The University of Oulu is an international science university creating new knowledge, well-being and innovation for the future through multidisciplinary research and education. Close cooperation with research institutes, companies and the public sector has created an internationally significant research and innovation hub that has changed the world. The University of Oulu has 15,000 students and approximately 3,000 employees.

The field of the position is “Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering”. The position will be filled permanently or for fixed term depending on the career level and it will be located in the Materials and Mechanical Engineering Research Unit (MME) of the Faculty of Technology at the University of Oulu. The Faculty of Technology has a total of 35 Professors, who are located in Oulu School of Architecture, Oulu Mining School, and in the following research units: Sustainable Chemistry, Chemical Process Engineering, Fibre and Particle Engineering, Materials and Mechanical Engineering, Process Metallurgy, Structural Engineering and Construction Technology, Industrial Engineering and Management, Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Environmental and Chemical Engineering and Intelligent Machines and Systems.

MME is a key part of the Centre for Advanced Steels Research (CASR) and is a strategic research area at the University of Oulu, see https://www.oulu.fi/casr/. In the research unit, there are five professors and three emeritus professors focusing on the production, properties, applications, design and modelling of steels. There are also twelve teachers to help fulfil the undergraduate teaching requirements, see https://www.oulu.fi/mechanicalengineering/researchgroups. In addition, there are four post doc researchers, twenty-six doctoral researchers, six other researcher and eight laboratory staff.

Job description

A person appointed in the tenure track position in Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering is responsible for developing the research and teaching in machine design, with the main focus in vehicles and mobile machines, and is expected to closely collaborate with MME. Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering can be seen as a research area of design, development and use of machines, which are mobile and utilized in transportation and other non-stationary applications. The candidate must show his/her expertise in some of the following research areas: application of engineering mechanics in Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering, vehicle dynamics, power transmission solutions, heavy vehicle traffic safety and knowledge of engine technology. Potential and merits for researching and developing combustion engines for alternative fuels towards environmentally sustainable power solutions can be seen as a very highly appreciated strength of the applicant.

He/she will participate in the administration and research in MME. Particularly with respect to the research on Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering, his/her duty is to develop collaboration with universities, research institutes and companies of the field. The candidate will be required to follow progress in the field, pursue and guide scientific research and carry out and develop teaching in the field, hold examinations, guide practical exercises, mark written examinations and preliminary essays, and evaluate research papers and dissertations. In addition to these, administrative duties, participation in student admission and other tasks are included in the annual total of 1624 working hours.

The present tenure track position on assistant, associate or full professor level in Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering is open to highly talented individuals who hold a doctoral degree and have excellent potential for a successful scientific career. Based on the experience and competence, the successful applicant will be placed at the level of assistant, associate or full professor.

The teaching language at the University of Oulu is Finnish. It is also possible to teach in English.

Salary

The salary of an assistant professor will be based on levels 5 – 6, associate professor on levels 6 – 7, and that of a full professor on levels 8 – 10 of the requirement level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition to the basic salary, supplementary salary will be given for personal achievement and performance, the sum rising to a maximum of 50 % of the basic salary level for the post. The full salary is approximately 3,400 – 4,500 euros per month for an assistant professor, 3,900 – 5,200 euros per month for an associate professor and 5,500 – 8,100 euros per month for a full professor.

The successful candidate will receive also full benefits provided by the University of Oulu to all its employees, including free time corresponding to holidays and free occupational health care services.

Teaching responsibilities will be determined within the research unit.

Selection Criteria and procedure

A person appointed to the tenure track position must have a doctoral degree, high-level scientific competence, experience in leading scientific research, ability to provide high-level research-based teaching, and to supervise theses and participate in international co-operation projects in his/her field of expertise. When assessing the candidate’s merits, issues taken into consideration include peer-reviewed scientific publications and other research results with scientific value, teaching experience and pedagogical training, the skill to create teaching material, other teaching merits, the demonstration lecture, and the doctoral theses the candidate has supervised. In addition to this, the following merits will be taken into consideration: the candidate’s activity in the scientific community; when necessary, practical familiarity with the field in question; success in acquiring supplementary funding; scientific work abroad and international activities. A particular emphasis is also paid to the submitted research and action plan.

Candidates will be evaluated according to their career stage taking into consideration:

1. Their potential to establish or currently have an externally funded research programme
2. Highly visible scientific publications or other outstanding merits with scientific value
3. Demonstrated international collaboration and activeness of the applicant in the international scientific community
4. A demonstrated capacity, ability and experience in mentoring and supervising undergraduate, graduate (MSc & PhD) and postdoctoral scientists, and
5. Teaching experience and pedagogic training, ability to produce teaching material, other merits as a teacher and teaching demonstrations.

