The Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences have a vacancy for a post as

Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering

About the position

The Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences with effect from 01.08.2024 has a vacancy for a full-time post as Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering with special emphasis on materials technology, polymer composite materials, or additive manufacturing.

The post relates to the Department of Science and Industry Systems, and the immediate superior is the Head of the Department. The main place of work is currently Campus Kongsberg.

Responsibilities and duties

The candidate is expected to contribute to the development of internationally recognized research in the area of mechanical engineering. As an Associate Professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway, you will be assigned responsibility for teaching, research, research management and supervision in strategic areas within the University's network of researchers.

The USN has a strong network of international and national companies that are directly associated with our educational programs and research. The successful candidate should have a proven track record of collaborating with industrial partners in research.

You may be required to carry out teaching at all levels of the educational cycle within your department, and at other departments.

For the University, distance learning and e-learning are target areas, and the candidate must therefore be able to provide supervision and teaching via digital media.

Qualifications

The candidate must document research experience within one or more research areas relevant for the position.

All applicants must provide a research statement (not more than 3 pages long) describing the applicant's vision and scientific ambitions for the nearest future.

The candidate must have the ability to work independently and at the same time have the motivation to share knowledge and take part in teamwork. We seek candidates that are motivated by research dissemination and that are passionate about developing strong teams at all levels. Personal suitability for the position will be emphasised.

For appointment as an Associate Professor (førsteamanuensis), a Norwegian doctoral degree is required within the subject area or an equivalent foreign doctoral degree that has been approved as equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree or similar level of competence documented by means of scientific work of the same scope and quality.

For appointment as an Associate Professor (førstelektor), documented extensive research and development work is required, which in quality and scope equals the workload and level of a doctoral thesis. Special qualifications in teaching or other pedagogical activities are emphasised.

As classes are held in Norwegian, candidates that are able to teach in one of the Scandinavian languages (Norwegian, Swedish or Danish) will be preferred.

The Department collaborates closely with national industry and internationally leading high-tech companies. Our research is applicable to dual use technology areas that lies within the export control regulations.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and interview are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to USN. The research area includes technologies referred to in the Ministry's export control regulations. For your information export license or security clearences may therefore be required.

Applicants must also document educational competence in line with the guidelines in the Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts (https://lovdata.no/dokument/SFE/forskrift/2006-02-09-129).

Requirements for documentation of educational competence

Teaching at the university shall be based on research, in terms of both teaching practice and content. As such, we aim to recruit teachers who have experience from and demonstrate the motivation to focus on the development of teaching practice and the interaction between teaching and research, in order to promote learning.

In accordance with the Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research post (https://lovdata.no/dokument/SFE/forskrift/2006-02-09-129), the University of South-Eastern Norway has established requirements that applicants for the posts of Associate Professor must be able to document skills in university and university college level pedagogy, subject didactics and digital competencies.

On this basis, it is assumed that applicants can document educational skills through successfully completed university-level educational programmes of study or equivalent courses with a minimum of 200 hours of work and that they have developed fundamental skills in planning, implementing, evaluation and development of teaching and supervision at a university or university college level.

Alternatively, documentation is required to demonstrate the candidate's own practice as a teacher, academic supervisor and educational supervisor in higher education, combined with relevant educational programmes, courses and seminars and documentation of acquired basic skills in planning, implementing, evaluating and developing teaching and supervision.

For applicants assessed primarily on the basis of their practice, there is an experience requirement within teaching, academic and educational supervision that corresponds to a portion of a full-time position in higher education corresponding to two years.

Candidates who do not meet the requirements upon hiring are obliged to meet them within two years after being hired for the position. The two-year rule does not apply when applying for a promotion.

See further description of how educational competence shall be documented in applications (https://www.usn.no/english/vacancies/criterias-for-assessing-educational-competence-for-employment-and-promotion).

Applicants who do not have educational qualifications of this kind may be appointed on the condition that they qualify within two (2) years. Courses in university and university college level pedagogy will be offered.

When assessing applicants, emphasis will be placed on

• Scientific and educational qualifications.
• Professional competence and scientific production within materials technology, composite materials including polymer composites, or additive manufacturing.
• Publication in international peer-reviewed journals.
• Teaching experience and competence within mechanical engineering subjects, including materials technology and product development. 
• Administrative experience and competence.
• Ability to obtain external funds.
• Research management, participation and research projects and research dissemination.
• Experience from research-driven innovation and industry collaboration.
• Experience from international research mobility.
• Other relevant competence.
• Motivation for the post.

