Associate senior lecturer in Biochemistry

Description

The Faculty of Health, Science and Technology is advertising a position as associate senior lecturer in chemistry with specialisation in biochemistry at the Department of Engineering and Chemical Sciences. The department conducts extensive research and provides education within the fields of chemistry, chemical engineering, building and construction engineering and energy and environmental technology engineering. The department currently has approximately 60 employees and is responsible for two Master of Science (MSc) programs, two Bachelor of Science (BSc) programs, and one Bachelor of Science (BSc) program. We also have courses in teacher education and several other MSc programs.

Pharmaceutical Analysis - BSc in Chemistry at Karlstad University prepares students to work in all areas of chemistry, but it also has a unique profile towards pharmaceutical analysis, developed in close collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry. The program has a documented good connection between education and research and most chemistry courses at Karlstad University are offered as both on-campus and distance.

The MSc in Chemical Engineering program focuses on developing new materials and sustainable manufacturing processes.

The department also runs a business research school, EXACT. It aims to contribute to a sustainable manufacturing industry as well as future-proofing Swedish process-manufacturing industry through needs-based research.

Programs have a strong link to the research conducted at KAU and researchers in the subject of chemistry are involved in:

• Pro2BE (https://www.kau.se/pro2be)
• SOLA project (https://www.kau.se/sola)
• EXACT business research school (https://www.kau.se/en/exact)
• Mission 0 House (https://www.lindholmen.se/en/mission-0-house)

The position as Associate senior Lecturer primarily aims to attract ambitious and qualified researchers who are at the beginning of their career and looking to make valuable contributions to the field.

Duties

The position involves research (minimum of 75% of work time) and pedagogical work in the field of  biochemistry with a focus on fermentation. Within this field you are expected to:

• conduct research and contribute to develop the research capacity of Pro2BE (a research environment at KAU whose mission is to optimize the circularity of bioeconomy);
• contribute to teaching and education in degree programs and to develop your own pedagogical competence;
• contribute to the ongoing development of a new MSc in Chemistry program;
• contribute to the supervision of MSc and PhD students;
• contribute to applications for research funding and later take initiative to establish your own research projects;
• collaborate with partners from academia and industry nationally and internationally.

You are expected to collaborate with the wider community for a mutual exchange, as well as work towards ensuring that the knowledge and expertise available at the university is of benefit to the society.

In order to contribute to a positive working environment and help further the subject’s activities, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

During the employment period, the associate senior lecturer is given the opportunity to further their skills as an independent researcher, as well as gaining additional qualifications in terms of both research and teaching expertise, in order to meet the requirements for a position as Senior Lecturer.

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for this position of Associate Senior Lecturer, the applicant must hold a PhD degree in Biochemistry or related areas.

The position is primarily intended for applicants who have completed their PhD or acquired equivalent qualifications no longer than five years before the application deadline. If an applicant completed their PhD or acquired equivalent qualifications more than five years ago, this requirement may, in special circumstances, be waived if there are special circumstances. By special circumstances, we refer to special grounds such as sick leave, parental leave or similar types of leave.

Another requirement for eligibility is a completed course in higher education pedagogy. In special circumstances, candidates who have not completed a course in higher education pedagogy may still be hired provided that they do so within two years of employment or that they apply for validation of prior learning.

Proficiency in spoken and written English is required. Proficiency in Swedish is usually another requirement. An applicant who does not meet the requirement of proficiency in Swedish may still be hired provided they are able to actively acquire the language skills within two years.

For other eligibility requirements, refer to Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure https://www.kau.se/files/2023-12/Appointments procedure_eng_20220928.pdf

Assessment criteria

Special weight will be given to:

• Documented ability to publish in international peer-reviewed journals in the field of biochemistry and preferably related to fermentation and circular bioeconomy.
• Documented ability to apply and obtain research funding in competitive calls.
• Documented experience in collaboration with transdisciplinary teams and experience from work with industry, government or non-governmental institutions in areas relevant to the field of biotechnology.

Considerable weight will be given to:

• Documented experience of pedagogical work in the field of biochemistry preferably in higher education settings.
• Good interpersonal skills towards colleagues and students and personal qualities such as taking initiative, being result-oriented, taking responsibility and the ability to cooperate.

Weight will be given to:

• Research and development work outside of academia.

Further information on qualification requirements and assessment criteria can be found in the Higher Education Ordinance, chap. 4, sect. 12 and Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure, https://www.kau.se/files/2023-12/Appointments procedure_eng_20220928.pdf .

Terms

Temporary full-time position for a 4-year period. Preliminary start date is January 1 2026 or as agreed upon by both parties. 

Terms for promotion to Senior Lecturer

Upon applying, an Associate Senior Lecturer should be promoted to Senior Lecturer provided he or she is qualified for the position (Higher Education Ordinance, chap. 4, sect. 4) and is deemed suitable following an assessment (Higher Education Ordinance, chap. 4, sect. 4a). The applicant must have completed a prerequisite course in higher education pedagogy.

For other eligibility requirements, refer to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 4 and Karlstad University’s Appointments Procedure.

https://www.kau.se/files/2023-12/Appointments procedure_eng_20220928.pdf

The position as Senior Lecturer is permanent.

Application

Karlstad University places great value on the enriching presence of diverse backgrounds and gender balance in the organisation. We welcome applicants with different cultural backgrounds, gender identities, functional abilities, and life experiences.

It is recommended that you submit your application in English since it may be reviewed by international experts with English as their working language.

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi. For advice on how to draft your application, refer to “What should be included with my application?”

Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.

The application should include:

• CV
• cover letter
• an in-depth account of research experience
• an in-depth account of teaching experience
• certificate to verify completed courses in higher education pedagogy, if completed, or an account of equivalent skills
• an account of other experience (managerial, collaborative, and administrative)
• a detailed research plan for future work
• list of publications (in publications with multiple authors, the role of the applicant must be specified)
• Language skills certificates
• copies of course transcripts, PhD degree certificate and other certificates
• no more than 10 scientific publications and no more than 5 materials intended to convey knowledge, such as textbooks, computer programs for teaching, or popular science articles
• two reference contacts, at least one of which is a current or former supervisor.

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content.

Documents that cannot be submitted electronically, such as books or publications, should be sent in triplicate to the following address:

Karlstad University
HR Administrator
651 88 KARLSTAD
Sweden

Application deadline: 2025/08/17                                        

State the reference no: REK2025/20

We look forward to your application!

Karlstad University has chosen advertising channels for this recruitment and firmly declines any contact with advertising or recruitment agencies.