About the position

The Department of Physics announces an open position as Professor or associate Professor in experimental mesoscopic physics to be associated with the Porous Media Laboratory – PoreLab. We seek applicants that demonstrate research competence and experience at a high international level. The applicant should also demonstrate experience of and visions for strengthening and enhancing an internationally recognized research group with accompanying educational activities.

PoreLab is a Norwegian Center of Excellence under the auspices of the Research Council of Norway. It was created in 2017 and it is situated at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, and the University of Oslo.

PoreLab is an interdisciplinary center with joint efforts in theory, computer simulations and experiments, both in fundamental and in more applied directions. The center works to advance the understanding of porous media by developing theories, principles, tools and methods to replace ad hoc approaches to porous media with a fundamental understanding of porous media with relevance in biology, chemistry, geology and geophysics based on fluid mechanics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical physics.

The Department of Physics is currently expanding from a size of 150 in 2017 aiming for a size of 250-300 employes in a few years’ time. Building a creative environment with a well-balanced research group structure and a large international and national impact. It has activity in solid-state physics/material physics, soft/complex media physics, physics of porous media, biopolymer physics, medical physics, astro-particle physics, statistical physics, optics, atmospheric physics and university didactics. The Department recruits the best physics students in Norway and offers many courses in physics for other study programs at NTNU.

The position reports to Head of Department.

Main duties and responsibilities

The successful candidate is expected to initiate, lead and contribute to the study of porous media, broadly defined, at the mesoscale, i.e., at scales much larger than the molecular scale and much smaller than the continuum scale.  The approach should be from the point of view of fundamental physics.

The successful applicant is expected to build a laboratory activity in his/her field in association with the other members of the department and of PoreLab.

The Professor/Associate Professor will have a specific responsibility for teaching courses within porous physics at master and PhD level, but will also be assigned teaching duties in general courses in physics at bachelor level.

Furthermore, the applicant is expected to supervise master students, research fellows and doctoral candidates in his/her discipline and to take part in the departmental administrative work.

The candidate should contribute actively to the further development of national and international collaborations of Porelab and the Department of Physics.

The Professor/Associate Professor will be responsible together with other academic staff for managing and developing the Department and the activities within research, teaching and outreach.

Qualification requirements

Professor:

The position of Professor requires university education at doctoral level in physics, and demonstrable academic excellence in statistical physics applied to fluid mechanics problems. The successful candidate must also document a strong background in experimental methods and the ability to build and lead an experimental activity.

The applicant’s research must be documented and of high, international quality, showing both breadth and depth. Research activity and output must demonstrate an independent research profile and the ability to take up new research issues. Continuous research activity is a prerequisite for professorial positions. Strong emphasis will be placed on publication of research results in recognized international journals within the subject area. The greatest emphasis is placed on academic work undertaken during the past five years, excluding statutory leave.

Emphasis will be placed on ability and experience in initiating and leading research and development of the field of area, and in obtaining external funding for research. Emphasis will also be placed on a documented commitment to teaching, development of teaching materials, and supervision of students at all levels.

Associate Professor:

The position of Associate Professor requires university education at doctoral level in physics, and demonstrable academic excellence in statistical physics applied to fluid mechanics problems. The successful candidate must also document a strong background in experimental methods and the potential to build and lead an experimental activity.

Emphasis will be placed on ability and experience in initiating and leading research in the subject area. Strong emphasis will be placed on publication of research results in recognized international journals within the subject area. Particular focus will be placed on academic work during the past five years, excluding statutory leave.

Other requirements:

The successful applicant will be expected to deliver high-quality teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and undertake supervision of Masters and Doctoral candidates. Evaluation of these skills will be based on documented experience and relevant teaching qualifications. Applicants with teaching experience at university level are preferred. Quality and breadth of the teaching qualifications will be evaluated. 

Those who do not have formal qualifications in teaching at university level and who cannot provide documentation of equivalent qualifications must complete an approved pedagogical development programme within two years of appointment.

It is a prerequisite that within three years of appointment, new employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language can demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three in the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU.

Please see the Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts for general criteria for the position. NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

Personal characteristics

• Is a team-player
• Is quality oriented
• Can take initiative
• Can motivate students and co-workers

In the assessment of the best qualified applicant, education, experience and personal suitability will be emphasized, as well as motivation for the position.

We offer 

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment 
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues 
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• employee benefits 
• Tailored relocation and onboarding services for international applicants

Salary and conditions

The position as Professor/Associate Professor comes with a starting package for new research staff, opportunities for mentoring and is remunerated according to the Norwegian State salary scale. There is a 2% deduction for an obligatory premium to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. Members of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund are offered a generous pension for life and access to favourable housing loan and insurance schemes.

It is required that the newly appointed member of staff takes up residence in Trondheim or nearby. Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life. Having a population of 200,000, Trondheim is a small city by international standards with low crime rates and little pollution. It also has easy access to a beautiful countryside with mountains and a dramatic coastline as well as good airway connections to mayor cities in northern Europe.

Norway has generous conditions regarding both maternity and paternity leave. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available.

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 attachment are seen to conflict with the criterias in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

About the application

The application and description of the academic works to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English. 

The application must include:

• CV, including list of publications with bibliographical references, and contact details for three referees
• Testimonials and certificates
• The most relevant publications – published or unpublished – that has relevance to the evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications (maximum 10)
• Research plan (maximum 10 pages), divided into
  • A statement of the research interests of the candidate (maximum 5 lines)
  • A statement on long-term research goals in a 10-15 year perspective, which includes a discussion on connection to previous work, outlines possible collaborations and includes a rough plan on how funding should be achieved for this activity (not more than 2 pages).
  • A 5-year plan outlining actual research to be performed and possible funding schemes for these plans (not more than 7 pages).
• Details of teaching qualifications based on "Documentation of applicant’s teaching qualifications in connection with appointment to an academic position at NTNU"
• Other documents which the applicant would like to present
• If relevant, a list of supervised projects with information on funding agency, years of duration and the funds received
• Details of projects for which you have been project manager, with information about funding, duration and size

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

When the application deadline has passed, a shortlisting committee will evaluate all applications. The best qualified applicants will then be considered by an external appointments panel and the most suitable applicants will be invited to interview and to deliver a lecture to undergraduate students.

General information

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. NTNU wishes to increase the proportion of women in its academic positions, and women are therefore encouraged to apply. Initatives aimed at increasing the proportion of women in higher academic positions, including starting packages, mentoring programmes and qualification fellowships may be applicable for female candidates.

Under the Freedom of Information Act (offentleglova), information about the applicant may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to have their name entered on the list of applicants. 

General questions about the position can be directed to the Head of Department, Prof. Erik Wahlström. Specific questions about PoreLab can be directed to Prof. Alex Hansen.

Submit your application with your CV and attachments via jobbnorge.no. Applicants invited for interview must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas.

Mark the application with reference number: 19/73.

Deadline for applications: 01.10.2019

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Physics

Our research and teaching are both experimental and theoretical, covering a wide range of disciplines. Our activities contribute to development of new medical technology and to finding solutions for the next generation’s communication technology, energy utilization and development of materials. The Department of Physics is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

Deadline 1st October 2019
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Permanent
Jobbnorge ID 172776