Uppsala University, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Description of Subject Area: The subject of the position is Physics Education Research (PER) (Swedish: fysikundervisningens didaktik). The research done by the Division explores issues such as how knowledge could be shared in more productive ways (including the effects that social and cultural practices may have on learning and how these may be mediated).

Duties: The position includes teaching, research and administration. The teaching duties include course design, teaching and examining responsibilities, course administration and the research supervision of Bachelor, Master and PhD students. Teaching duties span topics in Physics, Physics Education Research (PER), and physics-teacher education. The duties also include keeping abreast of developments within physics, physics education research and other factors that are deemed significant for work assignments at the university. The position, associate senior lecturer, is designed for those wishing to qualify for a tenured senior lecturer position (which calls for a stronger competency and broader experience in teaching and research).

Appointment Period: The position can be held for a maximum of four years. An associate senior lecturer may apply for promotion to senior lecturer. If an associate senior lecturer is deemed suitable and they fulfil the criteria for promotion as established by the Board for the Uppsala University Faculty of Science and Technology, they will be promoted to, and employed as, a senior lecturer.

Qualifications Required: According to the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance those qualified for appointment as associate senior lecturer are persons who have obtained a doctoral degree or achieved the equivalent research competence. In this particular case applicants must have a doctoral degree in physics. It is necessary that the pedagogical skills, the research expertise and the professional skills are relevant to the content of the employment and the tasks will make up the employment. Applicants who have obtained a doctoral degree or achieved the equivalent competence in five years or less prior to the end of the application period will be given priority.

According to Uppsala University's appointment regulations, teaching expertise is a specific eligibility requirement for appointment as an associate senior lecturer. To obtain teaching expertise, the applicant should have participated in teacher training for higher education of relevance to operations at the University, comprising at least five weeks, or be considered to have acquired the equivalent competence. If it has not been possible to acquire this competence prior to employment, qualifying training for teachers, the appointee shall acquire such competency during the first two years of their employment.

A general eligibility requirement is that the they must possess the personal capabilities necessary to carry out fully the duties of the appointment.

Documented working knowledge of both Swedish and English is also a requirement for the advertised position. If not immediately, the successful applicant will be expected to be able to teach in Swedish within two years of appointment.

Assessment Criteria/Ranking

Research Expertise and Teaching Expertise: The ranking of eligible applicants will be based primarily on research and teaching expertise: these will be given equal weight. Research evaluation will include the potential to contribute to the future development, which will include teaching. Thus, as much attention shall be given to the assessment of teaching expertise as to the assessment of research expertise. Research expertise will be based upon the documented merits presented at the time of application.

Research Expertise

In assessing research merits, special emphasis will be given to contributions to the field of Physics Education Research at the university level. Of particular relevance here are: theoretical and methodological advancements in PER; qualitative research situated in the teaching and learning of physics concepts and scientific abilities; research on the education of pre-service physics teachers; and, research on the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in physics. A PhD in Physics that specialised in the area of PER will be considered a merit.

Teaching Expertise

Teaching expertise consists of both physics education and teaching qualifications. Teaching expertise will be judged on educational and teaching qualifications in the area of physics and related experience.

In assessing teaching expertise, evidence of teaching quality will be the prime consideration. Special weight will be attached to merits acquired from the planning and executing of teaching tasks, which will include skill at research supervision. Here both breadth and depth will be given due consideration. Hence, teaching experience and skill as described above must be well documented in the application.

Experience in teaching and developing courses in physics didactics (as the term is understood in Sweden) on undergraduate and graduate level, with special emphasis on courses for pre-service physics teachers, will be considered a merit. In this respect, the applicant should provide a clear vision for the future development of the courses for future physics teachers at the department. Furthermore, the applicant should propose concrete steps towards achieving this vision in a time frame of four years.

The position also calls for the ability to teach across introductory and upper division level courses in physics, and lead and assess tutorial exercises, seminars, and laboratory work within those courses. Hence, the applicant’s personal educational achievements in these areas must be clearly and well documented in the application.

Experience in supervising student project-work in physics didactics for both the Bachelors and Master's level of education as defined in Sweden will be of merit. Experience in supervising doctoral studies in the field of Physics Education Research would provide an additional merit.

Administrative Expertise Administrative expertise, which includes entrepreneurship, is important aspect of university employment. Administrative expertise needs to be demonstrated through documenting skills in general operative planning, ability to organise and direct personnel, and the ability to cooperate.

Collaboration Expertise

The ability to cooperate both within the academic world and with related society, and to inform the public about science and research, will also be taken into account for the selection procedure.

To be taken into account, all merits mentioned above must be documented in a manner that makes it possible to assess both their quality and scope.

In filling this position the University aims to appoint the applicant who, following a qualitative holistic assessment of their competence and expertise, is judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and to help advance operations.

In an overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, parental leave, part-time work relating to care of children, union assignments, military service, or the like will be regarded as work experience.

Uppsala University strives to be an inclusive workplace that promotes equal opportunities and attracts qualified candidates who can contribute to the University’s excellence and diversity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people of all backgrounds.

Uppsala University strives for a more even gender balance in its research and teaching staff. Since most teachers of the Faculty are men, women are especially invited to apply for this position.

Salary: Individually negotiated salary.

Starting date: As soon as possible or as otherwise agreed

Type of position: Temporary position four years.

For further information about the position please contact
Professor Cedric Linder, e-mail Cedric.Linder@physics.uu.se.

For further information about Uppsala University appointment regulations see

Appointment Regulations Uppsala University

For further information about Faculty appointment regulations see

Guidleines for recruitment Science and Technology

Please submit your application by November 11, 2018, UFV-PA 2018/3289.

If you are an international candidate, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus.

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment As soon as possible or as otherwise agreed
Salary Fixed salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Uppsala
County Uppsala län
Country Sweden
Reference number UFV-PA 2018/3289
Union representative
  • Ellena Papaioannou, Seko, +46 18-471 3315
  • Suzanne Borén Andersson, TCO/ST, +46 18-471 6251
  • Per Sundman, Saco-rådet, +46 18-471 1485
Published 12.Oct.2018
Last application date 11.Nov.2018 11:59 PM CET

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