Associate Professor in Modelling plant stress responses

Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest higher education institutions with over 37,000 students and about 4,700 employees. The University offers a diversity of high-quality education and world-leading research in several fields. Notably, the groundbreaking discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was made here. At Umeå University, everything is close. Our cohesive campuses make it easy to meet, work together and exchange knowledge, which promotes a dynamic and open culture.

The ongoing societal transformation and large green investments in northern Sweden create enormous opportunities and complex challenges. For Umeå University, conducting research about – and in the middle of – a society in transition is key. We also take pride in delivering education to enable regions to expand quickly and sustainably. In fact, the future is made here.

Umeå University's interdisciplinary research hub, IceLab (Integrated Science Lab, www.icelab.se), has been awarded a grant by the Swedish Research Council to establish a center of excellence: Center for modeling adaptive mechanisms in living systems under stress. At IceLab, we foster multidisciplinary collaborations – focusing on innovative research that integrates theoretical, computational, and empirical work.

Umeå Plant Science Centre, UPSC, is one of the strongest research environments in experimental plant biology in Europe. Here you will have access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure and support from more than two hundred plant researchers. Our research spans from biochemistry and molecular biology to physiology and the ecosystem level (www.upsc.se). We are looking for a person that can bridge these two strong research environments in Umeå.

We invite you to join IceLab and UPSC and be part of a stimulating and supportive community of collaborative-minded scientists working on a panel of interdisciplinary problems. We are looking for a candidate who combines quantitative and computational literacy with domain-specific literacy. We expect the successful candidate to play an important role in consolidating the Center's growth and activities, demonstrating a willingness and ability to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries.

We are now opening an Associate Professor position in plant stress responses at the Department of Plant Physiology. The position presents a unique opportunity to conduct independent research. Join our supportive environment and work at the forefront of multidisciplinary science. Your research will be instrumental in improving our understanding of the processes that govern the responses of living organisms to environmental change and stress. 

Your duties will primary be to lead a research group in modelling plant stress responses. This includes all aspects of scientific leadership including applying for funds, supervising PhD students and postdocs and communicating the findings. You are expected to establish an independent line of research within the field and to generate synergies with other research groups at IceLab and Umeå Plant Science Centre. Depending on qualification we will offer a substantial starting package to get you a good start.

You are also expected to participate in the teaching of the department. For the first three years this is limited to maximum 25% of your time. The teaching duties of the department is however rather limited so you can count on being able to focus on your research even after the first three years.

Limited departmental administrative duties may also be included in the position.

The position is a part of a large strategic research project focused on how organisms handle stress and changed environmental conditions. You are expected to be instrumental in the cooperation between the two different centers.  

According to Chapter 4, Section 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance, a person shall be qualified for appointment as Associate Professor if he or she within an area has demonstrated educational expertise and holds a doctorate or has attained equivalent academic competence or other professional skills relevant with regard to the subject area of the appointment.

The applicant should have experience of conducting plant physiological research including computational methods, with a focus on stress or environmental responses.

The assessment criteria for appointment as an associate professor/senior lecturer shall be the degree of the expertise required as a qualification for employment. As much attention shall be given to the assessment of teaching expertise as to the assessment of scientific expertise.

In the selection of candidates, emphasis will primarily be put on the degree of scientific expertise. Next, pedagogical skills will be taken into account. In addition, regard will be given to management skills, communication and collaboration skills and other skills relevant to the area of the position and the tasks that will be part of the employment.

Scientific expertise shall be demonstrated through independent scientific productivity. The criteria for assessment are:

• breadth and depth of research – quality and scope
• originality of research
• productivity
• contributions to the international research community
• assignments within the research community
• the ability to competitively obtain external research funding
• collaboration with the surrounding society

The pedagogical expertise for employment as associate professor should be demonstrated by documented experience of teaching with scientific foundation at university level. The criteria for evaluation are:

• an ability to plan, implement and evaluate teaching and an ability to supervise and examine students at every level of education
• an ability to vary teaching methods and examination formats in relation to anticipated study results and the nature of the subject
• experience of collaboration with the surrounding society in planning and implementation of education
• participation in the development of learning environments, teaching aids and study resources
• a reflective approach to student learning and one’s own role as a teacher

Pedagogical expertise can be attained through education in university pedagogy, other education of relevance for teaching at a university level or documented and proven experience teaching at the university level.   

A general basis for assessment for all teaching categories is both good cooperative skills and the expertise and suitability in general required to complete the work duties satisfactorily.

The criteria for evaluation of administrative skills are:

• Experience of supervision of post doctorial researchers
• Participation in comities of councils at various levels of the university
• Experience from collaboration with industry or other parts of the surrounding society
• Leadership experience from large collaborative research project or graduate schools
• Leadership experience at the departmental level

As an employee at Umeå University, you're offered a wide variety of benefits that promote a good work- life balance, read more about benefits here .

When you apply, we ask you to answer questions in Varbi. These questions replace a cover letter from you. The application should preferably be written in English, and include the following items:

Attachments

See instructions for what to include in the application, as well as how to describe scientific or artistic and educational activities (pdf)

Applications should be made via e-recruitment system Varbi and be received no later than 2024-05-22.