RHN 134/2020 | Opportunity
Faculty of Arts and Education, Department of Cultural Studies and Languages, University of Stavanger, Norway
Closing date for applications: 17 November 2020
Associate Professor in Premodern Environmental History
Scope: Fulltime
Duration: Permanent
Place of service: Ullandhaug
About the position
The University of Stavanger is looking for an Associate Professor in Premodern Environmental History. The position is organizationally located at the Faculty of Arts and Education, Department of Cultural Studies and Languages.
The department includes a history group with a strong research profile in environmental history. The environmental historians in the history group contribute to The Greenhouse, an environmental humanities program area which crosses university faculty boundaries. The Greenhouse research group is interested in demonstrating how various humanities disciplines, including history, literature studies, religious studies, media studies, and educational sciences, can contribute to creating more sustainable futures by understanding human-nature relationships in the past and present. The Greenhouse runs the Norwegian Researcher School in Environmental Humanities, a national researcher school funded by the Research Council of Norway.
The subject area for the position is Premodern Environmental History.
As an Associate Professor, you will primarily teach and supervise students at bachelor's, Master’s and PhD level within history and history didactics, conduct research and disseminate research results within relevant research areas at the department, and contribute to the development of partnerships outside the university. Partnership with schools related to the scheme Decentralized competence for quality (DEKOM) is a focus area for the department. As an Associate Professor you will contribute to this work.
The development/use of digital and diverse learning methods, innovation, value creation based on results from research, and academic development work, will be included in the position.
The general job description gives a more detailed account of the subject area and relevant duties for associate professors.
Qualification requirements
We are seeking an associate professor with a PhD in history or a related field. You must have a research profile in premodern (defined as history before 1750) environmental history or equivalent fields such as history of science with an environmental profile. How you can contribute to the department's environmental history group through your research profile must be stated in the application.
You must have:
- a strong scientific publication activity, including dissemination of research results of high quality and relevance in recognized international publication channels
- experience with high-quality and innovative teaching and advising in premodern history
You must be able to document pedagogical and didactic skills relating to higher education, and basic skills in planning, evaluation and development of teaching and supervision. If you do not meet the competence requirement you must complete a university pedagogy course within a period of two years of the appointment start date. The course will be provided by the university.
The working and teaching languages are Norwegian and English. If you do not have a good command of Norwegian or another Scandinavian language, you must acquire Norwegian language skills equivalent to level B2 within a period of three years from the appointment start date. If required, you will be offered a Norwegian course paid for by the university.
In the absence of applicants with sufficient scientific expertise, the university may consider temporarily designating an appointee for up to three years, during which time he/she will endeavour to gain the qualifications necessary for a permanent position. The applicant must be capable of gaining the necessary qualifications during the period of employment.
The following attributes are also desirable
- an ability to initiate, obtain funding for, manage, and complete research projects
- experience with academic or administrative leadership positions
- a reflective and conscientious attitude to your own practices in teaching and advising
- the ability to involve and engage students in teaching where the course's objectives, content, and assessment situations are closely aligned
- experience with and/or interest in the development of varied learning methods and digital tools in teaching
- experience with partnerships with the private or public sector
- the ability to build and nurture networks – in particular internationally
- experience with innovation and the commercialisation of research
- a hard-working and inquisitive attitude and motivation to develop new knowledge in collaboration with others
- good teamwork and communication skills, and the ability to contribute to a constructive working environment
We offer
- varied duties in a large, exciting and socially important organisation
- an ambitious work community. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure.
- colleague-based mentoring programme during your first year of teaching at UiS, NyTi.
- salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.510, code 1011, NOK 580.000-680.000 gross per year. A higher salary may be considered in special cases.
- automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits.
- favourable membership terms at a gym and at the company sports club
- employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
- Home-job-home, discounted public transport to and from work
- as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
- relocation programme in event of moving to Norway, including support and language courses for spouses
General information
Your application will be assessed by an expert committee. In the expert assessment, emphasis will be placed on submitted scientific works and documented teaching competence. The committee will also assess your experience with popularisation/dissemination activities, university politics and administration, and any other documented qualifications relevant to the position.
If you do not satisfy key parts of the qualification requirements, you may have your application rejected before applications are submitted to the expert committee for assessment.
Based on the expert committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview and a teaching demonstration before any recommendations are made.
The university aims to recruit more women into professor positions; thus, if several applicants are considered to have equal qualifications, a woman will be given priority over a man.
It is a prerequisite that the appointee has a residence which enables him or her to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.
The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of opinion between the texts, the Norwegian text shall be decisive.
Contact information
More information on the position can be obtained from Head of Department Kjetil Vikhamar Thengs tel: +47 51 83 13 37 e-mail: kjetil.v.thengs@uis.no or from professor of history Dolly Jørgensen e-mail dolly.jorgensen@uis.no.
Information about the appointment procedure can be obtained from HR-consultant Annette F. Lothe, tel: +47 51 83 13 61, e-mail: annette.f.lothe@uis.no.
More information on how to apply can be found at the Jobbnorge-Portal.