The Torsten Söderberg Professor in Jewish Thought

The Faculty of Theology in Uppsala is Sweden’s largest research and education unit for questions of religion and theology. The faculty is the oldest at the university and has conducted theological research and teaching since 1477. In total, we offer 280 courses and programmes with subjects ranging from the major world religions to new patterns of values, from text-critical biblical research to behavioural, historical, ethical and philosophical studies. Here you will find a modern faculty and department that interacts with the outside world. We have an educational and research environment characterised by a great breadth of knowledge and professionalism.

The Faculty of Theology at Uppsala University has worked together with Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden – to establish a professorship in Jewish Thought. Paideia is a European applied research institute founded in 2000 on the initiative of the Swedish government. Paideia’s mission is to nurture the renewal of European Jewish culture, to support cross-cultural dialogue, and to promote the conditions for a minority culture in European societies.

The core subject of Jewish thought is the study of pivotal Jewish texts. Specifically, it deals with the historical and contemporary interpretations of the texts, as well as their theological and philosophical content and systems of thought. The focus is on the interplay between textual interpretation and the history of ideas, and how these have shaped Jewish life and culture. For this reason, rabbinic literature and its interpretive tradition, including its relation to the Hebrew Bible, play a central role.

Duties
The professor will have overall responsibility for third cycle (PhD) education in the field of Jewish thought, and for developing the department’s research within the field. Other responsibilities include developing research projects and establishing collaboration with other research areas. The professor is also expected to be able to teach and supervise at all levels. Fifty per cent of the position is assigned to various research tasks, which includes twenty per cent dedicated to tasks that strengthen the local research environment by activities like: arranging and participating in seminars, workshops and conferences, preparing project applications, and so on. The remaining research time is intended for independent research activities, including participation in conferences relevant to one's own research. Duties of an administrative nature may also occur.

Required qualifications
The candidate is eligible for appointment as a professor if he or she has demonstrated both research and teaching expertise (Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 4, Section 3). The research expertise must have been demonstrated through independent research efforts and by the applicant’s qualifications being of very high international quality. The applicant must have demonstrated expertise in planning, initiating, leading and developing research, have demonstrated the ability to obtain research grants in competition, and have well-documented expertise in supervising third cycle (PhD) students.

Teaching expertise must be shown through an extensive educational portfolio. Furthermore, the applicant must demonstrate well-documented expertise in supervision at first-cycle (undergraduate), second-cycle  (Master’s) and third-cycle (PhD) level, and must otherwise meet the requirements laid down in the Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University (Section 32) and the Faculty of Theology’s supplementary guidelines (Section 3.2.2).

Teaching expertise, research expertise and professional skills must be relevant to the subject matter of the position and the duties that the position will involve.

Eligibility also requires documented ability to teach in English and to teach in Swedish within two years.

As stipulated in Uppsala University’s Appointment Regulations, a general qualification requirement for teaching positions is that the applicant must have the ability to cooperate with people and otherwise meet the suitability requirements necessary to carry out the duties of the position.

A high level of scholarly competence in rabbinic literature is required. The applicant is also expected to relate his/her research to the long tradition of Jewish thought as well as to contemporary issues and debates.

In addition, the applicant should have specialised expertise in one of the following main areas of Jewish thought:
- Second Temple literature, its interpretations and reception history
- Rabbinic literature, its interpretations and reception history
- Medieval Jewish philosophy
- Jewish law, practices and responsa literature
- Kabbalah and Hasidism: mysticism and theological metaphysics
- Modern Jewish theology and philosophy: the encounter between Jewish tradition and modernity
- Contemporary Jewish philosophy and culture

Assessment criteria; research and teaching expertise
The assessment criteria used in the appointment of teachers at Uppsala University will be the degree of expertise required as a qualification for employment.

