About the position

The Department of Technology Systems at the University of Oslo invites applications for a permanent associate professorship in autonomous system and control. We are seeking a candidate with clear scientific and technological visions, interest in applying an experimental approach, good educational, administrative and interpersonal skills and abilities to establish and lead research projects.

The Department of Technology Systems (ITS) has been established at the University of Oslo, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences from January 1, 2017, and is located at Kjeller. The vision of ITS is to create a powerful technology environment for research, education and innovation in close interaction with the other research and technology communities at Kjeller, and tightly integrated with complementary activities at the UiO Blindern campus. The research at ITS will have a system focus and is expected to be at a higher TRL level (Technology Readiness Level) than most of the other activities at the faculty.

The department has nine permanent scientific staff, approximately 35 part-time scientists from the research institutes at Kjeller or from industry, and approximately 20 PhD candidates.

At present, the Department of Technology Systems has two sections; Section for Autonomous Systems and Sensor Technologies and Section for Energy Systems. There is significant interdisciplinary overlap between the two sections. The department is host institution for the Center for Space Sensors and Systems (CENSSS), which is a Center for Research based Innovation (SFI).ITS is responsible for a Master´s degree program option in cybernetics and autonomous systems which is part of a Master´s degree program in robotics and intelligent systems at the Department of informatics (IFI), and also collaborates with IFI on IFI´s Master´s degree program in Information security. ITS has a Master´s degree program in renewable energy systems, which started in 2019.

Two of the neighboring research institutes, FFI (Norwegian Defense Research Establishment) and IFE (Institute for Energy Technology) offer solid opportunities for collaboration with autonomous systems (by land, air, sea,) and renewable energy systems.

Job description

The position is intended to strengthen both research and teaching.

The department is tasked with taking a role in successfully to demonstrate new methods, algorithms and principles. It is therefore important that the successful candidate both can demonstrate and have a solid interest in experimental work and developing demonstrators and prototypes.

A successful candidate is expected to a major extent be responsible for the Masters´s degree program option in cybernetics and autonomous systems, supervising master students, developing the course portfolio, and teaching the expected course load. One aspect will be to recruit topics for master thesis from industry and research institutes.

The successful candidate is also expected to strengthen the research on control and performance of autonomous systems composed of interconnected component with multiple sensors and actuators that generate data to be processed in real-time.

We are seeking a promising researcher with a track record backed up by high-profile demonstrated systems work (published artifacts, open source projects, public demonstrations) and publications in the areas of autonomous systems.

The open position requires solid knowledge within one or more of the following areas:

• Control,
• Autonomous systems
• Data analysis
• Cyber- physical systems

Since the department has a role in successfully demonstrating new methods, algorithms and principles, it is important that the successful candidate has a solid interest in experimental work and in developing demonstrators and prototypes

.The successful applicant will initiate and lead research, supervise research students, participate in the teaching of students and examination work at all levels within the relevant subject areas, and will also undertake administrative duties at the department. The person appointed can also be requested to undertake administrative and other duties at the faculty.

Qualification requirements

The successful candidate must have education at the doctoral level and be able to document scientific qualifications in key areas in control, autonomous systems, data analysis, or cyber- physical systems. Scientific qualifications will play a major role, and a strong emphasis will be put on the candidate’s scientific production from the last five years.

Pedagogical qualifications and teaching experience will also be an important factor in the evaluation process. Applicants will be asked to provide a teaching portfolio, where the applicant should describe her/his qualifications in view of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL)-criteria:

• Focus on the students’ learning
• A definite development over time
• A research attitude to teaching and learning
• A collegial attitude and practice

The research area for the position can include technologies referred to in the Ministry's export control regulations, and the candidate must be eligible to obtain a security clearance.

Teaching is given in Norwegian and English. Foreign language speakers will be expected to be able to teach in Norwegian within a certain time after being appointed.

As a general rule interviews and trial lectures will be used in the appointment process. More details about the appointment procedures can be found in;

https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/rules-appointment-professor.html .

Personal abilities

In ranking of the academic / scientific competent applicants, the following personal qualifications and experience will be considered and given significant weight (the list is not in order of priority):

• Aptitude and interest in applying an experimental approach
• Personal suitability and interest for cooperation between the Department of technology systems, the research institutes at Kjeller, other departments at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and with the private and public sectors.
• National and international network of contacts
• Experience from industry or development projects
• Qualifications within research management, administration and dissemination
• Ability to initiate collaborative projects
• Experience from attracting external research funding from the Research Council, the EU and other

We offer

• Salary according to pay grade Associate Professor (position code 1011), ltr. 70-78, NOK 617 800 -743 100, per year depending on experience / seniority
• A pleasant and challenging work environment
• Good pension benefits under State Pension Fund
• Position in an IA enterprise
• Good welfare benefits

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter
• CV
• Up to 10 selected scientific publications the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation
• List of scientific production with bibliographic references
• Teaching portfolio, expected to include:

Listing of teaching experience as well as work on developing/ revising/ renewing study plans and the design of courses and documentation of teaching qualifications and supervision of Master and PhD students

• A research statement where the candidate puts focus on the scientific novelty of his/her work and presents a research plan, mentioning potential collaborations should be part of the application letter
• A portfolio containing documentation of capability of external fund raising and other qualifications the applicant wants to have considered

Application with CV, application letter, list of publications and any other attachments that one wishes to enclose, must be sent through the University of Oslo's recruitment system Jobbnorge. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The University of Oslo has a goal of recruiting more women in academic positions. Women are encouraged to apply.

In accordance with the University of Oslo`s equal opportunities policy, we invite applications from all interested individuals regardless of gender or ethnicity.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results, see: http://www.uio.no/english/for-employees/employment/work-results/

Formal regulations

Please refer to the Rules for Appointments to Professorships and Associate Professorships at the University of Oslo, the Guide for Applicants and Members of the Assessment Committee and Rules for practicing the requirement for basic pedagogical competence at the University of Oslo.

Pursuant to section 25(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, information concerning the applicant may be made public, even if the applicant has requested not to appear on the list of applicants.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition and to recruit people with an immigrant background.

In addition, the University of Oslo aims for its employees to reflect the diversity of the population to the greatest degree possible. We therefore encourage qualified applicants with disabilities or gaps in their CV to apply for the position. The University of Oslo will adapt the workplace to suit employees with disabilities. Applicants who indicate that they have disabilities or gaps in their CV are made aware that this information may be used for statistical purposes.

Contact information

• Head of Department, Stian Løvold, phone +47 22 84 22 06 / +47 941 90 920e-mail: stian.lovold@its.uio.no

For technical questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Therese Ringvold, e-mail: therese.ringvold@mn.uio.no

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