Associate Professor in Human Rights

Job description

A permanent position is available as Associate Professor (SKO 1011) in the academic field of human rights (interdisciplinary) at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), a multidisciplinary department at the Faculty of Law.   

The NCHR is strengthening its competence within interdisciplinary approaches to human rights research. We are looking for candidates with a background in one or a combination of social science disciplines. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the field, we particularly welcome applications from candidates who combine insights and methods from the social sciences with legal approaches.  

The successful applicant will teach mandatory and elective courses in the Centre's “Human Rights in Theory and Practice" Master programme (in English), will contribute to the development of new educational programmes, and to teaching and supervision at the Faculty of Law, also at the postgraduate level. 

We expect that the successful candidate will contribute to the long-term academic development and research culture of the department. Applicants are requested to consult the NCHR strategy for the years 2022-2030.  The tasks included in the position are 47,5% research, 47,5% teaching, and 5% administration.  

Assessment 

Applicants will be assessed according to documented experience with and potential for research and teaching, as well as experience with and potential for administrative tasks and dissemination and potential to contribute to the department. As research, teaching and administration are often collaborative tasks, the candidate needs to have a collegial attitude and practice. A particular emphasis will be given to scientific production of high quality.  

When evaluating research excellence, recent publications, as well as a clear and viable strategy for future top-quality research relevant for the position, will be given greatest weight. In the assessment of publications, originality, quality and relevance to human rights will be emphasized.

Qualification requirements 

• Applicants must document general academic competence on an associate professor level in human rights, including a PhD in a relevant field and a record of publications in refereed international journals or with highly respected book publishers.  
• The candidate must have a demonstrated ability to contribute to the development of human rights as a field of research and teaching through own activities.
• The candidate must have pedagogical skills and formal basic pedagogical competence. Applicants that cannot document such formal competence at the time of employment must acquire this within the first two years after their appointments. 
• It is essential that applicants demonstrate a strong record of teaching and supervision commensurable with their experience. Teaching experience in interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary programmes will be considered an asset.
• There is a clear expectation that the person who is offered the position will be active in applying for external research funding. Experience with applying for external research funding will be considered an asset. 
• Prior experience leading research projects, as well as a track record of national and international collaborations, will be taken into account.   
• The successful candidate must demonstrate mastery of both English and one of the Scandinavian languages as working languages. If an appointee is not fluent in a Scandinavian language, the appointee will be expected to learn Norwegian at a B2 level to be able to participate in all functions that the position may involve within three years. 

How to apply

Applicants must submit the following attachments with the electronic application form: 

• Application letter. The letter should include a description of the applicant's academic profile and how the applicant sees themselves contributing to the development of research and teaching in the department.  
• Curriculum Vitae, including educational background, prior positions, pedagogical and administrative experience, experience with dissemination, experience with project acquisition and project management, and other qualifying activities. 
• Complete list of academic publications. 
• PhD diploma. 
• Teaching portfolio of 3-6 pages documenting educational competence and experience, including a reflection note where the applicant's practice and views of learning are anchored in the scholarship of teaching and learning with focus on the students' learning, development over time, a research based approach, and a collegial attitude and practice ( SoTL criteria). See more here (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/rules-appointment-professor.html).
• Overview of other qualifications with documentation. 
• Names, contact details, and description of their relation to the applicant for at least 2 reference persons.  

Applications with attachments must be submitted via our electronic recruitment system. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.  

Note that publications are not to be included at this stage. A selection committee will invite a limited number of candidates (“short list") to submit up to five academic works that the applicant wishes to have considered in the assessment process (a monograph will count as three publications). 

In the evaluation of the qualified candidates, the full range of above criteria will be explicitly addressed and assessed. 

Finally, an interview and a trial lecture will be part of the assessment process. Both interviews and trial lectures may be organized via a digital platform. 

We offer

• Salary for appointment as Associate Professor NOK 759 100 to NOK 870 900
• An academically stimulating and international working environment 
• A good pension scheme through the Norwegian Public Service Fund 
• A good work-life balance and access to Norway's excellent public services and welfare schemes, including parental leave and affordable and accessible childcare 
• Female academic staff can take part in the Career development scheme for female associate professors 

Formal regulations

Please refer to the Rules for Appointments to Professorships and Associate Professorships at the University of Oslo (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/rules-appointment-professor.html), the Guide for Applicants (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/guide-applicants.html) and Members of the Assessment Committee (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/guide-expert-committee.html) and Rules for practicing the requirement for basic pedagogical competence at the University of Oslo (https://www.uio.no/english/about/regulations/personnel/academic/rules-basic-pedagogical-competence.html). 

Forskrift til universitets- og høyskoleloven, Kapittel 3. Undervisnings- og forskningsstillinger, rekrutteringsstillinger og innstegsstillinger (https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2024-06-28-1392/kap3#kap3)

Pursuant to section 25 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act (offentleglova), information concerning the applicant may be made public, even if the applicant has requested not to appear on the list of applicants. 

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc. 

Inclusion and diversity are goals in the Faculty's strategy. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition.  

Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives. 

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview. 

Contact information

For questions about the position: Associate Professor Nina Reiners, Acting Head of Department and Head of Research, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (nina.reiners@nchr.uio.no). 

For questions about the recruitment system and process: Siri Martenson, HR advisor, (siri.martenson@jus.uio.no).