About the Department and what they are looking for in this position

A full-time position as Associate Professor in Hydrology is available at the Department of Geosciences.

The Department of Geosciences (GEO) at the University of Oslo (UiO) is part of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MATNAT) and is a leading research unit in Europe. The Department covers a wide breadth of topics, from mantle and lithosphere dynamics on Earth and other planets, via surface processes in the boundary layers between Earth’s surface and atmosphere, to the dynamics and interactions in the Earth's crust, soils, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. The Department of Geosciences has defined a strategy that focuses on four main topics that are transversal to the Department: (i): Dynamics of the solid Earth and planets, (ii) Climate change and the coupled Earth system, (iii) Environmental geosciences, and (iv) Geoscience in the Arctic. We also highlight that our laboratory, field, and computational infrastructures are critical for successful research. The Department aims to contribute to the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Development Goals and hosts important contributors to IPCC (UN’s Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change). The staff consists of 40 professors and associate professors, in addition to postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, researchers, technical and administrative staff. In total, the Department hosts today around 200 employees, one Centre of Excellence and, at present, three grants from the European Research Council, along with numerous other grants from public and private institutions. The Department is organised in six sections: (i) Basin studies, (ii) Crustal processes (iii) Centre of Planetary Habitability (PHAB, Centre of Excellence), (iv) Environmental Geoscience, (v) Physical geography and hydrology (GeoHyd), and (vi) Meteorology and oceanography (MetOs). A small group working towards geo-didactics is also organised in a section as the UiO part of the Centre for excellent education “iEarth”.

Hydrology is one of the core disciplines of geosciences and is concerned with all aspects of the terrestrial hydrological cycle and its interactions with the environment. The field has a long tradition at the University of Oslo (UiO) and has evolved in response to the need to understand and model the complex hydrological system of the earth. This is crucial to solve emergent societal issues related to water in the context of sustainable development and to quantify the impacts of global change (climate change and human interventions) on water resources and extremes. Currently, the Department of Geosciences at UiO is the only institution in Norway that offers a master's in general hydrology.

Hydrology is part of the Section of geography and hydrology, which has a strong focus on climate as a driver for change and related climate change impact studies. The section has around 40 employees and consists of 9 permanent scientific and/or educational positions, 3 adjunct positions, 3 technical staff and several researchers, Postdocs and PhDs. The section has a strong portfolio within terrestrial cold-region processes, their interactions and modelling, supported by a unique set of research infrastructures. Studies in the section have a strong focus on world-leading interdisciplinary research in cryosphere sciences, geomorphology and geomatics applied to these, with a particular focus on cold climates. The section further works on better understanding the processes and effects of the terrestrial water cycle and ice, addresses new research elements and challenges of high and direct societal relevance such as extremes (eg avalanches, floods, droughts and landslides), and long-term changes in states and fluxes, such as water balance and the mass balance of glaciers. Finally, the section develops solutions related to climate change, management and mitigation of natural hazards, renewable energy and water resources. The section educates the next generation of geosciences to lead forward in these challenges.

The Hydrology research group carries out research, education and capacity development in the area of regional hydrology, hydrological extremes (flood and drought) and water resource assessments from both a Nordic/European and global perspective. Recently the research includes the role of the hydrological cycle in the Earth system, governing water and energy exchange with the atmosphere and affecting snow, vegetation and carbon exchange. The research group consists today of three permanent scientific staff, one adjunct professor, two researchers and several Postdoctoral and PhD fellows. The hydrology group collaborates closely with other disciplines outside the section at the department (meteorology, geology) and faculty/Natural History museum (biology and ecology) as well as with other public and private hydrological institutions/industry in Norway.

General information about the position

The position will be closely linked to the Department’s strategy (2021-2025) by contributing "research-based knowledge with societal relevance linked to climate, environment, energy, natural hazards and sustainable use of resources”. The position duties are related to research, teaching, supervision and communication within hydrology. The applicant must have an excellent background in hydrology or related fields, with a good process understanding of the hydrological cycle, including its interface with other terrestrial elements and the atmosphere.

Research: The candidate must be a dynamic person who is able to significantly contribute to the substantial portfolio of external research funding of the Department. The successful candidate will complement our current research areas within hydrology, related to cold and temperate environments, hydrological analysis and modelling, including improved representation of hydrologic processes in earth system modelling combining observation, experiments and modelling.

We are looking for highly motivated candidates which:

• Are international recognized with a strong track record in hydrology and with research experience from northern and temperate climates
• Have a strong computational profile (either within advanced statistics, ML, hydrological modelling or land surface modelling)
• Demonstrated creativity and innovative skills in research

The department collaborates with several external institutions (e.g. the Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate, NVE), including formalised collaboration agreements, and it is expected that the candidate will contribute actively to strengthening those. The candidate is expected to take the administrative responsibility for existing hydrological infrastructure actively used in our academic environment, including flux stations for measuring evaporation, energy and greenhouse gases (at Finse and 2 mobile stations), as well as a climate container that is used for experimental studies under controlled climatic conditions.

Education: The successful candidate will show a commitment to deliver excellent teaching at the undergraduate level (introductionary courses) as well as master level courses. The candidate is initially expected to take over course responsibility for two 10-credit point courses at the Department of Geosciences:

• GEO4300 (Geophysical Data Science)
• GEO2330 (Hydrology)

The candidate will contribute to the further development of the teaching profile and outreach activities within hydrology. The applicant will also be responsible for supervising Bachelor, Master and PhD students within his/her special research field and engage in joint supervision of interdisciplinary thesis topics. The successful applicant may furthermore be required to take on other teaching duties and administrative tasks, by request from the Department or the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

Qualification requirements

Assessment of candidates will be based on scientific excellence, as reflected in the number and quality of peer-reviewed publications, scientific relevance, ability to attract external funding, and other evidence of impact. Scientific qualifications will play a major role, and the main emphasis will be on the candidate’s scientific production from the last five years. We expect a scientific track record at a high international level that demonstrates the ability to write/attract external funds and lead research projects.

