Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor position – data-driven evolution and biodiversity

Subject area

Data-driven evolution and biodiversity concerns research that takes advantage of the massive data streams offered by techniques such as high-throughput sequencing of genomes and biomes, continuous recording of video and audio in the wild, high-throughput imaging of biological specimens, and large-scale remote monitoring of organisms or habitats. The applicant is expected to have a strong computational focus on innovative development and application of novel data-driven methods relying on machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other computational techniques.

The subject area concerns research in the general area of evolution and biodiversity with a strong computational profile. This research subject area aims to lead to innovative development and/or application of novel data-driven methods relying on machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other computational techniques. The specific subject area is focused on the ecological and evolutionary processes generating and shaping the diversity of plants, animals and/or microorganisms and how these influence ecosystems. Diversity should be interpreted in the broad sense and include taxonomic, genomic, and functional aspects. The subject area can encompass variable scales of biological inquiry, from molecules and genes to populations, communities, ecosystems, landscapes, and biomes in aquatic or terrestrial environments.

Duties

The Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor is expected to develop her/his own research line in the subject area. Research should be carried out in close collaboration with colleagues at the department and SLU, as well as through national and international collaborations.

In addition, the holder of the position is also expected to:

• apply for external research funding in competition and publish scientific articles
• initiate the development of their own research group within the subject area
• participate in postgraduate education as a co-supervisor
• teach at first, second and third cycle level
• receive training in higher education pedagogy
• collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the industry and surrounding society.

Swedish and English are used in parallel at the departments. The holder of the position should be able to perform most of their tasks in English. However, as a public authority, the university has Swedish as its main language according to the requirements of the Language Act. Non-Swedish-speaking staff members are expected to, within four years of first being employed, have sufficient knowledge of Swedish to understand information in Swedish. The department will support the holder of the position to achieve this.

Qualifications

Eligible for employment as Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor are candidates who hold a PhD or have equivalent academic qualifications. Priority will be given to candidates who have received a PhD or equivalent qualifications no longer than seven years before the application deadline. Other candidates may also be considered if there are extraordinary grounds for doing so. Extraordinary grounds refer to illness, parental leave or similar circumstances.

For employment as Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor, the candidate must demonstrate research expertise in the subject area.

Good ability to communicate in written and spoken English is required.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for appointment as an Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor will primarily be based on the degree to which the applicant possesses the required qualifications specified for the position.

The assessment criteria for appointment as an Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor shall be the degree of the research expertise required as a qualification for employment.

Furthermore, the assessment includes evaluating the applicant’s ability to independently develop a line of research within the subject area, and to qualify for promotion to Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor during the employment period.

The position will be offered to the eligible candidate who, following a qualitative comprehensive assessment is deemed to have the best qualifications set to conduct and develop the duties in question, and contribute to the positive development of the organisation.

Additional information

Swedish “biträdande universitetslektor”, a tenured position approximately equivalent to Associate senior lecturer (UK) or Assistant professor (US). The applicant who is offered this employment at SLU will be employed as Associate senior lecturer.

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. Uppsala has a rich history and culture and is located in the greater Stockholm region, which is an academic and cultural hub. Find out more facts and stories about Sweden at www.sweden.se

Application deadline:

2026-04-17

Place of work:

Umeå or Uppsala

Extent of employment:

100%

Form of employment

The employment is time limited in accordance with the Higher Education Act. A position as Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor is a qualifying employment that constitutes the first step in an academic career at SLU. An Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor has the right during their employment to apply for promotion to Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor on the basis of criteria established when the position as Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor was announced.

Starting date:

By agreement.

Application:

It is desirable that the application is written in English, because the applications will be evaluated by expert advisers both in Sweden and abroad.