Job description

Two full-time associate professor positions are available in Information Systems at the Department of Informatics, Information Systems research group.

The department seeks potential scientific leaders with clear research visions, educational and administrative skills and abilities to establish and lead research projects, who will strengthen our research and education connected to Information Systems.

More about the position

The Information Systems research group focuses on understanding and influencing the evolution of large-scale, complex information infrastructures, through empirical analysis and design interventions. The group houses the Health Information Systems Programme (HISP) research network, which is considered amongst the most prominent research groups globally in the domain of Information Technology for Development (ICT4D) and Health Information Systems in the developing world. We are also responsible for the development of the open source based DHIS2 platform, implemented as health information systems in more than 60 developing countries.

Our existing research portfolio is based on qualitative, empirical studies of work and organizational processes related to digital technologies, specifically digital platforms in the health sector. The group is currently involved in a number of externally funded research projects related to global health and health information systems in developing countries. We collaborate closely with a range of global partners, including among others NORAD, WHO and UNICEF.

These positions will be related to the HISP research network and the research and capacity building activities it entails. Our central research topics include, but are not limited to, the design and implementation of scalable and sustainable health information systems in developing countries, open source software development, sustainability, scaling, digital innovation, generification, IT and society, and software platforms. The research group is seeking to build on its existing capabilities and develop further into a world-class research centre in ICT4D.

We expect the applicants to take a leading role in the ICT4D community, take an active part in the HISP community as engaged scholars, build research collaborations with top international Universities, enhance the quality of research publications, foster interdisciplinary collaboration at the department and with other Norwegian and international actors, and strengthen our research method curriculum and PhD supervision capacity. We will also expect the applicants to engage in the development of international research proposals to the EU, the Norwegian Research Council and other funding bodies.

Qualification requirements

The candidates must have a PhD in Information Systems. Their research interests and focus must correspond to those of our research group, including Information Systems and ICT4D. Applicants must be active researchers and show a publication record in leading Information Systems and ICT4D journals. We will expect the applicants to have experience doing fieldwork in developing country settings and coordinating projects within a global context. Their record of accomplishments of teaching and PhD and master student supervision will be evaluated. We also expect the applicants to have a well-developed research network.

Assessment criteria:

• The candidates must hold a PhD in Information Systems, and a scientific record of accomplishments that confirms her or his capacity to take up new and challenging issues. A strong record of publication relevant to the areas of ICT4D, and Information Systems is required.
• At least one of the candidates will participate in the Bachelor education at the department, and hence must master Norwegian or a Scandinavian language upon appointment
• Candidates must have teaching experience in the Information Systems field and have a commitment to engage in undergraduate and graduate education and in mentoring and advising master and doctoral students.
• The candidates must show active engagement and experience in conducting fieldwork in global and developing country contexts
• Candidates should be able to lead, conduct and collaborate in research projects.
• A strong record of accomplishments in academic and administrative leadership is an advantage.
• Experience in cross-disciplinary collaboration and collaboration with governmental and non-governmental agencies.
• Experience in the acquisition of research and project grants is an advantage.
• Documented pedagogical skills
• Fluency in both written and spoken English is a prerequisite.

The successful candidates should have an international profile with respect to the above criteria. The candidates for this position will be selected based on excellence and fit with the research group’s research profile.

The two candidates will also be evaluated concerning their complementary qualifications, in particular related to teaching in Norwegian and experience in ICT4D related action research.

We offer

• salary NOK 640 200 – 741 300 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Associate professor (position code 1011)
• a professionally stimulating working 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 ambitions for the nearest future
• 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
• Listing of teaching experience as well as work on developing/revising/renewing study plans and the design of courses
• Documentation of teaching qualifications and supervision of Master and PhD students, and up to a page describing teaching philosophy
• Description of dissemination activities beyond scientific publications
• List of 3 reference persons (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. Please submit the documents as PDF-files (maximum 2 MB / file). Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In the evaluation of the qualified candidates the full range of these criteria will be explicitly addressed and assessed.

Relevant candidates will be called for interviews and requested to hold trial lectures, and references may be consulted.

Formal regulations

The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document basic teaching qualifications 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 expected within a two-year period to learn sufficient Norwegian to be able to participate actively in all functions the position may involve.

Please see the rules for Appointments to Professorships and Associate Professorships and Rules for the assessment and weighting of pedagogical competence.

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 has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

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

Contactinformation

• Professor Kristin Braa, email: kbraa@ifi.uio.no, tel. +47 41506058

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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