Job description

A full time position as Associate Professor is available in the Section for Catalysis at the Department of Chemistry.

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

The Department of Chemistry is Norway's largest institution within research and education in chemistry. Our research excels internationally and we educate students to a wide variety of jobs in industry, academia, research institutions, schools and public administration.

Our research ranges from the core topics of chemistry to applied science within the environment, health, energy and materials. The Department has extensive contacts with industry, research and educational institutions at home and abroad. As partner in the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, our researchers contribute to significant interdisciplinary efforts in cooperation with the Department of Physics. The Department of Chemistry has its own school laboratory as a great resource for teachers, public outreach and the didactics of chemistry.

The department seeks a potential scientific leader with clear research visions, educational and administrative skills and abilities to establish and lead research projects. The candidate should be a chemist with an upward scientific trajectory, who will strengthen our research and education connected to materials science and catalysis.

The research at the section for Catalysis focuses on “Rational design of new and improved catalysts based on fundamental mechanistic insights”. The catalysts can be of organic and/or inorganic origin. The section has currently approximately 30 members, subdivided into three groups: the zeolite group synthesizes and characterizes zeolite and zeotype materials and studies catalytic reactions over those materials; the MOF-group does the same with metal-organic frameworks; the homogenous catalysis group synthesizes metal-organic complexes and studies their catalytic reactions.

General information about the position:

Applicants must document academic qualifications in their field, equivalent to an Associate professor position. 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.

Qualification requirements

Required qualifications

• The successful applicant must have completed a PhD in materials science, inorganic chemistry or organic chemistry and have a strong scientific track record within the area of solvothermal synthesis, synthetic co-ordination, supramolecular self-assembly or a related field, with emphasis on nanoporous material synthesis and characterization (Metal-Organic Frameworks, Coordination Polymers, Zeolites).
• The candidate should have expertise in crystallography, structure modelling, operando studies and/or catalysis. However, the core expertise of the successful candidate should be materials synthesis and characterisation, not applications of those materials.
• Scientific qualifications will play a major role, and the main emphasis will be on the candidate’s scientific production from the last five years.
• 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
• Proficiency in oral and written English is a requirement.

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 one of the Scandinavian languages as working language. 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:

• Candidates should be able to establish, lead and conduct research projects, also as a collaborator. A track record in scientific and administrative leadership is an advantage, as well as participation in the acquisition of research grants.
• Experience in cross-disciplinary collaboration and collaboration with industry 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.

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.

Personal skills

• Ability to create and contribute to a well-functioning, inclusive and productive research environment
• Networking skills, ability to collaborate and conduct scientific leadership
• Ability to cooperate and communicate well with other members of staff

We offer

• Salary NOK 630 500 - 744 600 per annum 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.

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter.
• A research position paper (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, 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 scientific publications the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation.
• A document discussing 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: 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).

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:

According to the Norwegian Freedom and 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 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.

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

Contactinformation

• Professor Stian Svelle, email: stian.svelle@kjemi.uio.no, tel. +47 22855455
• Professor Unni Olsbye, email: unni.olsbye@kjemi.uio.no, tel. +47 22855456

For questions regarding the recruitment system please contact HR Adviser Ørjan Pretorius, e-mail: orjan.pretorius@mn.uio.no.

Apply for position