Assistant professor in a subject of choice at the Faculty of Medicine, with combined clinical employment

Umeå University aims to give the next generation of research leaders the best possible conditions to conduct cutting-edge research through the Umeå University Northern Star Fellows Programme. Through this university-wide initiative, we offer 10 early-career researchers the opportunity to develop their research over the long term through a six-year tenure-track assistant professorship, with the possibility of promotion to associate professor. All open calls in the initiative can be found here: 

https://www.umu.se/en/northern-star/northern-star-fellows/   

Learn more about the Umeå University Northern Star Programme, a new excellence initiative designed to strengthen research quality and international competitiveness. 

https://www.umu.se/en/northern-star/  

As part of the Northern Star Fellows programme, the Faculty of Medicine is advertising up to three positions as assistant professor in a subject of choice within the Faculty’s research areas and degree programmes, with combined clinical employment within the applicant’s healthcare profession. The positions will be offered to the candidates who, in competition, are assessed to have the strongest merits in research and teaching, as well as the potential to develop a successful research profile regardless of subject area and clinical profession. The positions come with a start-up package, including funding equivalent to a doctoral studentship and operating funds for your research.

 We look forward to receiving your application no later than 1 October!

Work description

This position entails the opportunity to build research and teaching credentials, combined with clinical practice as a pharmacist, occupational therapist, midwife, biomedical scientist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist, prescriptionist, radiographer, medical physicist, nurse, consultant (attending) physician, resident physician, resident dentist, dental hygienist, dentist, or dental technician within Region Västerbotten.
The position is aimed at early-career researchers and is intended to provide the assistant professor with the opportunity to develop research independence, and to build both the scientific and pedagogical merits required for eligibility for appointment as associate professor with a combined clinical position.

Depending on your clinical profession and, where applicable, level of training, the employment entails either clinical duties of up to 13 hours a week, or clinical work corresponding to 50 percent of a full-time position as resident physician or resident dentist.

At least 80 percent of the remaining working hours, excluding the clinical duties, is aimed at the acquisition of scientific qualifications, with the remainder allocated to pedagogical development.

Teaching is partly carried out remotely, by internet-based methods. Teaching is carried out in Swedish and English. Administrative tasks may be included.

Umeå is the place of employment, but work at other locations may occur.

Qualification requirements

Applies to all applicants: A person who has been awarded a doctorate or has achieved equivalent research expertise is qualified for appointment as assistant professor.

To be eligible for employment the applicant must have documented ability to lecture/teach in English. In addition, eligibility requires sufficient proficiency in Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian (in accordance with the definition of the National Board of Health and Welfare).

As the employment is combined with clinical duties in a relevant health care profession, a Swedish professional licence and, where applicable, a specialist certification in the profession is required for appointment.

For applicants who are resident physicians or resident dentists, the following applies: As the position is combined with specialist training (residency) as a physician or dentist, a Swedish medical or dental licence is required. For dentists, at least two years of documented experience in general dental practice is also required.

For other applicants, the following applies: As the position is combined with clinical duties in your profession, a Swedish professional licence as a pharmacist, occupational therapist, midwife, biomedical scientist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist, physician, prescriptionist, radiographer, medical physicist, nurse, dental hygienist, dentist, or dental technician is required for appointment. For physicians, specialist certification in the relevant specialty is also required. The same applies to dentists holding specialist qualifications.

Assessment criteria

Since the position is aimed at early-career researchers, priority should be given to candidates who have been awarded their doctorate or have achieved equivalent research expertise no more than seven years prior to the application deadline for the position as assistant professor, in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 4a of the Higher Education Ordinance, and decisions taken by Umeå University. However, a person who has been awarded a doctorate or has achieved equivalent competence earlier can also be considered if special reasons exist. Special reasons refer to leave of absence due to illness, parental leave or other similar circumstances (Chapter 4, Section 4a of the Higher Education Ordinance). Furthermore, the assessment criteria for employment as assistant professor are: research expertise, teaching expertise and administrative skills.

General assessment criteria for all teacher categories are a good ability to cooperate and the expertise and suitability required in general to complete the work duties well.

Weighting of assessment criteria

In the assessment, qualifications will be weighted as follows: research expertise (3), teaching expertise (2), and administrative skills (1).

Description of the assessment criteria

In the assessment of research expertise for this position, particular emphasis will be placed on originality, independence, and the potential to develop a successful and independent line of research within the applicant’s field. Postdoctoral research conducted at an institution other than the one at which the applicant obtained their doctoral degree is highly meritorious.

In the assessment of teaching expertise, emphasis will be given to planning, delivery, and evaluation of teaching, as well as supervision and examination.

Administrative skills may be demonstrated through experience in research planning, undergraduate education planning, the ability to develop and lead others, and to administrate, among other things.

For this position, it is particularly meritorious if the applicant has had their primary employment outside of Sweden during the three years preceding the application.

For this position, it is particularly meritorious if the applicant has had their primary employment outside of Sweden during the three years preceding the application.

More about the position
A plan for pedagogical and scientific development will be established at the start of the employment. One pedagogical, and two scientific mentors will be appointed to support the implementation of the plan. Criteria for promotion will be determined at the start of the employment. 

The position will be affiliated with a department at the Faculty of Medicine. The departmental placement will be determined in consultation with you, based on where your research is best aligned; you are welcome to indicate your preferred department in your application. The position includes a start-up package with funding equivalent to a doctoral studentship, as well as operating funds of SEK 100,000 per year for six years.

Depending on your clinical profession, different conditions apply regarding what we can offer. Please see the relevant section below for further information.

For applicants who are resident physicians or resident dentists:
Umeå University is the employer for the position as Assistant Professor combined with specialist training (residency). The clinical duties as a resident physician or resident dentist are carried out within Region Västerbotten, at 50 percent of full-time employment. The position is full-time and permanent.

The assistant professor has the right, upon request, to be evaluated for promotion to associate professor, which, upon completion of specialist certification, will be a joint employment as a consultant (attending) physician or senior consultant dentist.

The qualification period for the assistant professor combined with employment as a resident physician or resident dentist is nine years (resident physicians), eight years (resident dentists in oral and maxillofacial surgery), or six years (other resident dentists) from the date of appointment. An application for promotion must be submitted no later than six months before the end of the qualification period.

If the assistant professor is not promoted following assessment, the employment will be handled in accordance with the applicable regulations governing transition arrangements.

For applicants applying for a position combined with clinical duties of up to 13 hours per week:
The position as assistant professor is a fixed-term appointment, in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12a of the Higher Education Ordinance, for six years at full-time. The position at Umeå University is combined with clinical duties within Region Västerbotten in the applicant’s primary profession, entailing up to 13 hours per week of clinical duties.

The assistant professor has the right to be evaluated for promotion to associate professor combined with employment in their clinical profession. An application for promotion must be submitted no later than six months before the fixed-term appointment ends. If the assistant professor is not promoted following assessment, the fixed-term appointment will cease.

Application
Last application date is 1 October 2026. Instructions for the application and a list of the documents to be attached to the application can be found here.

You apply via our e-recruitment system which you can reach via the application button below. When the application is received, you will receive a confirmation email.

We welcome your application!