The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.
Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (abbreviated IKOS from its Norwegian name) is one of the seven departments at the Faculty of Humanities.
The Department has a broad competency in the study of religion and culture and in language based area studies of South Asia, East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. IKOS also hosts the Oslo School of Environmental Humanities. The Department has several study programmes at both BA and MA levels. Among the Department's 110 employees about 40 are PhD and Postdoctoral Fellows.
About the position
A 4,5-year temporary position of university lecturer (SKO 1009) in modern and contemporary Japanese studies is available at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (IKOS), University of Oslo. The position is intended to be filled in autumn 2026 and no later than 1 December.The Japanese studies section at the University of Oslo offers a three-year Bachelor’s and a two-year Master’s programmes. The courses have a disciplinary focus on Japanese history, religion, social anthropology, classical Japanese, modern and contemporary literature, translation studies, and popular culture.
The university lecturer will be expected to teach lectures and seminars and conduct examinations at BA level (and MA level if the appointed candidate has a Ph.D.), including introductory courses on Japanese culture and specialised courses aligned with their research expertise. They may be asked to contribute to the language program, and to take on supervision of bachelor’s and master’s theses. The person employed should have experience with teaching both content and language courses in modern and contemporary Japanese studies.
More about the position
The vacancy is a teaching position, with 75 % teaching and dissemination work, 19 % academic development work, and 6 % administration. Within the normal duties and academic competence, the person appointed may also be directed to work outside his/her department. The appointment is made under the condition that the employer may change the subject area and assigned tasks according to the needs of the Department.
Qualifications
Masters’ or Ph.D. degree, or equivalent academic qualifications, with a specialization in modern and contemporary Japanese studies.
Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and Japanese
Proficiency in Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) at minimum B2 level. Applicants who do not document such proficiency at the time of appointment must commit to achieving B2 level in Norwegian within the employment period.
Personal suitability and motivation for the position
In the evaluation of the applicants, emphasis will be placed on:
Pedagogical qualifications and practice, mainly from universities or higher education institutions, and disposition to inspire students
Experience in teaching both content and language courses in Japanese Studies
Professional competence and publication in the field of modern and contemporary Japanese studies
Good teamwork skills and experience
The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document formal basic teaching qualifications will be required to obtain such qualifications within a two-year period.
Knowledge of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language will be an advantage.
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.
We hope you will apply for the position with us.
We offer
Salary NOK 598 000 - 698 000 per annum depending on qualificationsFor especially well-qualified candidates, a higher salary may be considered.Following appointment to the position, candidates may apply for promotion to Senior lecturer (førstelektor in Norwegian academic ranking)
Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.
How to apply
The application must include:
Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications, research and motivation for the position
Curriculum Vitae (with a list of education, positions, teaching experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activities, including a complete list of publications)
List of publications
Please note that all documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language.
Educational certificates, master theses and the like are not to be submitted with the application, but applicants may be asked to submit such information or works later.
The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”.
Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview and a trial lecture.
Formal regulations
Within the normal duties and academic competence, the person appointed may also be directed to work outside his/her department. The appointment is made on condition that changes to the subject area and tasks may be determined by the employer.
Following the Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) § 25, Chapter 2, information about the applicant may be used in the public list of applicants even if the applicant opts out from the entry in the public application list.
The University of Oslo has an Acquisition of Rights Agreement for the purpose of securing rights to intellectual property created by its employees, including research results.
The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds.
