Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health and Society

Job description

The Institute of Health and Society (HELSAM) has one 100% or two 50% vacant positions as Professor or Associate Professor (depending on academic qualifications). HELSAM bases its work on a complex understanding of the interconnectedness of sickness, health and the health systems. Policy, culture, the environment, the society as well as biology interact. This complexity characterises the research, teaching and service at the Institute. Tenure is linked to the Institute, but the current faculty positions will be allocated to the Centre for Medical Ethics.

The Centre for Medical Ethics (CME) is a multidisciplinary department that consists of researchers with disciplinary backgrounds in medicine and the health professions, social sciences, the humanities and law. CME works in the areas of medical and health care ethics and scientific integrity through research, teaching and public engagement. We cover the whole spectrum from the concrete ethical dilemmas in clinical practice to biomedical research ethics, and also do research in foundational areas of theoretic medical ethics and medical philosophy.

The centre has three prioritised research areas: 1) foundational investigations in ethics and philosophy of medicine of relevance to medical ethics, 2) ethical issues in clinical medicine and health care, including priority settings, 3) biomedical research ethics and research integrity.

CME is responsible for teaching ethics in the medical, dentistry, and nutrition science undergraduate curricula, as well as in various master-level courses. The centre is also responsible for supervision of PhD students and for teaching research ethics, research integrity and philosophy of science at the Faculty of Medicine’s PhD courses, post doc programme and faculty development. CME has a national responsibility for strengthening and promoting ethical reflection and ethical competence in Norwegian health care services.

The persons(s) employed is expected to be able to participate in all of the ethics teaching activities at CME, but will have a special responsibility for CME’s ethics teaching in the professional studies, in particular medicine, the master-level courses in clinical ethics/ethics in health care and in public health ethics. The latter mentioned ethics teaching has a special focus on applied medical/health care ethics, and particularly on case-based teaching and ethics reflection. Relevant teaching experiences for relevant target groups is required. Since this teaching is mainly done within a Norwegian health care context, knowledge of the Norwegian health care system or other similar health care systems is considered advantageous.

More about the position

All applicants should state (in the application) whether they are interested in a 100 % position only, a 50 % position only, or would consider both. HELSAM will either offer a 100 % position to one applicant or two 50 % positions to two applicants, depending on what will give the best combination of competence and skills for CME. If two persons are appointed, it will be emphasized that those who are appointed together have the competences needed - in order to enable the delivery of relevant and high-quality teaching and research.

A separate description of the position has been prepared.

Qualification requirements

• The required qualification for an associate professorship is a doctoral degree in the academic field concerned or equivalent expertise, and relevant research experience. Degrees and experience in medicine, other health sciences, ethics, philosophy or other relevant fields, will be regarded as advantageous.
• Expertise and research activities within research area 2 above (ethical issues in clinical medicine and health care, including priority settings) is required for the position(s). Competence and experience within area 1 (foundational investigations in ethics and philosophy of medicine of relevance to medical ethics) and/or 3 (biomedical research ethics and research integrity), and to connect these areas, is considered advantageous. CME’s research within empirical ethics is particularly strong, and we want to further develop this research. Thus, expertise and interest in empirical ethics is also considered advantageous.
• The required qualifications for professor follow the national norms for Norwegian medical faculties
• High ambitions and quality of teaching, research and communications is expected.
• Good communication skills both written and oral in English and Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) are a prerequisite for performing all the tasks associated with the position. Applicants who do not master a Scandinavian language at the time of appointment are given a deadline of two years to learn Norwegian.

Successful grant applications in competitive R&D funds (EU-funds, the Research Council of Norway or similar), or other relevant experience showing an ability to raise external R&D funding in the relevant areas is required. It is expected that the position holders at all times have at least one externally funded R&D project at HELSAM.

The successful applicant will have a plan for development of her/his research, and for acquiring externally funded research projects. High quality of research, and publishing in peer-reviewed international journals is expected. The applicant is asked to describe his/her research profile, with respect to strategic plans and existing research at the department and institute, with particular emphasis on area 2 above.

Personal skills

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to create an attractive research environment will be emphasised.

Active collaboration, both interdisciplinary and internationally is expected.

We offer

• Salary from kr. 665 700 to kr. 801 300 (ltr. 71-79) depending on competencies, in the position of Associate Professor (position code 1011)
• Salary from kr. 825 900 to kr. 1 030 100 (ltr. 80-88) depending on competencies, in the position of Professor (position code 1013)
• Good pension schemes
• Good welfare benefits
• The Associate Professor will have the opportunity to apply for promotion to a position as Professor at a later date

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter (motivation for the position and descripton of own research, also in relation to existing research at the Centre for Medical Ethics)
• CV (education, work experience, teaching experience and other relevante experiences)
• Complete list of publications
• References (list of 2-3 persons with name, title, email 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.

A screening committee will invite the most relevant candidates to submit up to 10 scientific articles for expert assessment. For this reason, scientific articles must not be uploaded with the application.

The basis for the assessment of the applicant will include the education and training, scientific production and quality, including the ability to raise external R&D funding, professional and academic experience, teaching experience and qualifications as well as the documented experience in administration and management. As part of the ranking of qualified applicants, the full scope of these qualifications will be explicitly assessed. Particular weight will be attached to qualifications that are central to the job description. Educational and scientific qualifications will carry more weight than other qualifications. Originality and innovation will be given priority before volume, and recent publications will be weighted higher than older ones.

As a main rule, interviews will be held and references collected, and the applicants will normally be required to give a trial lecture or to demonstrate other relevant teaching competence (e.g. facilitate group based ethics reflection). In the final review and recommendation, emphasis will be laid on skills related to the position description, the evaluation done by the assessment committee, evaluation of personal suitability for the position based on interviews and references obtained, contributions to the work environment, pedagogical qualifications, and ability to disseminate scientific knowledge, plans for further research and ambitions for his/her teaching, as well as administration/management and ability and interest for innovations and to adapt to future needs and developments.

The entire breadth of qualifications will be assessed in ranking competent applicants.

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.

Applicants, who at the time of appointment cannot provide documentary evidence of basic teaching competence, must acquire such competence in the course of a period and two years.

Applicants who are not competent in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish must acquire such competence within two years subsequent to their appointment, and must be competent in English in the interim period.

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.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition and wishes to appoint more women to permanent academic positions. The University of Oslo also wishes to appoint more people from ethnic minorities to permanent academic positions. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Contact information

• Head of Centre Professor Reidar Pedersen: phone number: +47 41575987, e-mail: reidar.pedersen@medisin.uio.no

For questions related to the electronic recruitment process: HR Adviser Helle Fritzsønn; e-mail: helle.fritzsonn@medisin.uio.no

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