Job description

The Department of Chemistry at UiO is the largest academic institution in Norway within research and education in chemistry. We have several excellent research groups interacting extensively with universities, research centres and industrial partners, nationally and internationally. Our candidates qualify for a wide range of jobs in academic institutions, research institutes, industries, schools and colleges, as well as in the public sector. The Departments of Chemistry and Physics at UiO have jointly established a successful cross-functional strategic initiative, the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN).

The open position at the Section for inorganic materials chemistry (UMK) adds to the current staff of four professors, two adjunct professors, three technicians, one project coordinator, and one associate professor currently in final state of hiring. The Section counts a total of 40-45 co-workers including researchers, post doctor fellow, PhDs, master and project students. Inorganic materials research is ongoing also at other sections; on high temperature oxide chemistry, corrosion, environmental chemistry and analysis, as well as catalysis.

More about the position

Section for inorganic materials chemistry (UMK; NAFUMA@SMN)

The research at UMK is experimental in nature, integrated with computational materials science. The activities on synthesis, characterization and simulations of inorganic functional materials range from nanoparticles and thin films to powders and crystals that find applications within sustainable energy, sensors, catalysis and industrial processes. UMK (NAFUMA) is fully integrated in the SMN Centre.

UMK has focus on basic research and uses advanced tools to understand the interplay between atomic arrangement and properties. We have strong collaborations with universities, research centres and industries, in Norway and abroad. We take part in three nationally prioritized centres; Centre for industrial Catalysis Science and Innovation (iCSI), Research Centre for Sustainable Solar Cell Technology and Mobility Zero Emission Energy Systems (MoZEES). UMK operates the national X-ray diffraction/scattering infrastructure RECX.

Our research priorities are:

• Energy materials; storage and conversion; new concepts, operando studies
• Nanomaterials: composition, size, morphology, defects; catalysis and sensing
• Functional materials: structure – property relations; oxides, intermetallics
• Surface science; structure and reactivity, operando studies; catalysis and sensing
• Artificial materials, heterostructures; hybrid materials; soft chemical synthesis
• Synchrotron and neutron studies; diffraction, spectroscopy, scattering, tomography

We aim at complementary expertise to assure a good collaborative research environment.

In addition to the RECX national infrastructure, UMK operates a number of advanced laboratories; material synthesis (bulk and nanomaterials); thin film growth (Atomic Layer Deposition ALD); electrochemistry and battery research; surface science (reactor-STM, AFM); thermal analysis (TA, TG, DSC); physical properties (VSM, PPMS, MPMS), and furthermore electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and optical spectroscopy (UV-VIS-NIR, FTIR, PL, ellipsometry). Our computational science activities have excellent access to national supercomputers. UMK has strong traditions in synchrotron and neutron based research. The UMK section provides teaching within two study programs «Kjemi og biokjemi», and «Materialer for energi og nanoteknologi (MENA)» at Bachelor, Master and PhD levels.

Requested profile and expertise

We look for an ambitious and well qualified inorganic material chemist in a rather early stage of the carrier. Candidates for the open position should document good and growing scientific productivity within topics of high relevance for UMK research priorities. The candidate must in addition document skills within advanced methods of importance for inorganic materials chemistry. Specifically, the candidate must document experimental experience with inorganic battery materials; bulk synthesis (nanomaterials), (structural and electrochemical) characterization and (X-ray / neutron based) operando studies. The selected candidate should have strong background and good insight to ion-batteries (Li-/Na-ion and more), and thereby being able and willing to further develop this research area in the UMK section.

The selected candidate should take on responsibilities for research, laboratories, teaching, proposals and administrative tasks in close interplay with UMK (NAFUMA) staff. Ability and willingness to take on responsibility for one or more laboratories is expected

The applicants must enclose a plan for their research in short and long term perspectives. The plan should describe how their research will help developing and strengthening the UMK section. The applicants should furthermore enclose a document on teaching experience, pedagogic skills and their ideas for teaching and interaction with students. In the evaluation of candidates, their level of independence, their experience in establishing networks and international collaborations as well as in attracting external funding will be given weight. Research experience from longer stays outside the degree awarding institution is expected. Personal suitability, willingness and ability to collaborate and supervise, along with the scientific profile of the applicant will be given weight in the final selection of candidates.

Qualification requirements

The candidate must document:

• Education and research training equivalent to a PhD in inorganic chemistry
• Independent research and scientific qualifications as requested in the announcement
• Experience from stays abroad and from international collaborations
• Experience from writing proposals and obtaining external funding to research projects
• Experience from being responsible for instruments and/or laboratories, and from procurement of instrumentation
• Pedagogic training. 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
• Experience from teaching in the university sector and from supervision of students
• Teaching skills in Norwegian (or a Scandinavian language). Alternatively, the necessary skills must be learned and mastered within an agreed period of time.

Based on urgent needs for teaching resources, Norwegian (Scandinavian) candidates may be given priority in the selection process.

The top-ranked candidates will be invited to interview and must expect to provide trial lectures during this process

We offer

• salary NOK 597 400 – 695 500 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

How to apply

The application must include:

• cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
• CV (complete list of education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience, project acquisition and coordination experience, and other qualifying activities)
• a complete list of publications
• enclosure of academic works (up to 10 publications)
• PhD Diploma
• list of reference persons: (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number)
• research plan (see above)
• document on teaching experience, pedagogic skills, teaching philosophy

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system. 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.

Interviews along with a trial lecture will be part of the appointment process.

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

For question about the position, please contact:

• Professor Helmer Fjellvåg, phone: +47 228 55564, or e-post: helmer.fjellvag@kjemi.uio.no

For questions regarding the recruitment system, please contact HR-officer: Ørjan Pretorius, orjan.pretorius@mn.uio.no

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