by
2026-10-01
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 Umeå University Northern Star Programme, the Faculty of Science and Technology is announcing three positions as assistant professor within the faculty's research areas and educational programs, according to the text in the faculty´s three advertisements. The positions will be filled with the applicant who, in competition, are assessed to have the best qualifications in science and pedagogy, as well as the potential to develop successful research within their subject area. The position comes with a starter package with funding equivalent to a doctoral student position and operating funds for your research.
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Welcome to submit your application by October 1st!
The person we seek will conduct research and contribute to the continued development of the research environment in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or Applied physics, related to materials for sustainable technologies in a wide context. The Assistant Professor may be associated to Wallenberg Initiative Material Science for Sustainability, WISE. Included in the work tasks are developing pedagogical merits that include teaching in undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as supervision of PhD students and postdocs. The person employed is expected to actively seek external funding for his or her research activities. Employment is limited to 6 years, which consists of 75% own research and 25% teaching. The position is a “tenure-track”, which makes it possible to develop and establish long-term research. An Assistant Professor has the right, upon request, to be considered for promotion to Associate Professor.
Read about the research conducted at the departments and the research centres at the faculty Departments and Research Centres
A person qualified for appointment as an Assistant professor is a person who has been awarded a PhD or has the corresponding research expertise. Primary consideration should be given to a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise within seven years prior to the deadline for application for employment as an Assistant professor. However, a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise at an earlier date may also be considered if there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are sick leave, parental leave or other similar circumstances.
The PhD or corresponding research expertise must be in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or Applied physics, related to materials for sustainable technologies in a wide context and relevant to the hosting department at the faculty.
The position requires a good knowledge of English, both spoken and written.
The assessment criteria for appointment as an Assistant professor shall be the degree of such expertise required as a qualification for employment. Thereafter the degree of pedagogical expertise as well as other experience of significance with regard to the employment’s research field and the employment tasks that may be included in the position. Furthermore, the capacity to ability to develop and manage activities and staff at the university, the ability to establish cooperation between research and education at all levels, the ability to collaborate with other research groups, and to collaborate with the community in general.
Scientific expertise shall be demonstrated through independent scientific productivity. The criteria for assessment are:
The scientific expertise shall be in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or Applied physics, related to materials for sustainable technologies in a wide context.
Primary weight in the evaluation of candidates is placed on the degree of scientific expertise assessed from scientific work published in internationally recognized academic journals and proceedings of academic conferences that apply a peer-review system. Particular emphasis shall be placed on the quality of the publications where the applicant is the first/lead or last/senior author.
Thereafter, the description of the intended research plan to be conducted within the employment shall be given substantial weight in the selection of candidates. Applicants with a research plan that is linked to and / or complements the department's research activities are given priority.
International research experience and a postdoctoral stay at a university other than the one at which the applicant received their PhD degree are very meritorious.
The documented ability to competitively obtain research funding, especially from more competitive and highly recognized funding bodies, is a merit.
The demonstrated ability to independently and flexibly operate, communicate and collaborate inside and outside the academic environment is advantageous.
Furthermore, the ability to independently organize, and manage projects will be considered.
The criteria for evaluation of pedagogical expertise are:
Pedagogical expertise can be attained through education in university pedagogy, other education of relevance for teaching at a university level or documented and proven experience teaching at the university level.
Candidates who do not speak Swedish at the time of appointment are expected to learn Swedish within three years from the start of the appointment.
A general basis for assessment for all teaching categories is both good cooperative skills and the expertise and suitability in general required to complete the work duties satisfactorily.
In the selection of candidates, the degree of research expertise shall be decisive. In addition, the degree of educational expertise as well as other competences of importance shall be taken into account with regard to the subject content of the employment and the duties to be included in the employment. The degree of skill for development and personnel at the university as well as the ability to cooperate and interact with the surrounding society and inform about research and development work will be considered.
Primary consideration for these positions is given to those applicants who have fulfilled all the requirements for a doctoral degree, such as mandatory courses, oral defense and an approved doctoral thesis after 1 October 2019 at the earliest. For applicants with Swedish doctoral degrees, the award date (date of completed studies) listed in Ladok applies (October 1, 2019, at the earliest). If you claim to have deductible time, the motivation, dates and extent must be clearly specified in the application.
Applicants with older degrees will only be considered if there are not enough qualified applicants within the seven-year period.
We expect to receive many applications. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the application follows instructions and is complete. The application shall be submitted no later than 23.59 Swedish time (CET) on 1 October 2026, to be considered.
When you apply, we ask you to answer questions in Varbi. These questions replace a cover letter from you. The application should preferably be written in English, and include the following items:
Applications should be made via the e-recruitment system Varbi and be received no later than 1 October 2026.
As assistant professor, upon request, can be promoted to Associate professor if he or she meets the requirements for employment as an Associate professor and upon review is determined to meet the qualifications for such employment according to the evaluation criteria that shall be applied for promotion to Associate professor. This promotion entails a permanent position as Associate professor.
The application for promotion shall be submitted six months before the fixed-term appointment ends. If an Assistant professor after evaluation is not promoted, the fixed-term appointment ends.
Established criteria for promotion can be found in the employment profile decided by the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology on 30 June 2026.
Admission
Upon agreement
Salary
Monthly salary
Application deadline
2026-10-01
Registration number
AN 2026/888