Tenure-Track Postdoctoral Fellowship in Combinatorics/matrix theory, Differential equations and Computational Mathematics

Job description

A full-time position as Tenure-Track Postdoctoral Fellowship is available in the section of Differential equations and Computational Mathematics at the Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo.

About the Department and the position:

The appointment is a fixed-term Postdoctoral Fellowship position for a period of six years. During this period, the candidate will be given the opportunity to qualify for a tenured position as Associate Professor.

The Department of Mathematics consists of six scientific sections. For more information, please consult the department's homepage.

The candidate will do research in one of the research areas of the section Differential equations and Computational Mathematics. A preference will be given to candidates in the area of combinatorics/matrix theory, but we also encourage applicants in differential equations or geometrical modeling. Compulsory work (teaching, teaching related activities and administrative duties) will be limited to 25% of working hours.

The research activities of the section cover several areas. One area is combinatorial matrix theory and spectral graph theory, involving matrix theory, graph theory and convexity in the study of combinatorial classes of matrices, including their combinatorial or spectral properties. Connections to optimization are investigated. Another main research area of the section is linear and non-linear partial differential equations with a focus on analysis, numerical methods, and connections to applications (e.g., finance, physics and fluid dynamics). A third research area is geometrical modeling related to digital geometrical models, using splines and polynomials in order to represent geometrical objects and functions in a flexible and efficient way. Computations and algorithms are of interest in all areas mentioned above.

The ideal candidate should also be able to establish research collaboration with other research groups at our department, and external groups. She/he should also be involved in teaching responsibilities, in particular courses in optimization, combinatorics/matrix theory, discrete mathematics and numerical analysis are relevant. 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.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

More about the position

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

For appointment to this Tenure-Track position it is required that the public defence of the candidate’s doctoral thesis was held within the preceeding five years. Additional time may be allowed for leave relating to childbirth or adoption.

Moreover, it is a requirement that the applicant has had no more than 1 year in an ordinary postdoctoral position.

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition is to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

Tenure-track positions at the University of Oslo are reserved for candidates who are expected to develop the competence and independence required to build and lead a research group of high international standard. Candidates must be able to demonstrate outstanding results concerning the production of scientific results and material, dissemination, organization and leadership of a research project, teaching and development of a course of study.

Both the potential shown in recent research and total scientific output will be emphasized.

• Applicants must hold a doctorate (PhD) or similar qualifications in mathematics, with specialization within one of the research areas covered by the section (see above). Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defense are eligible for appointment.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• The teaching languages at the University of Oslo are Norwegian and English. 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.
• The successful candidate who at the time of appointment cannot document sufficient teaching qualifications (minimum formal requirement is a 200 hours pedagogical programme) will be required to obtain such qualifications within a two-year period.

The applicants will be judged according to their scientific and pedagogical qualifications. Administrative and other qualifying activities, such as experience with acquisition of external research funding, will be taken into account as well.

Below we describe qualifications for the Tenure-Track position, and also requirements for obtaining a permanent position in the Department of Mathematics.

Desirable qualifications for permanent positions:

• 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.
• 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.

Personal qualities:

• 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.

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.

Hiring process

The applications are considered by an expert committee which will evaluate the academic qualifications of the candidates and rank the candidates in a shortlist. In the next step a selection committee will evaluate the personal skills of the short-listed candidates. The selection committee will also evaluate these candidates with regard to strategic priorities at the department and gender balance. They will also be invited for an interview and a trial lecture. For more details, see Hiring process to academic positions at UiO.

Applicants should also consult the regulations on appointments to tenure-track positions, with supplementary provisions for UiO. With regards to these regulations the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UiO will use the following procedure. A midway assessment of the hired candidate’s work (and of the employer’s follow-up) will be held by a scientific committee. This assessment, which will be conducted on the basis of the contract of employment, will be completed before the candidate has been employed for four years.

As a result of the assessment the committee will recommend one of the following options:

i) the hired candidate’s position should presently be turned into a tenured position as Associate Professor.

ii) the hired candidate should continue in the tenure-track position until the end of the six-year period.

iii) the hired candidate’s contract should be brought to an end.

In cases i) and ii) a final assessment by an adjudication committee will take place before the end of the six-year period. In case i) this committee can decide to recommend that the hired candidate should be offered a tenured Associate Professor position. In case ii), if the committee’s evaluation of the hired candidate’s work is positive, the committee can recommend that the hired candidate should be offered a tenured Associate Professor position. If the evaluation is negative, no tenured position will be offered.

We offer

• Salary NOK 535 200 – 608 200 per annum in a position as Tenure-Track Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352).
• A professionally stimulating work environment.
• Postdoctoral development programmes
• 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.

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 3-5 selected scientific publications the applicant wishes to include in the evaluation, including a description of why these were selected.
• A document discussing the importance, interrelation, and relevance of the selected papers for this position.
• A description of educational experience. (We remark that for permanent positions at UiO one requires an 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).

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 qualifications and scientific production of the applicant, the teaching/educational qualifications, the applicant’s potential for leadership and administration, and 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.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo and regulations on appointments to tenure-track positions, with supplementary provisions for UiO.

Rules for the assessment and weighting of pedagogical competence for appointments to permanent academic posts which include teaching duties.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of 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.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this.

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

• Nils Henrik Risebro, phone: +47 92437734, e-mail: nilshr@math.uio.no, or
  
• Geir Dahl, phone: +47 90640373, e-mail: geird@math.uio.no, or
  
• Giulia Di Nunno, phone: +47 93847589, e-mail: giulian@math.uio.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR adviser Nina Holtan, phone +47 22854424, e-mail: nina.holtan@mn.uio.no.

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