Job description

1-2 full time positions as Associate Professor in Open Platform Ecosystems is available in the Information Systems research group at the Department of Informatics.

The Information Systems research group focuses on the relationships between digital platforms, global health and broader development processes in low and middle-income countries. We have a long tradition of interventionist methods and action research. As engaged information systems scholars, we work in context and on topics including governance, participatory design, systems implementation and the impacts of digital interventions on research, practice, policy and society. We work at the intersections of the disciplines of information systems, informatics, development studies, global health and social sciences. We seek to understand the conceptual and theoretical links between health and development, framed within strong ethical perspectives. Our theoretical perspectives are primarily anchored within the social sciences and integrated with concepts to account for the materiality of the digital.

We are active within the global information technology for development (ICT4D) research community as well in the broader Information Systems (IS) field globally and in Scandinavia. We have since the 1990s hosted and nurtured the Health Information Systems Programme (HISP) research and innovation network. This includes the development and implementation of the DHIS2 software platform, presently a digital global public good serving more than 70 developing countries.

The successful applicant must be able to teach at all levels and to supervise Master and PhD students.

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.

About the Information Systems research group

The Information Systems research group is involved in a number of research and innovation projects concerning the development of the DHIS2 platform, its implementation in countries with related capacity building, digitalization of the health care sector and the impacts these create. We do most of our empirical work in developing countries, but also in Norway. We collaborate closely with a range of national and global partners, including the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, The Norwegian Aid Agency (Norad), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNICEF, and Ministries of Health in various low and middle income countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes us as a Collaborating Centre for innovation and implementation research for health information systems strengthening, and we are actively involved in shaping digital global health policy.

The basis of the research in the Information Systems research group is the development, implementation, governance, use and impacts of large-scale and complex systems, with the DHIS2 as a prominent case. We draw on a socio-technical perspective based in the Scandinavian approach to participatory design. We are interventionists in our research approach, and we are engaged scholars developing knowledge in the intersection of research, education, and community development. Our empirical methods are largely anchored in the interpretive research paradigm, drawing upon mixed methods, including both qualitative and quantitative data.

Specific information about the position

We are looking for 1-2 new faculty members to contribute to realizing our ambition to develop further and into a world class Information Systems research group, building on its existing history. We seek ambitious Information Systems and ICT4D researchers with a promising research output till date that will actively contribute to theoretical development, empirical research, publication in top-ranked journals, and teaching and supervision on Bachelor-, Master- and PhD-level. They will develop and nurture networks and collaboration with international partners from academia, ministries of health and the industry and seek to obtain funding from the Norwegian Research Council, EU and others.

We seek 1-2 faculty members to work on the development, implementation and governance of open platform ecosystems. Faculties in these positions will focus their empirical research on the DHIS2 platform ecosystem discourse and the broader HISP network. We are looking for experienced qualitative researchers with a keen interest in building concepts and theories from in-depth and longitudinal empirical research.

The duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Contribute with excellent information system research on open platform ecosystems and actively engage in making new knowledge available and actionable for researchers, students, practitioners and policy makers.
• Participate in and contribute to the collaborative research activities in the Information Systems research group. This includes qualitative empirical research, theory building and engagement with practitioners and policy makers.
• Participate in and contribute to the ongoing supervision of Master students and PhD-candidates and teaching information systems on Bachelor, Master and PhD-level as well as further developing our teaching.
• Contribute to teaching at the department on theoretical and technical aspects of open platform ecosystems (e.g. IN5320) as well as programming and software engineering in general.
• Contribute to administrative tasks including committee work in the research group and at the department.
• Compatible with the group’s approach, work closely with the teams involved in designing, implementing and governing DHIS2.
• Work at the intersection of health processes and practices and digitalization. Based on a socio-technical perspective, focus empirical research on DHIS2, the HISP network, and related digital transformation processes.

Qualification requirements

Primary assessment criteria will be as follows:

• A completed PhD in Information Systems.
• Being active researchers and showing a promising record of accomplishment corresponding to the research interests of the Information Systems research group and the ambition to develop these further.
• Documented experience with interventionist and/or qualitative researchers with deep empirical knowledge in relevant fields for the positions such as organizations, health, global health, ICT4D, digitalization, and platforms.
• Documented interest in and experience from teaching and supervision on Bachelor-, Master, and PhD-level.
• Documented interest and skills in the technical aspects of systems development and operation, supplementing a theoretical grasp. We seek knowledge and practical skills in software engineering and programming, including processes and tools.
• Documented theoretical interest in open platform ecosystems. This includes, but are not limited to, digital innovation, digital transformation, software platforms, and public goods.
• Scientific qualifications will play a major role, and the main emphasis will be on the candidate’s scientific production from the last five years.
• A strong record of scholarly publications relevant to the area in leading international journals is required.
• Pedagogical qualifications and teaching and supervision experience at all levels will be an important factor in the evaluation process and should 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 person appointed must have fluent oral and written communication skills 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.

Interviews will be part of the appointment process, along with a trial lecture.

Desirable qualifications:

• Experience from practices, processes and digitalization processes in the health care sector.
• In addition to skills and experience in interventionists and/or qualitative research, experience with mixed methods.
• Candidates should also be able to lead, conduct and collaborate in research projects. A strong track record in academic leadership is an advantage, as well as experience in the acquisition of research grants.
• 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 skills

• Ability to create an attractive, inclusive and competitive research environment
• Networking skills, ability to collaborate and conduct scientific leadership
• Ability to cooperate and communicate well with other members of the staff

We offer

• Salary from NOK 694 400 – 864 100 depending on competencies, in the position of Associate Professor (position code 1011)
• A professionally stimulating working environmen
• 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:

• Application letter
• A research position paper (1-4 pages) describing the applicant’s vision and ambitions for the nearest future
• A detailed CV, including complete list of education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, project acquisition and coordination experience, funding and awards, and other qualifying activities
• Copies of educational certificates, PhD diploma, transcript of records and letters of recommendation
• A complete list of publications and academic merits and awards (if not included in the CV)
• Full text of up to 10 selected publications the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation
• A document discussing the importance, interrelation, and relevance of the selected papers for this position
• Description of dissemination activities beyond scientific publications
• 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. The teaching portfolio is expected to include:

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

• List of 3 reference persons (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

Application with attachments must be submitted via our online recruitment system. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The successful candidate should have an international profile with respect to the above criteria. The candidate for this position will be selected based on excellence and fit with the section’s research profile. We will evaluate the (two) candidates in the light of their complementary qualifications, in particular related to teaching in Norwegian and their competence in informatics. We encourage early-stage, ambitious candidates to apply. - SJEKK UT DENNE

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.

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.

Contactinformation

For further information please contact:

• Professor Kristin Braa, kbraa@ifi.uio.no

For technical questions about the recruitment system, HR Adviser Torunn Standal Guttormsen, email: t.s.guttormsen@mn.uio.no, tel. +47 22 85 42 72.

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