Uppsala University, Department of Game Design

The Discipline: The Department of Game Design was established on July 1, 2013, through the merger of Gotland University and Uppsala University. Game development and game design education and research had been conducted at the former Gotland University for about 10 years prior to the merger.

The department currently offers four Bachelor degree programmes: BA Game Design and Graphics, BA Game Design and Programming, BA Game Design and Project Management, and BA Game Design. A Master’s programme in Game Design started during autumn 2019.

The department additionally offers independent courses in game design and graphics with an emphasis on visualisation and animation. Research within the department focuses on fundamental issues relevant to the field of game design.

Duties: The position encompasses teaching courses in game design with both practical and theoretical orientation, personal research and course administration. Teaching includes course responsibility, supervision, examination and development work. The duties also require staying up to date with the subject area and other societal development relevant to the work at the university. Applicants must be prepared to participate in department and faculty level activities and accept departmental management responsibilities, such as Director of Studies or Prefect (Head of Department).

Eligibility requirements: Applicants are eligible for employment as Senior Lecturer if they have completed a doctorate or possess the equivalent academic qualifications, have demonstrated teaching skills and have completed relevant tertiary-level teacher training comprising ten weeks or have in some other way acquired equivalent proficiency; and have the general capabilities necessary to carry out in full the duties of the appointment. In special cases, the tertiary-level teacher training may be completed during the first two years of tenure.

The documented ability to teach in English is a requirement.

Assessment criteria: In selecting among eligible applicants, equal emphasis will be placed on academic and teaching competence. Professional experience from the games industry or experience from practical game development contexts that are non-profit is meriting.

When assessing academic competence, the primary criteria will be skill, i.e. scientific quality. Additionally, the applicant’s range of research, mainly with regard to depth and breadth will be of importance for the assessment. Attention will be paid to the ability to plan, initiate, lead and develop research and teaching independently on a postgraduate level, as well as their capacity to successfully obtain research funding in a competitive situation, and to their demonstrated capacity to cooperate with other researchers and with the community at large.

Regarding the focus of the applicant’s research it is expected that it clearly includes game design. The candidate may have a background in fields such as, for example, Game Studies, Gender Studies, Interaction Design, Art, Cultural Studies, Literature, Sociology or New Media Studies.

When appraising the pedagogical and scholarly qualifications, the primary criteria will be that of skill, i.e. pedagogical quality. The applicant’s portfolio of teaching qualifications should be detailed and well-documented. The range of pedagogical skills, regarding both breadth and depth, will also be considered. In addition, the capacity to plan, initiate, lead and develop teaching and education on all levels as well as the ability to link instruction to current research will be considered. Pedagogical skills also include the ability to engage in matters of university level pedagogics with actors both within and outside the university.

Equal care will be taken in assessing the applicant’s pedagogical skill and their scientific skill.

Following a comprehensive assessment of accomplishments and skills, the University will select the candidate who is judged to be most qualified to carry out and develop the functions of the position and contribute to the advancement of the subject and the Department.

Assessment criteria – additional skills: Administrative and leadership competence is important for this position and will be assessed accordingly.

Administrative competence is shown, for instance, in the ability to plan, organise, and prioritise work in an efficient and goal-oriented manner and in the capacity to set and respect time frames. Skills include overarching operational planning and the ability to manage resources in a manner that reflects the priorities of the Department as well as the capacity to work in an organised way with a view to objectives and quality.

Managerial competence is demonstrated in the ability to manage departmental activities and staff, to make decisions, to assume responsibility as well as to provide others with incentives and the conditions to achieve common goals efficiently. The ability to coordinate the work of the group as well as contribute to a good working environment are further examples of administrative competence.

Additionally, the ability to interact with the surrounding society and to disseminate research and research results and development work will be appraised. The ability to disseminate research and development work is shown by popular science work, e.g. participation in educating the general public, publication of writings in popular science and participation in the public discussions of issues of education and research.

The successful applicant must be prepared to assume administrative tasks, such as Director of Studies or Head of Department. It is thus important that the applicant is suitable for, and has an interest in, academic leadership and administration.

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.

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 are to be regarded as work experience.

Application procedure: The complete application shall be submitted through Uppsala University’s recruitment system and include:

  • Application letter
  • Enclosures list
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Presentation of academic qualifications
  • List of publications
  • Presentation of teaching qualifications
  • Presentation of other qualifications
  • Research and any educational work that is cited
  • List of reference persons

Please Note that applicants are expected to submit up to five publications with their application. These are uploaded in section 11 of the online application form.

Applications must be submitted electronically in Uppsala University’s recruitment system Varbi. Publications that do not exist in an electronic format and that cannot be scanned must be sent in two copies to Historisk-filosofiska fakulteten, Uppsala universitet, Box 256, 751 05 Uppsala. Mark the package dnr UFV-PA 2019/3212.

For further information see Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University (UFV 2010/1842  http://regler.uu.se/digitalAssets/92/c_92570-l_3-k_anstallningsordning-reviderad-180221.pdf and supplementary guidelines for Faculty of Arts (HISTFILFAK 2015/82) https://regler.uu.se/digitalAssets/688/c_688930-l_3-k_kompletterande-riktlinjer-till-anstallningsordningen.pdf.

Salary: Individually negotiated.

Starting date: By agreement.

Type of employment: Permanent post; probationary employment may be applied.

Scope of employment: 100%

For further information about the position please contact: Magnus Johansson, Head of Department, tel +46 18-471 8426, e-post Magnus Johansson@speldesign.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 2 December 2019, UFV-PA 2019/3212.

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In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Type of employment Permanent position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment By agreement
Salary Individually negotiated salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Visby
County Gotlands län
Country Sweden
Reference number UFV-PA 2019/3212
Union representative
  • Seko Universitetsklubben, seko@uadm.uu.se
  • ST/TCO, tco@fackorg.uu.se
  • Saco-rådet, saco@uadm.uu.se
Published 03.Oct.2019
Last application date 02.Dec.2019 11:59 PM CET

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