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 3000 employees.

Job Title, Field and Location

The position is a Professor in Mechanical Engineering, especially Vehicle and Mobile Machinery Engineering. The candidate must show his/her expertise in some of the following research areas: application of engineering mechanics in Mechanical Engineering, vehicle dynamics, power transmission solutions, heavy vehicle traffic safety or knowledge of engine technology.

The position is 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, Structures 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 one of the profiling areas 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 of steels and steel products as well as design and modelling of machines. 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 researchers and eight laboratory staff.

Vehicles and mobile machines engineering research team has currently six researchers. Some of them are PhD students. In addition to the research laboratories of the faculty, the research team has a heavy truck, tyre force measurement trailer and different kinds of research and measuring equipment.

Job Responsibilities, Required Qualifications and Language Proficiency

A person appointed in the position is responsible for developing the research and teaching of vehicles and mobile machines and leading the vehicles and mobile machinery engineering research team. The candidate is required to have an in-depth knowledge and evidence of research-based teaching in the field. The candidate is expected to have strong evidence of national and international networking, as well as planning of international and national projects, acquiring additional funding (e.g. industrial financing, Business Finland, Academy of Finland, EU funding programs, others) and leadership. The applicant is also expected to be active in scientific research and have experience in supervising doctoral dissertations in the field. Industrial experience and industrial contact networks are considered as merits.

When assessing the applicants, the merits taken into consideration include scientific publications and other research results with scientific value, success in acquiring additional research funding, experience in leading research groups, teaching experience and pedagogical training, the skill to create teaching material, other teaching merits, the demonstration lecture, and the supervised doctoral theses. In addition, the following merits will be taken into consideration: the applicant’s activity in the scientific community and university administrative tasks, practical experience, success in applying for additional research funding, evidence of cooperation in the field and scientific work abroad, international duties as well as management and interaction skills.

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

Salary

The salary will be based on the levels 8 – 10 of the demand level chart for teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). The full salary is approximately 5,500 – 8,100 euros per month.

Application Procedure

Applications, including the attachments in English, should be submitted by 15.4.2020 (23:59 Finnish local time), using the electronic application form.All material, including publications, should be submitted electronically.

The position is filled as of 1.9.2020 or as soon as possible thereafter. A trial period of six (6) months is applied in the position.

The following documents must be attached to the application for expert assessment purposes:

1. motivation letter
2. brief curriculum vitae according to the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory board on Research Integrity: https://www.tenk.fi/en/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae
3. list of publications according to the guidelines of the Academy of Finland: https://www.aka.fi/en/funding/apply-for-funding/az-index-of-application-guidelines/list-of-publications/
4. brief research and action plan in English (max 5 pages)
5. teaching merits that are significant for the position should be presented in English in the form of a teaching portfolio or similar account. The portfolio is expected to follow the outline given in the appendix.
6. at most fifteen (15) publications or other works, which should be numbered in accordance with the list of publications and other works, which the applicant wants to be taken into account when assessing his/her qualifications and merits

Before being officially accepted for the position, the successful applicant must present his/her original degree diplomas or certified copies thereof, as well as a signed curriculum vitae, to the faculty.

Expert Assessment

The Research Council of the University of Oulu will select at least two experts to be consulted regarding the selection process. When selecting the experts, the respective specializations of the applicants in the field are taken into consideration, and general fairness is observed otherwise as well.

The applicants are informed about the selection of the experts.

Demonstration Lecture and Interview

The recruitment committee will, if needed, interview the applicants that they consider best and arrange the demonstration lectures when necessary.

Official Employment

The Dean will make her proposition on the basis of the proposition of the recruitment committee and submits this, justifications and attachments included, to the Vice Rector, who will make the decision concerning the employment of the successful applicant.

Contact Information

In order to receive the information and announcements issued in the course of the selection process, the applicant should provide the faculty with the necessary contact information as follows: address, telephone number at work and at home and email address.

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, email: tiina.paakkonen(at)oulu.fi

Regulations

University Law (558/2009) and Statute (770/2009), the Regulations of the University of Oulu (23.11.2015).

APPENDIX

OUTLINE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE TEACHING PORTFOLIO

According to the policy approved by the University of Oulu, the teaching skills referred to in the Appointments Decree (Decree on the Appointment of Professors at Universities 1581/91; Amendment 462/98) are assessed according to the outline below:

1. Teaching philosophy and characterisation of yourself as a teacher
- thinking underlying your teaching, the personal background idea of your teaching: how is this to be seen in your work as a teacher? Description of yourself as a teacher and worker in the teaching profession.
2. Practical experience gained in the teaching profession, how you develop your teaching
3. Production and use of learning materials
4. Maintenance of your teaching skills
5. Feedback received on your teaching (student and peer assessments, awards and approved teaching demonstrations)
6. Vision of the development of your work as a teacher
- provide a brief plan for the development of your teaching and work as a teacher in the near future, e.g. in relation to the research unit’s curriculum