Professor of Ecology

The Department of Ecology

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Uppsala is recruiting a Professor of Ecology with a focus on the role and dynamics of plant communities in ecosystems undergoing change. The position will be based at the Department of Ecology. We offer an attractive world-leading research environment with a unique breadth. The department’s over 140 employees work with applied and basic ecological research, as well as the teaching of 60 courses from genetic to ecosystem level.

The focus at the department is natural sciences, but there are also significant multi- and interdisciplinary collaborations with research teams in the social sciences and humanities. These collaborations promote innovative and exciting developments for a green transition.

The Department of Ecology shares a building with the Department of Plant Production Ecology. Together, we comprise the SLU Ecology Centre under the Faculty of Natural Resources and Agriculture Science (NJ). The Ecology Centre is a Nordic and European hub for ecological research with a focus on issues concerning sustainable agriculture and forestry, plant protection, nature conservation, wildlife management and honeybee health. We work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and relate our activities to the consequences of a changing climate and changing land use, especially in agricultural landscapes. Agricultural landscapes include environments such as grasslands, fields with crops as well as residual environments and edge zones that are outside production. Our research encompasses all these elements, as well as their interaction with each other.

Several major operations and national research facilities are available within the subject area: Environmental Analysis , SciLifeLab and SITES at Grimsö Research Station .

The appointment of Professor of Ecology with its focus on plant ecology complements current research, which has had a strong focus on zoo-ecology. The position allows for a systems perspective regarding the role and dynamics of plant communities in ecosystems. This strengthens our drive towards sustainability as climate and land use change.

Subject Area

The subject area encompasses basic and applied ecology with a focus on the role and dynamics of plant communities in changing ecosystems. The subject is based on empiricism and theory in ecology at the community and/or ecosystem levels.

Duties

The role includes the following responsibilities and duties:

• developing an internationally prominent research environment within the field, through competitive research applications and publication in international journals with a high impact factor
• contributing to the development of sustainable biodiversity friendly crop production systems in agricultural landscapes through research, teaching and collaboration with academia, industry, and wider society
• contributing to the development of multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary research at both the faculty and SLU
• assuming a strategic and leadership role in relation to employees and the department, which may include personnel management and budget responsibility
• applying for external research funds from both national and international funders
• developing, leading and participating in teaching at both first and second-cycle level
• developing and running third-cycle courses and study programmes, including doctoral student supervision
• collaborating with other research teams within the department, the faculty and SLU
• communicating research results and sharing relevant knowledge with wider society

Both Swedish and English are used at the department. The successful applicant will be able to conduct most of their duties in English. However, as Swedish is the university’s principal language, the successful applicant will be expected to be able to work in Swedish within four years of their appointment. The person appointed to the role will have the support of the department to enable them to achieve this.

Qualifications

The successful applicant shall:

• have a doctoral degree in a subject relevant to the position, as well as the qualifications required for appointment as an associate professor or equivalent
• demonstrate research expertise in the subject
• have demonstrated the ability to develop a research team
• have successfully competed for research funding
• have demonstrated teaching expertise
• have demonstrated the ability to integrate research and academic perspectives into their teaching
• have experience of collaborating with stakeholders and wider society
• have excellent knowledge of English

Assessment criteria

The degree of expertise required for eligibility for employment as a professor shall primarily be used as the assessment criteria for the position.

When assessing an applicant’s research expertise, the following will be taken into account:

• completed research and ongoing research
• the ability to independently initiate and conduct outstanding research
• the ability to successfully obtain external research funding in competition with others
• documented experience of multi-, inter- or transdisciplinary research
• documented ability to combine theory and empiricism in research

When assessing an applicant’s teaching expertise, the following will be taken into account:

• planning, implementation and examination, as well as the evaluation of their own teaching and educational programmes
• supervision and examination of doctoral students
• pedagogical vision

The ability to interact and collaborate with relevant stakeholders and wider society will be taken into account when assessing collaborative skills.

Furthermore, the assessment will consider the applicant’s ability to:

• develop activities as well as personnel within academia and at university level
• communicate our research and research results both internally and to society at large
• communicate and collaborate

When assessing the applicant’s qualifications, equal weight will be given to teaching and research expertise respectively.

In addition to the qualification requirements, due consideration will be given to the applicant’s personal qualities and suitability for the role.

This position offers the vibrant research climate at SLU. The benefits of the position include Swedish family health care provisions, parenting support including generous paid leave of absence policies that allow both parents to care for newborns and toddlers. Additionally Sweden has a well-established pre-school structure as well as an educational system that provides no-cost education through university studies. Find out more facts and stories about Sweden at www.sweden.se

Located in the greater Stockholm region, the city of Uppsala has a rich history and culture, and is a true academic and cultural hub. Find out more about moving, living and working here at https://internationalhub.uppsala.se/

Application deadline

2022-11-09

Place of work

Uppsala, Sweden

Extent

100%

Form of employment

Permanent employment

Starting date

By agreement.

Application:

Use the document Application guidelines   for appointment as professor, senior lecturer or associate senior lecturer at SLU as guide when you fill in your application.

Please apply by clicking the apply-button below.

Academic union representatives:

https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

Contact person

URL to this pagehttps://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/jobs-vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=7261&rmlang=UK