UiT The Arctic University of Norway

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus research university and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway represents a newly created entity gathering almost all possible health study programs. This facilitates an unique interdisciplinarity and innovation in health education and research. We work closely with the services in the North to solve tomorrow's challenges. 

Read more about us at uit.no/helsefak

The position

A position as Associate Professor in Biomedicine is available at the Department of Medical Biology (IMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway.

More than 200 staff members from all over the world have their workplace at IMB. The Department consists of 10 research groups concentrating on fundamental biomedical research problems, including research on various cancer forms, cardiovascular diseases, the cellular process autophagy, the body's immune system and antibiotic resistance. The Department is also involved in identifying potential targets for development of therapeutic and diagnostic treatments. IMB provides education for students studying medicine, dentistry, biomedicine, biomedical laboratory sciences and nutrition.

The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time, within 6 months after receiving the offer.

The position’s field of research

We are seeking highly motivated candidates that can complement and strengthen already ongoing research at the Department, and with capacity for teaching physiology at all levels.

The candidate is expected to be motivated and ambitious in research that can strengthen experimental physiology at UiT. To focus our research topics at the Department, the candidate is expected to join one of the existing research groups. It is the responsibility of the candidate to actively seek external funding and engage in development of the department through participation in collaborative projects and other activities that will strengthen research at the department. It is also expected that the candidate is actively engaged in innovation and communication of research and teaching.

The candidate is expected to teach physiology in many study programs and at all levels at the Faculty of Health Science. Responsibilities involve curriculum development, course management, examinations and engagement in pedagogic development. Teaching in other biomedicine subjects may also be requested.

Qualifications

The applicant must have a Master’s degree in Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Medicine, Odontology, Pharmacy, Veterinary medicine or equivalent, and a PhD in Biomedicine, or equivalent area. Competence in physiology is required, and research experience within integrated physiology is an advantage.

We want candidates with a research area that can complement and strengthen the ongoing research at the department. Candidates must include a research plan (max. 2 pages) as part of the application. The research plan should point to synergies with ongoing research at the department. The candidates must document ability to attract external funding for their research activity, experience with applications for research funding, and the ability and interest for collaborative projects. Experience from leadership of projects, groups or other administrative tasks are advantageous.

Teaching experience is required, preferably at all levels. Experience from various teaching activities such as course management, examinations, supervision and curriculum development are highly desired. A clear motivation for teaching is required and a description of personal teaching philosophy (max. 1 page) must be included in the application.

You must be fluent in English. Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is advantage. You must be willing to learn Norwegian minimum level B2 within minimum two years.

Qualification requirements for the position as Associate Professor:

• Norwegian doctoral degree in subject area concerned or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognised as equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree, or competence at a corresponding level documented by academic work of the same scope and quality
• Documented pedagogical competence

The following documentation will be considered as important: 

• Independent research after PhD is required
• Experience with applications for external research funding
• Completed stays abroad and national/international research networks 

Independent research after PhD shall be documented with scientific publications without PhD-supervisors as co-authors. Experience with application for external research funding means that the applicant can show independent application work but may not necessarily have obtained external funding. Evaluations that show application quality will be useful for assessing applicants' qualifications. Contributions to larger applications can also be considered if the contribution is documented.

International mobility will be assessed according to duration / number of stays and whether the stay has led to scientific publications and/or joint applications for external research funding.

Scientific cooperation, nationally and/or internationally, should be documented through joint publications and/or application work.

At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

Basic pedagogical competence

All applicants for teaching and research positions shall document their pedagogical competence. 

You must have acquired basic competence for teaching and supervision at higher education level. This includes basic skills in planning, conducting, evaluating and developing teaching and guidance.

Documentation requirement 

a) Applicants who have completed education or courses designed to provide teaching competence for teaching at universities and colleges, equivalent to a minimum of 200 hours, must attach diploma and curriculum for the completed course.

b) Other applicants shall describe, assess and document their competence as a teacher and supervisor. The skills must be documented in the form of a teaching portfolio.

If the pedagogical competence can be acquired within two years of appointment, applicants shall not be ranked based on pedagogical competence. 

Those who do not satisfy the requirements may be appointed on a permanent basis on the condition that they satisfy the requirements within two years of appointment.

For information about basic pedagogical competence and teaching portfolio, see here. (Only in Norwegian)

We offer

• R&D sabbatical conditions which are considered some of the best in the country
• Good welfare arrangements for employees
• Good arrangements for pension, insurance and loans in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

Work- and salary conditions

The successful candidate must be willing to get involved in the ongoing development of their department and the university as a whole.

The allocation of working hours is flexible and allocated on a case-by-case basis. In general, Professor/Associate Professors will spend an equal amount of time on teaching and research and development work/Senior Lector will spend up to 30 % of their time on research and 70 % for teaching/Lecturer will spend up to 20 % of their time on research and 80 % for teaching after time spent on other duties has been deducted. As a norm, the time resources spent on administrative duties constitutes 5 % for academic staff.

The remuneration for Associate Professor is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1011. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT The Arctic University i Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment.

We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.

If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application.

If there are qualified applicants, we invite least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it.

Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.

Application

The application must include:

• Cover letter including a short description of interests and reasons for applying for the position
• CV containing a complete overview of experience, professional work and references
• Diplomas, diploma supplements and transcripts (all degrees, in original language and translated)
• Written references
• Two references with contact details
• Documented pedagogical competence
• Description of personal teaching philosophy (max. 1 page)
• Research plan (max. 2 pages)
• A list of your academic production
• Description of your academic production, stating which works you consider most important
• Academic works, up to ten. The doctoral thesis is regarded as one work.
• Documentation of English proficiency.

Proficiency in the English language can be documented in the following ways:

• Diploma from a Norwegian upper secondary school with both spoken and written English (140 hours)
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• IELTS (International English Testing Service)
• Completed university degree in the field of English language or literature
• One years completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or USA, for which English was the language of instructions.

Documentation has to be in English or a Scandinavian language. The application and submitted documents must be sent electronically via www.jobbnorge.no

Assessment

The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications on the basis of the written material presented by the applicants, and the detail description draw up for the position.

The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview shall among other things, aim to clarify the applicants personal suitability for the position and motivations. A trial lecture may also be held.

General

The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.

More information about moving to Norway and working at UiT.

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.

Apply for position