The selection procedure will be carried out by a Recruitment Committee of the Faculty of Technology according to the University of Oulu Tenure Track guidelines. The shortlisted candidates will also be evaluated by other academic experts outside the University of Oulu. Demonstrable development of skills is the prerequisite for a continuation period after the initial five-year period.

The selection criteria for each career level are detailed as follows:

Assistant Professor: The position of an assistant professor is for researchers who have recently finished their doctoral dissertation and are advancing towards a professional research career. The position is for a fixed term for five years. A continuation period may be granted as indicated in the University of Oulu Tenure Track guidelines. Only persons with a doctoral degree obtained less than ten years ago can be appointed to the position of an assistant professor. The criteria for an Assistant Professor are the following:

• Research potential: the quality of the dissertation and publications in high quality international journals
• Participation in acquiring external funding as a part of a research team, granted external funding for own research
• Connections with the international research community
• Scientific work experience at least from two research facilities is appreciated
• Demonstration of progress in a researcher’s skills is essential for a continuation period

Associate Professor: The position of an associate professor is initially a fixed-term position for five years with potential for extension after an evaluation. The selection criteria for an associate professor are the following:

• Publications on an international level: dissemination, quality of the publication forums, references to the publications
• Active role in research training
• Acquisition of external funding
• An active role in the international scientific community
• Acknowledgements and awards

Full Professor: The position of a full professor requires high-level scientific or artistic competence, experience in leading scientific research, ability to provide high-level research-based teaching and to supervise final theses, and merit in international co-operation projects in his/her field of expertise. The position of a full professor also requires the ability to act as an academic leader. When evaluating the merits of an applicant, his/her scientific publications and other research results with scientific or artistic value, teaching experience and pedagogic training, ability to produce teaching material, other merits as a teacher, teaching demonstrations and supervised doctoral theses shall be taken into consideration. Other factors to be taken into consideration are the active role of the applicant in the scientific community, practical experience in the field where applicable, success in acquiring supplementary research funding, scientific work abroad, international positions, as well as leadership and interaction skills.

How to apply

Please submit your application and relevant enclosures through our online recruitment system latest on 1.12. 2019 (23:59 Finnish local time). The application must be written in English and include the following documents:

1. A letter of application with contact information, stating the career level on which the person would like to be evaluated at
2. Curriculum Vitae following the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity: http://www.tenk.fi/en/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae
3. A list of publications following the guidelines of the Academy of Finland (https://www.aka.fi/en/funding/apply-for-funding/az-index-of-application-guidelines/list-of-publications/) with the ten most important ones marked
4. A brief account of research merits (max. 1 page)
5. A brief account of teaching merits or a teaching portfolio (max. 2 pages)
6. Details regarding the acquisition of research funds (max. 2 pages)
7. A brief research and action plan (max. 3 pages)
8. Contact details of 2 persons from whom recommendations would be available

The employment will begin in April 2020 or as agreed on. A six-month trial period will be applied in the position.

For further information regarding the filling of this post

Questions concerning the project’s research focus and its activities, please contact:
Professor Jukka Kömi, Materials and Mechanical Engineering Research Unit, Faculty of Technology, tel. +358 (0)29 448 2123, email: jukka.komi(at)oulu.fi
Professor Riitta Keiski, Dean, Faculty of Technology, tel. +358 (0)29 448 2348, email: riitta.keiski(at)oulu.fi

Questions concerning the application process and its schedule, please contact HR Manager Tiina Pääkkönen, HR Services, email: tiina.paakkonen(at)oulu.fi

About the City of Oulu
The City of Oulu is Northern Finland’s largest and oldest city, with a population of over 200,000. Located in the Gulf of Bothnia in the Oulu River delta, the city has good access from anywhere. Oulu is an easy-going and family friendly community with very high quality of life. This modern city with a beautiful harbour and market area offers plenty of cultural activities as well as opportunities for exploring the northern nature. Open space and parks can be found all along the Oulu River and throughout the area and they are easily accessed by bike – the favourite mode of transport in Oulu. There is an entire range of outdoor and sports facilities to choose from, not forgetting Finland’s biggest spectator sport, ice hockey. Winter is a season that is highly celebrated and lit bike trails and bridges bring the city alive. As the world’s northernmost tech hub, Oulu has a highly educated and innovative workforce and the University has a strong role in the community. Oulu is a marvellous place to live, work and enjoy a vibrant academic community. Welcome to the home of science with Arctic Attitude!