We offer

• Exciting and educational academic environment with stimulating work.
• Individual competence plan and good opportunities for competence and career development for all employees.
• Inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues.
• Good pension scheme and favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (https://www.spk.no/en/).
• Employee benefits, including opportunity to exercise during working hours.

Salary

Associate Professor (Førsteamanuensis) (position code 1011) and Associate Professor (førstelektor) (position code 1198): NOK 646 000 - 845 900 per year. In special circumstances, higher salaries may be considered.

Salary grade according to seniority and competence. Statutory amounts for the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted from salary.

The person appointed must comply with the laws, regulations and agreements that apply at any given time to the post.

Additional information

The appointing body is the appointments committee for teaching and research posts at the University of South-Eastern Norway. An expert committee will assess the applications. Based on the committee's recommendations, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview and a trial lecture.

The person appointed must comply with the laws, regulations and agreements that apply at any given time to the post.

According to our human resources policy, it is our aim that our employees, to the fullest extent possible, shall reflect the diversity of the general population. We therefore encourage all qualified candidates to apply for the post. We endeavor to further develop as an inclusive workplace and to adapt your workplace if required. You are also welcome to apply for a position with us if you have experienced periods where you have not been in employment, education or training.

The Department has few women appointed in scientific positions, and women are therefore particularly encouraged to apply.

Pursuant to section 25, 2nd paragraph of the Freedom of Information Act, information on the applicant may be disclosed even if the applicant has requested not be included on the list of applicants. Applicants will be notified if such requests are not allowed.

Contact information

For more information about the position, please contact:
Head of Department, Elisabet Syverud,  email: elisabet.syverud@usn.no, phone: +47 41360488
Program coordinator, Kjell Enger, email: kjell.enger@usn.no, phone: +47 31008952

For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact:
Head of section, Britt Granseth Wien, email: britt.wien@usn.no.

How to apply

The University of South-Eastern Norway makes use of online application management. Applicants to the post must register their application and CV with enclosures online via the Jobbnorge recruitment portal by clicking on the link on the right-hand side -  “Søk stillingen" (Apply for the post).

The following documents shall be attached to the online application:

• Certified copies of diplomas from a university college/university and certificates.
• Scientific publications (up to 10 for applicants for Associate Professor (førsteamanuensis/førstelektor).
• List of scientific publications.
• Applicants who have completed their own university pedagogy course corresponding to a minimum of 200 hours must enclose a certificate of completed course/examination along with a curriculum plan or a description of the course and appurtenant topics/themes.
• Basic skills in planning, implementing, evaluating and developing of teaching and supervision must be documented in the form of a systematic and holistic overview.
• Other applicants must describe, assess and document their competence as teachers, mentors and educational supervisors through a systematic and holistic overview. At USN, the pedagogical portfolio is used. Please read more about the documents that should be included in the pedagogical portfolio in USN's criteria for assessing educational competence for employment and promotion (https://www.usn.no/english/vacancies/criterias-for-assessing-educational-competence-for-employment-and-promotion).
• Contact information for three references.

Please note that all documents must be in a Scandinavian language or in English. Any translations must be certified.

If your higher education is from a university outside of Norway, we require it to be recognized by the Norwegian Directorate of Higher Education and Skills. You must apply for the recognition before the application deadline for this position expires. Add a receipt on your application or recognition when applying. The recognition must be sent to us and is a requirement for being hired. 

This position may get access to sensitive data, and we therefore prefer applicants with possibility to receive security clearance by the Norwegian National Security Authority. For more information, visit www.nsm.no.

Click here to read more about the recruitment process for scientific posts (https://www.usn.no/ledige-stillinger/vurdering-av-soknader-til-vitenskapelige-stillinger-article221284-7900.html) at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

Each applicant is responsible for ensuring that the requested documentation has been uploaded with the application within the application deadline!

The University has been awarded a Charter & Code certificate by the European Commission, and is entitled to use the HR Excellence in Research (HRS4R) logo. The University is also a member of the EURAXESS network, which contributes to good working conditions for mobile researchers.