Required qualifications

• In terms of scientific qualification, the candidate must have a PhD in hydrology or a related field, with good knowledge/experience/application of hydrological research within cold or temperate climates. Related fields can for instance be fluvial geomorphology, hydro-meteorology or physics in relevant directions and/or experience. The candidate must have a good understanding of the processes that govern the hydrological cycle, including interaction with the atmosphere and the sub surface.
• The successful candidate must have a strong scientific track record within the broad area of hydrology and/or hydrological processes, and a considerable scientific production beyond what is required for a doctoral degree.
• The candidate must demonstrate creativity and innovative skills in research.
• The candidate must demonstrate strong background in quantitative methods linking data and observations to modelling and theory development, along with technical expertise in computer software and programming including (physically based) hydrological modelling, advanced statistics and experience with large data amounts (observations or simulated data).
• The candidate must have experience in established national and international collaborative networks and demonstrated ability to publish research in recognized international journals.
• In terms of pedagogical qualifications, teaching and supervision experience at all levels will be an important factor in the evaluation process and must be well documented in a teaching portfolio. The applicant should describe her/his qualifications in view of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) framework which includes:
  • Focus on student learning
  • A clear development over time
  • A researching approach
  • A collegial attitude and practice
• The successful applicant must have fluent oral and written communication skills in both in a Scandinavian language and in English.

The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document sufficient teaching qualifications (minimum formal requirement is a 200 hrs pedagogical programme) 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 required to learn sufficient Norwegian within a two-year period, to be able to participate actively in all functions the position may involve.

Desirable qualifications:

The following qualification are desirable and may be evaluated as an advance:

• Field experience is considered an advantage, as much of the section's data collection is field based.
• Knowledge of 'open-access' resources (data and method).
• It is preferable that the applicant is familiar with studies at various scales (from local site level studies, to catchment scale and regional to large-scale modelling).
• Interdisciplinary collaboration skills as hydrology at UiO works closely with other disciplines, such as meteorology, biology, ecology, chemistry, geomorphology and geology.
• A track record in scientific and administrative leadership is an advantage.
• International network, outreach activities, collegiality, and the ability to create a good working environment will be part of the evaluation.
• The person appointed will be requested to take on some administrative duties. Hence such experience will be an advantage.

Personal qualities

The Section for Geography and Hydrology is engaged in several external funded and interdisciplinary projects, e.g. including meteorology and climate, terrestrial ecology and climate change impact studies. The applicant should therefore have good cooperation capabilities, communication and networking skills and an interest in developing and contributing to interdisciplinary research.

The candidate must be creative and innovative in his/her research and able to initiate new activity in line with the department's strategy. The person must be a team player and have good communication skills and a desire to contribute to a good and inclusive work environment. We also emphasize good written and oral presentation skills, the ability to communicate new and complex information effectively and to engage the target groups. Finally, the candidate should be able to cooperate and communicate well with other members of staff, we highlight team work and internal cooperation as a success factor for funding application and work environment development.

We offer

• Salary from kr 636 700 to kr 746 900 depending on qualifications, in a position as Associate Professor (position code 1011)
• A professionally stimulating work 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 only pertains to employment as Associate Professor

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter.
• A research statement (1–4 pages) describing the applicant’s vision and scientific ambitions for the nearest future.
• A detailed CV, including a complete list of education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, project acquisition and coordination experience, and other qualifying activities.
• Copies of educational certificates, PhD diploma and transcript of records.
• A complete list of publications and academic merits and awards (if not included in the CV).
• A list of up to 10 selected scientific publications (only the references) the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation, along with a documentation of the importance, interrelation, and relevance of the selected papers for this position.
• Educational portfolio of 3–6 pages documenting educational competence and experience, including a reflection note in which your own teaching practice and view of learning is anchored in the SoTL framework (focus on student learning, development over time, a researching approach and a collegial attitude and practice).
• List of reference persons who may be contacted by the Department of Geosciences: 2–3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number).

The application with attachments must be submitted in our electronic recruiting system; please follow the link “Apply for this job”. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language. A selection committee will invite a limited number of candidates (“short list”) to submit a portfolio of academic work (i.e. up to 10 publications) that are particularly relevant for the position. Academic texts should therefore not be enclosed with the application.

Formal regulations

As a general rule an interview will be used in the appointment process, usually supplemented with a trial teaching session. The basis for assessment will be the scientific production of the applicant, the teaching portfolio, pedagogical and educational qualifications, the applicant’s qualifications within leadership and administration, other qualifications as well as general personal suitability for the position. In ranking the competent applicants, the full range of qualifications will be considered and explicitly assessed.

Rules for appointments to associate professorships.

Rules for the assessment and weighting of pedagogical competence for appointments to permanent academic posts which include teaching duties

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 an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results, see here.

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

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.

Contactinformation

For further information please contact:

• Lena Tallaksen (Head of Hydrological Group), phone: +47 22 85 72 14, e-mail: l.m.tallaksen@geo.uio.no
• Andreas Kääb (Head of Section), phone: +47 22 85 58 12, e-mail: a.m.kaab@geo.uio.no
• Bernd Etzelmüller (Head of Department), phone: +47 906 31 089, e-mail: bernd.etzelmuller@geo.uio.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR Adviser Ole Rustad, e-mail: ole.rustad@mn.uio.no.

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