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Faculty positions in Arctic Technology at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS)

Full/ Associate Professor in Rock Mechanics

General
The department of Technology are now seeking candidates for the position of Professor / Associate Professor in Rock Mechanics. Currently there are 1 professor, 2 associate professors, 4 PhD students, 1 Post Doc and 6 Adjunct Professors (20% position) at the department.

The department cover today four fields of education and research. These are Geotechnical Engineering, Arctic Hydrology, Ice mechanics related to offshore structures and marine environment and Environmental Engineering.

About UNIS
UNIS is a state-owned limited company with four of Norway’s universities represented on the board. UNIS is located in a modern working environment in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and is well equipped with both technical and scientific equipment and laboratories. The institution has an infrastructure for both marine and terrestrial field research on Svalbard. The studies at UNIS are marketed internationally and all classes are offered in English. Approximately half of the staff and students are from abroad – in 2010 students from 32 countries were present at UNIS.

Description of the vacant positions
As the University Centre in Svalbard has close cooperation with the mining industry, the new position in Rock Mechanics will cover the topics Tunneling and Excavation in rock combined with Rock slope stability in the Arctic. Also safety measures in Rock Engineering will be important in both education and research in this environment.

The field of expertise of all applicants will be evaluated in relation to the existing plans and research profiles of the department (see our web pages at www.unis.no). The appointed person is expected to take an active role in the advancement of his / her field of research.

The appointed person will conduct research within the scope of the Department of Technology at UNIS and is expected to participate in the supervision of master- and PhD students in cooperation with the other universities. The person will also be responsible for one or two undergraduate or post graduate courses.

For all positions at the department, experience from Svalbard and other polar areas will be of importance.
Please note that UNIS stresses the importance of field studies throughout our teaching programs at all levels, and a close contact with the mining industry will be important for practical education in Rock Engineering.
For further description see: http://www.unis.no/studies.

UNIS as an academic institution carries significant responsibilities in research and teaching, with a curriculum that includes training of Masters and Doctorate students.

Qualifications
The candidate for the position must have theoretical and practical experience in Rock Engineering. He/she should be used to evaluate Rock stability in tunneling, excavation and slopes, and be able to do risk assessments related to Rock stability methods.

Applicants for the position must be able to document their qualifications as Full or Associate Professor. To be considered for the position of Associate Professor a Ph.D. in an appropriate field, or its equivalent, is the minimum requirement. Professor qualifications must be documented as UNIS does not evaluate applicants for professorships.

Furthermore, the applicant’s background from previous work on Svalbard and other Arctic regions will be assessed, as well as their pedagogic qualifications. Applicants are also requested to document their pedagogic qualifications and experience.

It is important that the person who is appointed has the ability to work independently, has a positive attitude and is flexible. A well-established international network is desirable in order to strengthen the internationalization of the teaching offered at UNIS.

Employment conditions for faculty positions at UNIS
The vacant position is fulltime, permanent within the Technology department.

Sixty per cent of the working time of full-time faculty at UNIS is reserved for research and professional development. In addition, staff is required to be involved in teaching, administration and the social community.
Approximately 30 ECTS are linked to each full-time position at UNIS. Full-time staff have both the professional and the administrative responsibility for a subject or subjects equivalent to 15 ECTS (primary subject). In addition they have a coordinating, administrative responsibility for a further 15 ECTS (secondary subject).

External guest-lectures augment the teaching in most courses offerings to ensure complete and high-level instruction within each field of study.

All scientific staff are responsible for planning the content of their primary subject and must make all necessary arrangements with external guest lecturers, as well as preparing for, and coordinating, the stays of guest-lecturers coming to Svalbard.

All faculty members are responsible for budget compliance and financial follow-up for their primary subject and for providing continuity of contact with the students in their primary course. They must also provide assistance in handling these tasks in secondary courses assigned to them.

The successful candidate is expected to take an active part in the advancement of his/ her field of research and must also be willing to contribute to the development of UNIS in a more general sense.

UNIS will offer

• Free arrival passage for you and your family, and relocation expenses associated with initiation of the engagement.
• Annual refund of some of your expenses for trip related to vacation for you and your family.
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Pension Fund which is offers one of the best arrangements for retirement pension.
• Favorable conditions for sabbatical leave

Salary
All salaries are set in accordance with the Norwegian government’s University salary scale.

Full Professors are offered a gross salary within the scale of 71 – 80 in the University salary scale. Associate Professors a gross salary within the scale of******in the University salary scale. The salaries are depending on experience/seniority. As resident of Svalbard, an annual allowance of NOK 29 600.- (Svalbardtillegg) will be added to staff salaries. A social Security contribution of 2 per cent, to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, will be deducted from the salary. Income tax on Svalbard is 8 per cent, plus 7.8 per cent toward National Insurance coverage.

Selection and appointment
An expert committee will evaluate the qualifications of the applicants. Based on the report, an interview committee will invite the top ranked person(s) for a trial lecture and an interview.

The appointment will be made by the Board of UNIS, based on the recommendation from the committees and an appointment committee.

Application
Inquiries about this position may be directed to:
Associate Professor Jan Otto Larsen,
e-mail address ******
Phone: + ******
Mobile Phone: +******
Deadline for applications is April 15 th. 2012
Please apply online on www.unis.no – vacant positions

In the end of the form, please attach:

• a full list of publications & previously held grants
• education, pedagogic or teaching certificates (including a list of previously supervised graduate and PhD students, where applicable)
• 5 publications (authored or co-authored by the candidate) that he/ she wants to have evaluated for consideration for appointment to this position

The committee may ask for further documentation of the scientific work described by the applicants. You can request to have your application kept from public access cf. the open files act § 25. The request must be explained. UNIS will determine if the application will be kept from public access or not, based on the explanation and the regulations from the open files act. If the application will not be accepted, the candidate will be contacted.

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