Associate Professor in Aquaculture Health Management

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus on professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 44,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

The Department of Biology , has a vacant permanent position as Associate Professor in aquaculture health management with focus on environmental impacts on fish health.

The hired person will be a member of the “Marine Science Group ” that has teaching and research activities within aquaculture and marine science. The department is host for the international study program “Master in Ocean Resources ” and partner of the Erasmus Mundus program “Health Management in Aquaculture (AquaH) ”. These programs are designed to give students a broad understanding of the complex interactions in the marine sector and sustainable aquaculture. The section also hosts the aquaculture bachelor engineering program (BIHAV)  that focuses on operation and design of land- and sea-based aquaculture. In these study programs we give insight into effects of technical solutions and processes on the conditions for both the fish and the environment of salmon and cold-water marine fish farming, fish welfare and health, the environment and sustainability. The hired person will get a targeted role in the Aquaculture specialization of MSOCEAN, AquaH and BIHAV. We teach bachelor courses in a Scandinavian language, so it is highly preferrable that the person we hire can teach in Scandinavian from an early stage.

Aquaculture research topics of the Marine Science Group

The overarching aim of the Marine Science Group is to perform excellent research and education in areas focused upon sustainable management, production, and utilisation of biological marine resources. Significant research topics in the group are environmental interactions of sea-based aquaculture, recycling aquaculture systems, fish physiology and integration of technology, fish stress and welfare, sea lice research, salmonid and marine cold water juvenile fish production.

We are seeking a person who will see great opportunities in contributing to expanding our research topics into fish health management. The successful candidate will have an important role in complementing the departments research activity on environmental impacts into fish welfare and health for both land- and sea-based aquaculture systems of salmon and/or cold-water marine fishes. The candidate should have good knowledge from research on fish health issues or environmental impacts on fish welfare and health in the aquaculture sector relevant to Norwegian conditions. The competence should be demonstrated by both laboratory-oriented research and in situ (field) work in aquaculture systems. We expect the candidate to build collaborations and keep contact with both academia and the Norwegian aquaculture sector, drawing on synergies between them.

The successful candidate will have a specific responsibility for the courses in fish health management at both bachelor and master levels.

The Department of Biology focuses on developing integrated research groups where researchers within related fields can establish strong research and teaching units both within the different research groups, but also with other research groups at the department and NTNU. It is preferrable that the new faculty member has a research profile that is complementary (i.e. not identical but with potential for collaboration) to that of the current staff.

The employed candidate will report to the Head of Department.

The hired person in the Marine Science Group is expected to be responsible for:

• Teaching in the above-mentioned study programs, especially in fish health management
• Initiating research in sustainable aquaculture of salmonids or cold-water marine fishes by understanding importance of management of fish health, and take part in interdisciplinary research collaborations, both within the Marine Science group, at the Department of Biology level and with other national and international partners
• Participating in the further development of the Marine Science Group and department of Biology
• Initiating new research programs and engage extensively in applications for external funding from e.g., the Research Council of Norway, European research and educational agencies, the industry sector, and other available resources

Candidates are evaluated based on documented qualifications. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, gender identity, functional capacity, or cultural background. We especially encourage upcoming early career academics from underrepresented groups to apply.

You must have the qualifications required for the position of associate professor in the field of aquaculture biology, preferably within fish health management, as outlined in the the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts

• Your PhD, or academic work, must be within fish immunology, fish health (vaccine development, aquaculture production related diseases or virology/bacteriology/ parasitology) of salmon or other cold-water marine fish, or environmental effects on fish health.
• A documented scientific understanding on how to apply biological concepts for development of fish health management for land- or sea-based aquaculture systems
• Research experience related to the aquaculture biology, within immunology, fish health or environmental impacts on fish health.  
• You must have a minimum of two years of relevant research experience in addition to your PhD.
• You must document ability to attract external funding from national and/or international funding agencies/industry and see opportunity for new research possibilities within this field
• You must document an existing research network both with academia and the aquaculture sector, as well as ability for collaboration across institutions in the field of salmon and/or cold-water marine fish farming.
• You must document relevant basic competence in teaching and supervision at a university/higher education-level, as referenced in the Norwegian national Regulations . If this cannot be documented, you will be required to complete an approved course in university pedagogy within two years of commencement. NTNU offers qualifying courses. 
• The BSc courses that the position will lecture within, use Norwegian as teaching language. New employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language by appointment is required, within three years, to demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three of the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU .  

• Can document both laboratory-oriented research and in situ work in aquaculture systems
• Skills within a Scandinavian language
• Good knowledge from research on fish health issues or environmental impacts on fish welfare and health in the aquaculture sector relevant to Norwegian conditions

• Ambitious and highly motivated to develop our research focus in the future, attract external funding and develop the departments teaching plans
• Demonstrated teamwork skills with ability to work closely as part of collegial teams, and to contribute substantially to the working environment of the Marine Science Group and the department of Biology at NTNU
• Interest in interdisciplinary activities
• Ability to initiate new projects
• Excellent communication skills

A position as an Associate Professor (code 1011) will be remunerated according to the Basic Agreement for the Civil Service, depending on qualifications and seniority.. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants,  and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.   

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work. 

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis. 

You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here .

Your application and supporting documentation must be in English.

Please address all required and preferred selection criteria in your application.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Your application must include:

• CV, diplomas, and certificates
• A teaching portfolio, in which your teaching competence is compiled and presented systematically,   (See guidelines for applicants: Documentation of teaching qualifications in applications and appointments to academic positions at NTNU )
• Academic works – published or unpublished – that you wish to be considered during assessment of your application (up to 10 items)
• A description of the scientific/artistic works you consider most relevant, which you particularly wish to be factored into the assessment
• A list of your previous works, with details on where they have been published
• A research plan for this position (maximum 10 pages including references):
  • Maximum three sentences describing your research field/goal
  • Maximum two pages outlining your background within the field and your contribution to state of the art
  • Maximum three pages outlining your long-term (10 year) research goals with funding scenarios for reaching them
  • Maximum five pages outlining your short-term plan (3-5 years)
• Details of projects for which you have served as project manager, including information on financing, duration, and scope
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Our assessment of the pedagogical skills will be based on documented pedagogical material, forms of presentation in your academic works, teaching experience, PhD, and Masters supervision, and any other relevant pedagogical background. Both quality and scope will be taken into consideration.

NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA . This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.

Your application will be considered by an expert committee. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview, and to deliver a trial teaching session.

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality . 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

As an employee at NTNU, you must continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given the expert evaluation of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and is stipulated to rules of confidentiality.

If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Head of Department Kjetil Rasmussen, or Professor & Head of the Marin Section Bengt Finstad. If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR adviser Ranveig Nerhoel.

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: December 11th. 2022

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Biology 

We work with global challenges in natural diversity, climate, the environment, health and nutrition. Our expertise in biological processes at all levels – from molecules to ecosystems – contributes to a sustainable society. The Department educate graduates for a wide range of careers in public administration, business and academia. The Department of Biology  is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences .