Professor of Medical Virology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology (IMBIM) at Uppsala University constitutes a broad international environment for research and education. Research at IMBIM is conducted within three collaborative and partially integrated sections: cancer, infections and defences and genetics and genomics. A more detailed description is available at http://www.imbim.uu.se/research-areas/.

Subject area: The position of professor of medical virology is organised in the section for infections and defences, IMBIM. Research and education on viruses and viral infections is carried out in the subject area, with focus on molecular mechanisms, experimental systems and understanding of the development and spread of medically relevant viral diseases.  The subject area is adjacent to research conducted within other IMBIM sections, including immunology, genetics and cell and tumour biology.

Duties: Research, teaching and administration. Applicants are expected to work in a field that complements and reinforces ongoing research in virology and that can also further develop research collaboration at Uppsala University, particularly the Faculty of Medicine.  Teaching includes responsibility for development and delivery of teaching at the first, second and third cycle levels in the subject area of virology. This includes course responsibility, course administration and supervision of doctoral students. It also includes following development in the holder’s own subject and the development of society in general.

Qualifications: To be eligible for employment as a professor, the applicant must have shown both research and teaching expertise (Swedish Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 4, Section 3). Under the Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University, having the personal characteristics required to perform the duties of the post well is a general eligibility requirement for teachers (AR 5).

Research expertise must have been demonstrated by independent research work and by the fact that the applicant’s activities maintain a high international and national standard. The applicant must have demonstrated expertise in planning, initiating, leading, and developing research, have demonstrated the capacity to obtain research funding in competition, and demonstrate well-documented expertise in supervising third-cycle students. The applicant’s contributions to the international and national academic community must be assessed on the basis of, among other things, the quality and scope of their academic publications in international journals.

Teaching expertise must have been demonstrated by educational and teaching qualifications (see Section 23 AR). Furthermore, the applicant must demonstrate documented expertise in

supervision in the first, second and third cycles. A prerequisite for having demonstrated teaching expertise is that applicants have completed teacher training for higher education of relevance to operations at the University, comprising at least ten weeks, or have acquired the equivalent knowledge. If special circumstances apply, this training for teachers in higher education may be completed during the first two years of employment. The teacher training must also include third cycle supervision.

The applicant must have a documented ability to teach in Swedish and English. If special circumstances apply, applicants who are unable to teach in Swedish are expected to acquire this ability within two years.

Assessment criteria: Equal weight will be assigned to research expertise and teaching expertise in the selection among applicants. In the assessment of research expertise, particular weight will be assigned to research qualifications in areas that can complement and otherwise further develop current research in the field of virology. This includes the potential to collaborate with researches in other areas within Uppsala University, particularly within the Faculty of Medicine, to initiate, run and participate in wider research projects. Research expertise refers primarily to scientific quality, independence and development potential, where importance will be assigned to the scope, breadth and depth.  Skills and experience with developing and applying innovative experimental techniques is an additional qualification. Furthermore, consideration must be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead and develop research and education in the third cycle, the ability to acquire funding for research in competition, as well as the demonstrated capacity to interact with others both within academia and in the wider community. See also Guidelines and Assessment Criteria for Recruiting and Promoting Teachers at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy (GA, section 7).

In assessing teaching expertise, teaching quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, must also be afforded consideration. Furthermore, consideration must be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead, and develop teaching and instruction, as well as the ability to connect research to teaching. The ability to interact concerning issues of teaching and learning in higher education with actors inside and outside the University is also included in teaching expertise. See also § 8 of GA.

When the University appoints new teachers those applicants must be selected who, following a qualitative holistic assessment of their competence and expertise, are judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and to help advance operations. Personal suitability will be assigned importance in this respect.

Assessment criteria, other expertise: Management expertise and administrative expertise are important for the appointment and will both be assigned weight. The ability to collaborate with the surrounding community and to communicate information about research and development work will be taken into account.

Management expertise is demonstrated through ability to lead activities and staff, make decisions, assume responsibility, motivate others and provide them with what they require for the effective achievement of common objectives. Ability to coordinate a group and to help generate a sense of commitment, enhance participation and enjoyment of work, and ability to deal with conflicts, are further examples of how expertise is demonstrated. See also § 5 of GA.

According to the Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University, administrative expertise is demonstrated through, for example, the capacity to plan, organise and prioritise work in a manner that is effective and adapted to the purpose, as well as the ability to specify and adhere to time frames. This form of expertise includes overall work planning; ability to manage resources in a way that reflects operational priorities; and ability to work in a structured manner and on the basis of an awareness of goals and quality. See also section 5, GA.

When assessing collaborative expertise, experience with and expertise in education and outreach, editorships and other activities related to knowledge exchange between the University and the surrounding community, as well as experience with innovation and entrepreneurship, shall be of significance. See also § 6 of GA.

The aspect of gender equality will be applied if, after an all-round qualitative assessment, two applicants of different genders have equivalent or virtually equivalent qualifications.

Information about the position can be provided by: the dean-elect of the Faculty of medicine Karin Forsberg Nilsson, 070-1679579, karin.nilsson@igp.uu.se, or by the head of department Catharina Svensson, 070-4250385.

Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University can be found at Policies and regulations at Uppsala University.

Guidelines and assessment criteria for recruiting and promoting teachers at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy can be found at the webpage of the Disciplinary domain.

Career Portfolios: Instructions for compiling qualifications and guidelines for qualifications assessment in connection with recruitment of teachers can be found at the Policies and regulations for Uppsala University.

Please submit your application, which should be written in English, no later than 10 August 2020, UFV-PA 2020/248. 

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.

Please note that in the event of any discrepancies between the Swedish and the English versions of this text, the Swedish version takes precedence.