Associate Senior Lecturer in Political Science - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The research project AI and political communication is funded by a five-year grant from the Wallenberg Foundations. The purpose of the project is to increase knowledge of the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in society, with focus on political communication, including visual aspects.

The project is now searching for an associate senior lecturer that will conduct research independently as well as in collaboration with other members of the research team within the framework of the project. The successful candidate is expected to conduct research in line with key points of focus of the research project. A full description of the project can be found at the following link: AI & POLITICAL COMMUNICATION. 

The project is funded by Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program on Humanities and Society, wasp-hs.org, and includes a generous startup package that provides the person offered the position a budget for expenses and the opportunity to supervise 1-2 PhD students within the project. The project is integrated in the Department of Government at Uppsala University. Uppsala University was founded in 1477 and is ranked among the world’s top 100 universities in the three largest international rankings. The University has 41,000 students and 6,900 staff. At the Department of Government in Uppsala we have been conducting research and educating students for nearly 400 years. Today the department provides a vibrant and internationally successful research environment. With 50 faculty members and 40 PhD-students, the department is recognized as one of the leading political science departments in the Nordic countries.

Period of employment: The post of Associate Senior Lecturer may be held for up to five years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Lecturer. The criteria for promotion to Senior Lecturer can be found here: Föreskrifter för befordran and in Complementary guidelines for the University´s Appointment regulations 

Duties: Research and teaching. The position permits teaching up to 20%. Teaching includes course coordination, supervision and course administration. Duties may also include administrative tasks. The remaining 80% of the position should be devoted to research within the framework of the project. The project funding covers five years at 80% research.

Qualifications required: To be eligible for employment as an associate senior lecturer, applicants must hold a PhD in political science, sociology, communication, or other fields of relevance to the position or have achieved equivalent scientific expertise, and must meet the requirements for teaching skills. Preferably, the applicant will have completed a PhD or achieved equivalent expertise no more than five years before the application deadline. The applicant should have completed five weeks of department-relevant teacher training at the higher education level, or be deemed to have equivalent knowledge.

It is required that the applicant’s pedagogical skills, scientific competence and professional skills are relevant to the subject content of the position and the tasks that are to be included in the position.

Under Uppsala University's appointment regulations, it is also a general eligibility requirement that teachers possess the personal qualities necessary to capably perform the duties of the post.

Applicants must have the ability to teach in Swedish and/or English.

Assessment criteria: When selecting among eligible applicants, special emphasis will be placed on research expertise. Due to the nature of the post, as temporary employment with the potential for promotion to a permanent post, the applicant’s research and teaching qualifications will be assessed primarily in qualitative terms. An applicant’s quantitative advantage, i.e. an applicant who has been working for a longer period of time, will thus not be decisive.

Research expertise: Research expertise refers to research qualifications. When assessing research expertise, special emphasis will be placed on research qualifications in political communication (broadly understood). In the assessment of research expertise, primary consideration will be given to research quality. Importance will also be given to the scope of research, in terms of both breadth and depth, and to the applicant’s usage of qualitative, quantitative, digital and computational methods.

Teaching expertise: Teaching expertise will also be assessed carefully. Teaching skills refer to educational and teaching qualifications, and teaching quality will be the prime consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, will also be afforded consideration.

Administrative skills and other proficiencies are also significant to the post and will be given due weight. Administrative skills are demonstrated, among other things, through the ability to plan, organise and prioritise work effectively and in a purpose-adapted manner. Attention will also be given to the applicant’s ability to interact with both the scientific community and the community at large.

Additionally, special emphasis will be placed on the applicant’s potential to contribute to the project AI and political communication, and the future development of both research and education.

Qualifications should be documented so that both quality and scope can be assessed.

When Uppsala University appoints new teachers, the applicants selected are those who, following a qualitative total assessment of expertise and merits, are judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and contribute to a positive development of the department.

The Recruitment Group may in this recruitment come to use interviews, trial-lectures and referrals. The applicant should therefore submit a list of referees with insight into the applicant’s professional skill as well as personal qualities that may be of relevance for the position, e.g. ability to cooperate, ability to lead and working methods.

Personal circumstances (such as full or part-time parental leave, trade union appointments, military service, or other) that may benefit the applicants in the assessment of qualifications should be included in the list of qualifications and experience (Curriculum Vitae).

How to apply: A complete application should be submitted to Uppsala University’s on-line recruitment portal. It should comprise:

• Letter of application, including a statement or plan for how the applicant intends to contribute to the project (maximum 2 pages)
• List of appendices
• Curriculum Vitae
• Account of academic qualifications
• List of publications
• Account of teaching qualifications
• Account of other qualifications
• Academic works and any educational works being brought to bear
• List of referees

Instructions to applicants for appointment as associate senior lecturer

Note! Applications and appendices must be submitted digitally on the recruitment portal My Network. Any cited publications that are not in digital format must be sent in three copies to the Faculty of Social Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 256, 751 05 Uppsala. Please clearly mark the envelope/package with the reference number UFV-PA 2020/4229.

For more information, please see:

Appointment regulations for Uppsala University

and the Faculty’s complementary guidelines

Salary: Individual salary.

Starting date: 01-10-2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary full-time position five years. 

Scope of employment: 100%

For additional information on the appointment, please contact: Sven Oskarsson (Deputy Head of Department); ph (018) 018-471 6324, email: sven.oskarsson@statsvet.uu.se; Alexandra Segerberg (project), email alexandra.segerberg@statsvet.uu.se

We look forward to receiving your application no later than February 1, 2021, UFV-PA 2020/4229.

In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

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.