The position is organized under the Section of Meteorology and Oceanography (MetOs). Research and teaching activities at MetOs cover a range of topics in meteorology and oceanography. These include large-scale atmospheric and oceanic dynamics, ocean-atmosphere and land-atmosphere interactions, cloud physics and radiative transfer, and atmospheric chemistry with an emphasis on global and regional climate.

A key tool in climate research in the section is the Norwegian Earth System model (NorESM) and the section is contributing actively to its further development. The group is currently involved in several national and international projects involving NorESM, to improve our understanding of diverse Earth system processes. The group collaborates actively with other sections in the department on a range of topics. With special focus on land-atmosphere interactions in cold climates, also cloud processes, and the climatic response to volcanic emissions, tectonic motion, and ocean dynamics.

The section has six faculty positions and four adjunct professors (20%). The section employs a number of post-doctoral fellows, PhD students, and support staff. External project financing comes from the Norwegian and European Research Councils, and the EU Framework Programs.

Job description

We are searching for a highly motivated candidate who can complement the research and teaching at MetOs. We seek a candidate with strong competence in his/her own field in Meteorology who also has a keen interest in taking part in interdisciplinary research. Expertise in land-atmosphere interaction will be regarded as an advantage. The candidate should have expertise in one of the following:

• Atmospheric boundary layer dynamics, such as turbulent mixing processes, air-surface interactions and the boundary layer’s role for climate and weather.
• Large-scale atmospheric dynamics, including tropospheric processes on weather to climatic time scales, and interactions with the surface (ocean, land, ice).

The candidate should strengthen the section’s existing expertise in traditional modelling and use of analytical methods, or complement this expertise through the use of observations, with big data and machine learning techniques. Computing in Science Education (CSE) is a major strategic initiative at our Faculty, and computing is considered an essential tool for all science and engineering students.

The department has undergraduate, graduate, and PhD-programs. The appointee is expected to plan and execute teaching in specialized courses that cover fundamental and/or advanced atmospheric science, as well as assist in other courses when needed. Teaching is carried out in Norwegian and English. The standard teaching load is one full-credit (10ECTS) course per semester. Staff members have administrative duties according to regulations at the department.

Qualification requirements

Applicants must hold a PhD in atmospheric science or a related field.

The position requires an innovative, active and strong profile with excellent documented potential for performing high quality research and teaching. The successful applicant should be on an upward trajectory and is expected to:

• obtain and execute research projects at a high international level. If the candidate has not yet succeeded in securing their own research funding, her/his potential for initiating research and ability to attract external funding will be assessed.
• have the ability to work in a team-oriented research environment involving other research fields.
• have a scientific network.
• have publications in high-level international journals and an internationally-oriented research profile.
• show a commitment to excellent teaching at the undergraduate, masters and PhD levels, and document basic teaching qualifications. The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document basic teaching qualifications will be required to take a pedagogical course offered by the university within a two-year period.
• have sufficient computational skills to be able to include application of relevant software and development of scripts/code for the teaching.
• demonstrate mastery of both English and one of the Scandinavian languages as working languages. If an appointee is not fluent in a Scandinavian language, the appointee will be expected within a two-year period to learn sufficient Norwegian to participate actively in all functions the position may involve.

We offer

• salary NOK 615 900 – 691 400 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Associate professor (position code 1011)
• a professionally stimulating working environment
• attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities
• the opportunity to apply for promotion to full professorship at a later stage

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
• CV (complete list of education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, project acquisition and coordination experience, and other qualifying activities)
• Up to 10 selected scientific publications the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation or A complete list of publications
• A research plan describing the applicant’s scientific ambitions for the position
• A portfolio of experience with developing and renewing study plans and teaching methods, and a statement on teaching philosophy
• A portfolio containing documentation of capability of external fundraising and other qualifications the applicant wants considered
• PhD Diploma
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

As a general rule an interview will be used in the appointment process, and it may be appropriate to require trial lectures. The basis for assessment will be the scholarly production of the applicant, other qualifications, pedagogical or educational, the applicant’s qualifications within leadership and administration as well as the general personal suitability. In ranking the competent applicants, the full range of qualifications will be considered and explicitly assessed. Cf. the Rules for appointments to associate professorships.

Formal regulations

The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document basic teaching qualifications will be required to obtain such qualifications within a two-year period.

The successful candidate must demonstrate mastery of both English and one of the Scandinavian languages as working languages. If an appointee is not fluent in a Scandinavian language, the appointee will be expected within a two-year period to learn sufficient Norwegian to be able to participate actively in all functions the position may involve.

Please see the rules for Appointments to Professorships and Associate Professorships and Rules for the assessment and weighting of pedagogical competence.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.

Contactinformation

• Brit Lisa Skjelkvåle, Head of Geosciences Department, b.l.skjelkvale@geo.uio.no
• Terje Koren Berntsen, MetOs Section leader, t.k.berntsen@geo.uio.no

For technical questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Torunn Standal Guttormsen, phone +47 22854272, email:t.s.guttormsen@mn.uio.no

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