Senior lecturer in medical biochemistry

The Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology (IMBIM) at Uppsala University provides a broad international environment for research and education. IMBIM conducts basic research in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, tumour biology, comparative genetics, functional genomics, immunology, bacteriology, and virology. The research conducted by the department is essentially basic, but its application has clear relevance and application in health and disease in both animals and humans. For a more detailed description, please visit Research – Uppsala University.

Description of the subject area 
The position as senior lecturer in Medical Biochemistry is part of the Biochemistry and Cancer main section at IMBIM. Research in this section spans a broad spectrum that includes protein chemistry, RNA biology, molecular cell and tumour biology, vascular biology and glycobiology. Both research and education focus on molecular mechanisms of medical relevance that underlie both normal function and disease states. Due to the breadth of the subject area, it also integrates research at other sections of IMBIM, such as immunology, virology, bacteriology and genomics.

Duties
The position includes research, teaching and administration. Applicants are expected to work in a field that complements and reinforces ongoing research in the section and that can also further develop research collaboration at Uppsala University. Teaching includes responsibility for the development and implementation of teaching at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral level in the subject area of medical biochemistry, which includes everything from the structure and function of biomolecules to metabolism. Additional duties include course responsibility, course administration and supervision of doctoral students. The position also includes monitoring developments in your subject area and general societal developments that are material to the work of the University. The position may include assignments in management and administration at the department and at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy.

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

Research expertise must have been demonstrated through independent research contributions of high quality. The applicant’s contributions to the international and national scientific community must be assessed on the basis of criteria such as the quality and scope of scholarly publications. The international track record required will be assessed according to the nature and specific circumstances of the subject. (Section 34 of the AR). Teaching expertise must have been demonstrated by educational and teaching qualifications in accordance with Section 22 of the AR. A prerequisite for having demonstrated teaching expertise is that applicants have completed teacher training for higher education of relevance to activities at the University, comprising at least ten weeks, or have acquired the equivalent knowledge. If special circumstances exist, the teacher training for higher education may be undertaken during the first two years of employment. (Section 35 of the AR)

The applicant must have a documented ability to teach in Swedish or in English. If exceptional reasons exist, an applicant who currently lacks the ability to teach in Swedish may be assumed to be able to acquire that ability within two years. See section 6 of the AR.

Assessment criteria
When selecting from among qualified applicants, research and teaching expertise will be given the greatest weight, with particular emphasis on research expertise. When assessing research expertise, special weight will be given to research qualifications in areas that provide a molecular understanding of cellular and physiological processes with links to medical questions, and that can complement and develop other research being conducted in the subject area at IMBIM. This includes the potential to collaborate with researchers in other areas within Uppsala University, particularly within the Faculty of Medicine, to initiate, run and participate in broader research projects. Expertise and experience in applying experimental techniques and developing new experimental methods are also desirable. Particular weight will be given to scientific production within the past ten years.

Research expertise refers to research qualifications. In assessing research expertise, research quality will be the prime consideration. The scope of the research, particularly in terms of its depth and breadth, will also be taken into account. Furthermore, consideration shall be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead and develop research and doctoral-level education, the ability to acquire research funding in competition, as well as demonstrated ability to collaborate and engage with the wider community through research. (Section 20 of the AR). See also Section 7 of Guidelines and Assessment Criteria for Recruiting and Promoting Teachers at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy (GA). Teaching expertise refers to teaching qualifications. In assessing teaching expertise, teaching quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, shall also be afforded consideration. Furthermore, consideration will be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead, and develop education and teaching, as well as the ability to connect research to teaching. The ability to interact with actors inside and outside the University in relation to issues of teaching and learning in higher education is also included in teaching expertise. (Section 22 of the AR). See also Section 8 of the GA. Another ability and characteristic that is sought and assessed is the ability to work well with others.

Assessment criteria, other expertise
Administrative and management expertise are also significant to the position and will be assigned weight. The ability to collaborate with the wider community and to communicate information about research and development work will be taken into account. Administrative expertise is demonstrated through, for example, the capacity to plan, organise and prioritise work in a suitable and effective manner, as well as the ability to specify and adhere to time frames. This form of expertise includes overall work planning; the ability to manage resources in a way that reflects operational priorities; and the ability to work in a structured manner and on the basis of an awareness of goals and quality. (Section 28 of the AR). See also Section 9 of the GA.

Management expertise is demonstrated through an 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. The ability to coordinate a group and to help generate a sense of commitment, participation and job satisfaction, and the ability to deal with conflicts, are further examples of how expertise is demonstrated. (Section 30 of the AR). See also Section 9 of the 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 wider community, as well as experience with innovation and entrepreneurship, shall be of significance. (Section 10 of the GA)

In an overall assessment of the applicants’ qualifications, parental leave, part-time work due to childcare, trade union responsibilities, military service or similar activities shall be treated as work experience. (Section 94 of the AR).

When hiring new teachers, the University shall 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 concerned and to contribute to the positive development of activities. (Section 4 of the AR).

The gender equality aspect shall be applied in connection with employment if, after qualitative assessment, two applicants of different genders are found to have equivalent or near-equivalent qualifications and one of the genders is under-represented (accounts for less than 40 percent within the relevant position category and at the relevant workplace). (Section 95 of the AR)

All qualifications must be documented to enable assessment of both quality and scope.

International experts may be involved in the assessment of submitted applications. In such a case, application documents written in Swedish may need to be sent to a translator contracted by the University.

Links to relevant regulations and instructions:

Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University

Guidelines and Assessment Criteria for Recruiting and Promoting Teachers at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy

Career portfolios: Compilation Instructions and Assessment Guidelines for the Recruitment of Teachers, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy

For additional information about the position, please contact Acting Head of Department Anna-Karin Olsson, 018-471 4399, email: anna-karin.olsson@imbim.uu.se.

We welcome your application no later than August 11 2025, UFV-PA 2025/771