Associate Professor in Geophysics with specialization in Rock Mechanics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Uppsala University’s tenure track system grants associate professors the possibility to be assessed for promotion to the position as professor. The university provides support in various areas, such as scientific and educational development, leadership development as well as patent and innovation support.

The Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University is Sweden’s largest and most versatile department of its kind with approximately 250 employees. Our activities are interdisciplinary and combine natural science and technology with social science. We have research programs in air, water and landscape science (LUVAL); geophysics; natural resources and sustainable development; (NRHU); petrology, mineralogy and tectonics (MPT); paleobiology; and wind energy. By investigating the history of Earth, we understand how our planet has developed over time and how sustainable development benefits from this knowledge.

The Geophysics Program is active in research and education. The program hosts research groups working with earthquake seismology, reflection seismics, scientific drilling, electromagnetic methods, petrophysics and geodynamic modelling with emphasis on both near-surface applications and deeper earth processes. The program also hosts the Swedish National Seismic Network (SNSN), is the Swedish hub for the European Plate Observing System (EPOS), and is a member of “Riksriggen”, the Swedish national research infrastructure for scientific drilling. Geophysics is responsible for the Geophysics specialization in the Physics BSc and MSc programs and for PhD programs in Geophysics. The program also contributes to other education programs at BSc, MSc, and PhD levels, as well as to individual courses and lifelong learning courses.

The Geophysics Program seeks an associate professor (senior lecturer) in rock mechanics and scientific drilling. The position has close links to existing research groups within geophysics, as well as to other closely related groups at the Department of Earth Sciences, e.g., within the NRHU, MPT and LUVAL programs. The new competence will contribute to larger applied projects, e.g, within raw materials, geothermal exploration, geological storage and infrastructure applications in search of sustainable solutions for society, as well as to basic research projects.

Description of subject area of the employment:

Rock mechanics is the study of the physical and mechanical properties of rocks and rock masses, especially their deformation, strength and stability. Rock mechanics encompasses earth science and engineering. Scientific drilling (including, e.g., drill cores, in situ testing, logging and monitoring in boreholes) generates sub-surface data that cannot be obtained by other means.

The successful candidate will work with a variety of issues of significant scientific and practical importance for society with rock mechanics and scientific drilling as key elements. Development of innovative experimental and analysis methodologies should allow research addressing key issues in a number of fields, such as mining and geothermics. There is currently a demand for engineers and scientists who are adequately trained in advanced rock mechanical and related methods, and all indications are that this demand will increase over the coming decade. Contributions to teaching in this field will therefore also be important.

Duties:

• Teaching, research and administration. Teaching duties include course responsibility and course administration and supervision of second- and third-cycle students.

• Follow developments within the subject area and developments of society in general that are important for the work at the university.

• The position may include leadership and management roles, related to research projects, teaching and the development of teaching, and interaction with various external instances, including from industry and scientific drilling programs.

• Experimental resources. The position has an experimental component, both in the laboratory (rock mechanics testing) and in the field (scientific drilling and testing with Riksriggen.

Qualifications Required:

• PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (such as geophysics, rock mechanics, engineering geology, geomechanics).

• Research Expertise and Teaching Expertise or other professional expertise. 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 that will be included in the employment.

• Applicants must have completed teacher training of relevance to operations at the University, comprising 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.

• Documented ability to teach in Swedish and English is a requirement unless special reasons prevail.

• Personal capabilities necessary to carry out fully the duties of the appointment.

Assessment Criteria/Ranking of applicants that fulfil the above-mentioned qualifications required

The ranking of eligible applicants will be based primarily on research and teaching expertise, which will be given equal weight.

Research Expertise comprises research merits. In addition to academic merits, research merits from other activities, including technology development, may also be considered, including research merits obtained outside the academy, which includes for example technology development and innovation ability. In assessing research expertise research quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of research, primarily regarding depth and breadth, must also be afforded consideration. In assessing research expertise special weight will be attached to research merits in experimental rock mechanics, scientific drilling projects, as well as development and operation of infrastructure and experimental equipment.

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.

Teaching Expertise comprises educational and teaching qualifications. This expertise can have been achieved outside the academy through supervision, internal training, mentoring programs, etc. In assessing teaching expertise teaching quality must be the prime consideration. In assessing teaching expertise special weight will be attached to merits in teaching students from technical and natural science backgrounds, on relevant experimental methodology, and on the application of the relevant techniques to address important practical issues, including industry perspectives.

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 in respect to research in the subject at hand, subject didactics, as well as teaching and learning in higher education. 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.

Administrative Expertise is important for the employment and will be given consideration. Expertise includes overall operational planning and the capacity to manage resources in a way that reflects operational priorities as well as the ability to work in a structured manner based on an awareness of goals and quality.

Management Expertise is important and will be afforded high consideration. Management expertise is demonstrated through the capacity to lead operations and personnel, make decisions, take responsibility, and motivate others, providing them with what is needed for the efficient achievement of common goals. Experience in management of laboratory and field activities are especially important.

Collaboration Expertise is important and will be afforded high consideration. Collaborative expertise is demonstrated by the ability and skill of planning, organizing and implementing interaction with the surrounding community. Popular publications, public debate and lectures are examples of forms of interaction with the surrounding community. Other examples of collaboration are patent applications, commercialization and industrial cooperation. Social skills are important and documented effective interaction with external actors, including from industry, is an important merit.

Other Expertise is important and will be afforded consideration. Advanced infrastructures are often required to acquire scientific drilling data (e.g. drill cores, borehole information). Merits from scientific drilling, including development of advanced infrastructure and drilling projects, active participation in drilling projects and science advisory bodies are important.

All merits must be documented in a manner that makes it possible to assess both quality and scope.

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

Further information

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.

University appointment regulations

Faculty appointment regulations

Instructions for application

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Program, Professor Ólafur Gudmundsson (telephone: +46 018 4712788, e-mail: olafur.gudmundsson@geo.uu.se), Professor Alireza Malehmir ( telephone: +46 018 4712335, e-mail: alireza.malehmir@geo.uu.se), Head of Department, Professor Ian Snowball (telephone: +46 018 4713657, e-mail: ian.snowball@geo.uu.se).

Type of position: Permanent full-time position.

Salary: Individually negotiated salary.

Number of positions: 1

Working hours: 100%

Town: Uppsala

Starting date: 01-03-2023 or as otherwise agreed

Please submit your application by November 9 2022, UFV-PA 2022/3426.

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

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