Assistant Professor in Meteorology, with specialization in Climate Hazards and Society

Uppsala University’s tenure track system grants assistant professors the possibility to be assessed for promotion to the position as associate 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. The department has approximately 280 employees. Our activities are interdisciplinary and combine natural science and technology with social science. We have research programs in Air, Water and Landscape Science; Geophysics; Natural Resources and Sustainable Development; Petrology, Mineralogy and Tectonics; 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. For more information: The Department of Earth Sciences.

The announced position is in the research program Air, Water and Landscape Science (LUVAL) which brings together research and education in Hydrology, Meteorology, Environmental Analysis and Physical Geography. You can find more information here: LUVAL. The Assistant Professor will be part of the Swedish Centre for Impacts of Climate Extremes (climes).

This position as Assistant Professor is part of the Environmental Research Leaders programme of the Swedish foundation for strategic environmental research (MISTRA), and comes with a start-up package which includes a fully-funded doctoral position and a fully-funded post-doctoral position.

Description of subject area of the employment: The Assistant Professor will conduct research within the topic of Climate Hazards and Society. Their research will combine the study of the multiple and interacting physical drivers of climate hazards with an understanding of the societal processes that shape both the hazards and their impacts. Knowledge of subject areas such as climate science, meteorology or hydrology is of relevance for the physical understanding, while areas such as natural hazards, human geography and environmental economics are of relevance for understanding the interplay with society. We welcome applicants with either a theoretical or an applied focus. The requirement is that the research is not limited to only studying the physical dimension of hazards or only the impacts of hazards on society, but rather combines synergistically these two perspectives. The work should consider climate-related hazards such as heatwaves, cold spells, droughts, wildfires, floods or storms. Concrete examples of relevant research topics include: socio-economic impacts from climate hazards; how different hazards interact with one another, resulting in domino effects or cascading events, where one incident triggers a sequence of other disruptions; how humans shape both the climate hazards and their impacts; and societal preparedness to climate hazards.

Duties:

* Teaching, research and administration. Teaching duties include course responsibility and course administration and supervision of second- and third-cycle students. The Assistant Professor will teach courses part of the Master's Programme in Physics – Meteorology and Climate Physics and, depending on their background, may also contribute to courses in related programmes such as Master's Programme in Earth Science – Hydrology/Hydrogeology and and Master's Programme in Environmental and Water Engineering. Supervision and examination of student theses within these educational programs is also included. Administrative duties will focus on course administration.

* Follow developments within the subject area and the development of society in general that is important for the work at the university.

* Research duties involve establishing a vigorous research portfolio in Climate Hazards and Society, supervising and coordinating the work of the research team funded as part of the position, and applying for external funding on topics related to the above research area. The expectation is that research results will be communicated to the academic community in the form of peer-reviewed papers in leading international journals, through presentations at workshops and conferences and through seminars during research visits and exchanges. It is further expected that the Assistant Professor will communicate their research to and engage with non-academic actors.

Appointment Period: The position can be held for a maximum of six years. An Assistant Professor can apply for promotion to Associate Professor. If the Assistant Professor is deemed suitable and fulfills the criteria for promotion established by the Faculty Board he/she shall be promoted to and employed as Associate Professor.

Required Qualifications:

* Ph. D. in meteorology, climate physics, hydrology, natural hazards, environmental analysis, disaster management or other specialisations relevant to the study of Climate Hazards and Society and which ensure a robust technical and mathematical preparation. Applicants who have obtained a PhD degree or achieved the equivalent competence in seven years or less prior to the end of the application period will be given priority.

* Research Expertise and Teaching 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 should have completed teacher training of relevance to operations at the University, comprising five weeks, or have acquired the equivalent knowledge. If this is not fulfilled at the time of application, this training for teachers in higher education may be completed during the first two years of employment.

* Documented ability to teach in Swedish or 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 required qualifications:

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

Research Expertise comprises research merits as well as the applicant´s potential to contribute to the future development of both research and teaching. In assessing research expertise research quality must be the prime consideration. The scope of research, primarily in regard to depth and breadth, must also be afforded consideration. In assessing research expertise special weight will be attached to the following research merits:

* Evidence of having conducted research independently, for example by having peer-reviewed publications not co-authored by the doctoral supervisor(s).

* Evidence of having conducted high-quality research of relevance to the study of Climate Hazards and Society, and of having communicated this in international scientific meetings and through peer-reviewed papers in reputed international journals.

* Evidence of having attracted competitive external funding on topics relevant to the study of Climate Hazards and Society.

* Achievement of both breadth and depth of research, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international scientific meetings.

* Experience in supervising doctoral research.

* Having held positions of trust at local, national or international level, for example within a university, journal, learned society or other scientific organisations.

Teaching Expertise comprises educational and 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, must also be afforded consideration.

Collaboration Expertise is important and will be afforded consideration, including:

* Merits in communication and collaborations/interactions with non-academic actors, including the private, public and third sectors.

* Merits in research dissemination to the general public, e.g. through mass media or live events.

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: Gabriele Messori, Professor of Meteorology (gabriele.messori@geo.uu.se) Anna Rutgersson, Head of Department (prefekt@geo.uu.se)

Type of position: Temporary full-time position six years.

Salary: Individually negotiated salary.

Number of positions: 1

Working hours: 100%

Town: Uppsala

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

Please submit your application by November 7 2025, UFV-PA 2025/2639.