Senior Lecturer in Materials Engineering, Specialising in Tribology

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The Faculty of Health, Science and Technology is now accepting applications for the position of Senior Lecturer in Materials Engineering, specialising in tribology. The vacancy is at the Department of Engineering and Physics, which is characterised by a friendly, inspiring and international atmosphere, with a large number of employees from all over the world. Mechanical and Materials Engineering is one of three subjects at the department, which employs approximately 60 people – of which 11 are professors. We offer PhD programmes in materials engineering, industrial engineering and management, and physics; master’s programmes in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering and management, and engineering physics; and bachelor’s programmes in mechanical engineering, innovation and design engineering, and electrical engineering. 

The department has a strong research activity in materials engineering focused on advanced steels and materials produced by additive manufacturing, as well as areas of fatigue and tribology. The relation between material’s microstructure and mechanical properties is studied through materials analysis, mechanical testing and modelling. Current research in tribology is multidisciplinary in character, and related to a correlation between microstructure and tribological performance of advanced materials. Because of that, expertise in tribology, mechanical properties, numerical simulation, fatigue-wear phenomena, contact mechanics, and advanced material characterization is important for the successful candidate. Commonly, projects in tribology are performed in cooperation with industrial partners and are related to, but not limited to, tribology in demanding applications at room temperature and elevated temperatures e.g. sheet metal forming, die casting, press hardening, etc. This opens opportunities to use both unique tribological equipment developed at Karlstad University, and industrial test and characterization facilities. 

The department also conducts research in mechanical engineering in the areas of applied mechanics and industrial engineering and management, as well as extensive research in materials physics. Researchers in materials physics and mechanical and materials engineering are part of a large research group focused on materials research. This research group is prioritised by the faculty. 

The main duties include teaching and research in materials engineering, including tribology, and cooperation with industry and society. The teaching duties are mainly in engineering study programs with bachelor, master and doctoral students. The teaching is in the materials engineering discipline. Teaching in selected fields of mechanical engineering may be required, as in machining and forming technologies.

It is expected that you, based on your previous research qualifications, should aim to strengthen and develop the department’s research areas performed in collaboration with other researchers at the department. An ambition to further develop a personal research profile with focus on tribological properties of engineering metallic materials, and work in collaboration with industrial partners, and take a leading role in the tribology research at the department, is expected.

Duties also include administrative tasks and assignments within the university.

As senior lecturer, you are also expected to collaborate with the wider community for a mutual exchange of ideas, as well as work towards ensuring that the knowledge and expertise available at the university is of benefit to society. In order to contribute to a positive working environment and help further the subject’s activities, it is important that you are present at the workplace and participate in the daily activities at the department.

To be eligible for the position of senior lecturer in materials engineering, applicants are required have demonstrated teaching expertise. Applicants are also required to hold a Degree of Doctor or equivalent academic qualifications in materials engineering, or a closely related field, as well as research experience in tribology.

Excellent command of written and spoken English is also a requirement.

As a lecturer at Karlstad University, you should be able to teach in both English and Swedish. An applicant who does not meet the requirement of proficiency in Swedish may still be hired provided they are able to actively acquire the language skills.

Pursuant to Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure, teachers must have the personal qualities required to perform the duties included, as well as completed training in higher education pedagogy. Candidates who have not completed courses in higher education pedagogy may still be hired, provided that they use the time allotted to continual professional development to complete the required courses within two years of employment, or that they apply for validation of prior learning.

For other qualification requirements, refer to Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure https://www.kau.se/files/2023-12/Appointments procedure_eng_20220928.pdf

In the assessment, equal weight will be given to research and teaching expertise.

Special weight will be given to demonstrated skills and experience of:

• Independently and in collaboration with others, develop and implement research activities in tribology, academic and/or industrial
• Preparation and teaching university courses in tribology, as well as other topics in materials engineering, and assessing student performances in such courses.

Considerable weight will be given to:

• Experience of advanced analytical electron microscopy, and mechanical characterization, of relevance to the discipline’s research strengths.
• Knowledge and research experience in fatigue, wear-fatigue phenomena, and contact mechanics.
• Personal qualities such as the ability to cooperate, take responsibility, and that you can take initiative and are goal oriented, as well as being committed and having a positive attitude towards colleagues and students.

Valuable qualifications are:

• Documented skills to supervise students on advanced level and PhD level, including completed course in PhD supervision.
• International work experience or experience in national and international networks, such as a postdoc position.
• Experience from academic elected positions.
• Documented and current experience of collaborating with the wider community, both in relation to research and education, and of communicating and disseminating research findings and development efforts.
• Teaching awards.
• Successfully applying for external research funding.
• Ability to teach in the Swedish language.

This is a permanent, full-time position starting 1 November 2024, or at another agreed-upon date.

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi. For advice on how to draft your application, refer to What should be included with my application?  Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.

The application should include:

• CV
• cover letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and research interests in relation to the duties of the position
• an in-depth account of teaching experience
• certificate to verify completed courses in higher education pedagogy or an account of equivalent skills
• an in-depth account of research experience
• an account of other experiences of importance
• an account of managerial and administrative experience
• plans for future work
• an account of collaborations, international network experience, etc.
• a list of publications (in multi-authored publications, the role of the applicant must be specified)
• information about language skills
• copy of PhD degree certificate or documented equivalent academic expertise
• no more than 10 scientific publications and no more than 5 materials intended to convey knowledge, such as textbooks, computer programs for teaching, or popular science articles
• two references, at least one of which is a current or former supervisor/manager

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content.

Documents that cannot be submitted electronically, such as books or publications, should be sent in triplicate to the following address:

Karlstads universitet
HR Department
Hanna Ljungdahl
651 88 KARLSTAD

Application deadline: 11 April 2024                                    

State the reference no: REK 2024/35

We look forward to your application!

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