When making an appointment to this professorship, weight will be primarily given to research and teaching expertise, with particular attention being given to research expertise. However, in an overall assessment of the criteria, an applicant whose teaching expertise is deemed far superior to that of an applicant with slightly superior research expertise may be ranked ahead of the latter applicant.

In assessing research expertise, research quality will be the primary consideration. The scope of the research, in terms primarily of its depth and breadth, will also be taken into account. The applicant’s contributions to the international and national academic community will be assessed on the basis of such criteria as the quality and scope of their scholarly publications in the most relevant publishing channels for the subject. The international track record required will be assessed according to the nature and specific circumstances of the subject.

Research expertise must have been demonstrated through independent research contributions that both qualitatively and quantitatively considerably exceed that which is required for docent (associate professor) status.

The applicant should normally have been principal supervisor of at least one doctoral student up to and including the thesis defence, unless there are special grounds otherwise.

For the Torsten Söderberg professor in Jewish Thought, special emphasis will be placed on documented experience of multidisciplinary collaboration, both within the field of Jewish Thought and related research areas, as well as on engagement with the wider community.

Proven experience of academic collaboration and building a research environment is an advantage.

Teaching expertise will be evaluated as carefully as research expertise. In assessing teaching expertise, teaching quality will be the primary consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, will also be taken into account. Furthermore, consideration will be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead and develop education and teaching, as well as the ability to integrate research into teaching in the relevant subject, subject didactics, and higher education pedagogy.

Assessment criteria; other expertise
In addition, the assessment will take into account the degree of administrative and other expertise that is relevant with regard to the subject matter and duties of the position. Attention will also be paid to team-working abilities and skill in developing and leading activities and staff, and the potential to contribute to synergies within and beyond the department. Further, attention will be paid to the ability to collaborate with the wider community and to communicate research and development issues.

When the university appoints new teachers, it will select the applicants who, upon a qualitative overall assessment of their competence and expertise, are judged to have the best potential to perform and develop the duties and to contribute to the positive development of the organisation.

The qualifications must be documented in a manner that allows both their quality and scope to be assessed. In this recruitment, the recruitment committee may make use of interviews, trial lectures and references. Applicants should therefore provide a list of reference persons who can shed light on the applicant’s professional proficiency and personal qualities that are relevant to the position, e.g. team-working abilities, leadership abilities and working methods.

Personal circumstances (parental leave, part-time employment due to childcare, trade union duties, military service, etc.) that may be considered to the applicant’s advantage when evaluating qualifications should be indicated in connection with the account of qualifications and experience.

It is planned that the professor will spend four days per week at the Department of Theology and one day at Paideia.

Application procedure: A complete application is to be submitted via Uppsala University’s recruitment system and should include:

• Letter of application
• List of attachments
• Curriculum Vitae
• Presentation of research qualifications
• List of publications
• Presentation of teaching qualifications
• Presentation of other qualifications
• Scholarly (maximum 10) and (if any) educational publications cited
• List of reference persons (name, contact details, previous working relationship)

Instructions for preparing the application can be found in the Faculty's supplementary guidelines for employment.

Please Note: Your application, including attachments, is to be submitted electronically in the recruitment system Varbi. Any publications cited that are not available in electronic format should be sent in triplicate to the Faculty of Theology, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 256, SE-751 05 Uppsala. Please mark the envelope with the reference UFV-PA 2024/3769.

For further information, see Uppsala University's Appointment Regulations
and the Faculty of Theology's Supplementary Guidelines to the University’s Appointment Regulations.

About the position: This is a permanent, full-time position. Probationary period may apply. Starting date 2026-01-01 or by agreement. Place of work: Uppsala (and Stockholm one day per week).

Further information about the position is available from: Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Professor Cecilia Wejryd, e-mail cecilia.wejryd@teol.uu.se.

Questions about the appointment procedure may be addressed to: Faculty Officer Karin Andersson Schiebe, e-mail teolfak@teol.uu.se

We look forward to receiving your application by February 27, 2025.

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