Associate Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor, tenure track) in Political

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 53 500 students and 6 500 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Political Science seeks to encourage an open exchange of minds in academic debates, and scholars participation in the public sphere. Research areas of specialization include elections, democracy, corruption, governance, globalization, environmental politics as well as European studies. The department offers education on all levels; undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate, carried out in both English and Swedish. A total of 1,400 students are enrolled in our courses, we have over 160 people employed. The department is centrally located in the city of Gothenburg.

For more information about the Department, go to www.pol.gu.se

The Department of Political Science is currently hiring one or several Associate Senior Lecturers in Political Science (Assistant Professor, Tenure track) who are able to contribute to its research and education.

Political Science

Political science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, nation, government, and politics and policies of government on a national and international perspective.

The term for this position in Swedish is “biträdande lektor”. The university’s official translation (in British English) is Associate Senior Lecture, which is the equivalent to Assistant Professor on tenure-track.

The job assignment include conducting and carry out research and actively apply for external funding of own research and possibly for doctoral students and postdocs to a minimum of 50 percent of full time employment (FTE). The Associate Senior Lecture (s) will be free to select research questions, formulate theoretical ideas, collect data, and select research methods.

The job also entails active participation in the Department’s research environments and seminar activities, as well as in the international research community through conference participation and publications in international outlets.

The position includes teaching, course coordination as well as student supervision and examination at undergraduate, Master’s level and possibly also at PhD level to a maximum of 40 % of full time employment. Teaching within most of the Department’s courses and programmes may be required. It is required to teach in European studies, the teaching education progamme and/or Political Science in Swedish from the start of the position

Eligibility for this position is stated in Chapter 4, subsec. 12 a, and 12 b of the Higher Education Ordinance and in the University of Gothenburg's Appointments Procedure for Teachers. Applicants with a doctorate in a subject area relevant to the position, or with equivalent competence, not older than five years at the conclusion of the application period, will be given primary consideration. Applicants who have obtained a doctorate earlier may also be considered if there are special reasons. Special reasons include leave of absence due to illness, service in the armed forces or other part of the national defense organization, commissions of trust within professional, union and student organizations, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

Applications will be evaluated primarily on research excellence and secondary on merits with regard to teaching.

Scientific/scholarly qualifications will be evaluated based on scholarly publications, ongoing participation in national and international research collaborations. Ability to acquire external research grants is considered a merit. In the assessment of scientific/scholarly qualifications, particular weight will be given to international publications.  Particular weight will be given to high-quality publications by renowned publishers and in international peer-reviewed journals. The quality and impact of the publications will be assigned greater weight than the total number of publications.

Teaching skills will be assessed based on documented experience of having successfully planned and implemented various teaching activities (lectures, seminars, workshops, distance education, student supervision) at undergraduate and Master’s level. Experience of teaching and supervision at the doctoral level will also be considered a merit. In the assessment of teaching skills, particular weight will be given to implemented and documented efforts of importance for the quality and development of education and/or teaching. Experience of course and/or programme development, authoring of learning material or documented pedagogical development in scientific journals or textbooks is considered a merit.

Experience of initiating contact and collaborating with and reaching out to external actors and society at large as well as previous leadership experience and/or experience of participation in collegial forums is considered a merit.

The applicant who, in the overall assessment of skills and development potential, is deemed to be best suited to carry out the identified job assignments, cooperate with other staff and contribute to a positive development of the Department’s work will be selected for the post.

Very good knowledge in Swedish (full professional proficiency) is a requirement as the post includes teaching in Swedish in our undergraduate education from the start of the position. As the Department operates in an international environment with a great deal of teaching in English, the position requires very strong oral and written English skills.

An Assistant Professor/Associate Senior Lecturer is entitled to apply for promotion to Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer with tenure (in Swedish: “universitetslektor”), before the end of the fixed-term four-year employment. For promotion after the four years on tenure-track, the requirements for promotion in the subject area and the criteria of University of Gothenburg must be fulfilled. For this position, the following are additional requirements for promotion and tenure after the first four years:

• Significant advancement of high-quality research equivalent to at least another doctorate as published research findings, in some combination of articles in leading international peer review journals, a book and/or a number of book chapters published by leading international press.
• University teacher’s training (15 Higher Education Credits worth in the Swedish system) or otherwise acquired equivalents including a demonstrated continuous development in teaching abilities, is a requirement for promotion.
• Service to the wider society is expected. 

The application for tenure and promotion must be submitted six months before the end of the employment time (i.e. latest 3.5 years after starting the position).

See further information here:

https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/digitalAssets/1698/1698066_template-for-application-for-promotion-.pdf

Type of employment: Fixed-term employment, 4 years, with possibility for tenure and promotion.
Extent: 100 %
Location: Department of Political Science, Gothenburg
First day of employment: 2022-09-01 or per agreement.

Please apply online latest by November 4th 2021.
We ask that you write your application in English, as it will probably be reviewed by international experts. The selection process will most likely involve trial lectures, interviews and the taking up of references.

The application must include the following:

1.A résumé/CV, including a complete list of publications and a list of external grants obtained (including the size of the grants).

2.A description of your scientific qualifications including:

a) a select list of your up to 10 best academic publications.
State your role in and work done for all co-authored selected publications. Publication certificates for each co-authored publication must be attached, containing information about the contribution of each co-author (quantity and substantive contribution). The certificates should be signed by each co-author.

b) a description of your scientific merits, profile, and research plans, including why the appointment is of interest and what you believe you can bring to the position (max 5 pages).

3. Electronic copiesin full of your up to 10 selected publications.

4. A description of your teaching qualifications, including:
a) a description of your teaching merits and qualifications including information about your experience in teaching and tutoring on university level and eventual courses and educational program you have developed.

b) a short pedagogical self-reflection about your teaching philosophy and teaching practices (maximum 2 pages).

c) official transcripts or other verification of eventual formal training in teaching and learning in higher education.

d) a certificate of your teaching experience from head of department/director of studies or the equivalent from at least one university/department.

5. Other certificates and documents that you wish to cite.

Regarding the position, please contact

Mikael Gilljam, Professor
Head of Department
Phone: +46 31 786 12 21
[email protected]

Regarding the appointment procedure, please contact

Anna-Karin Ingelström
HR-Specialist
Phone: +46 31 786 1190
[email protected]

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg:
https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/work-at-the-university-of-gothenburg/how-to-apply

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/

Closing date: November 4th 2021.

The University of Gothenburg promotes equal opportunities, equality and diversity.

Salary is determined on an individual basis.

Applications will be destroyed or returned (upon request) two years after the decision of employment has become final. Applications from the employed and from those who appeal the decision will not be returned.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.