Senior lecturer in Translational Bioinformatics

Örebro University is a modern fast-growing university with a medical faculty and an associated university hospital. The Faculty of Medicine and Health together with Örebro University Hospital are jointly part of several national initiatives to facilitate development and implementation of precision medicine for Swedish health care, Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS, https://genomicmedicine.se/, https://genomicmedicine.se/gmc-orebro/) and SciLifeLab Clinical Genomics (CG, https://www.scilifelab.se/units/clinical-genomics-orebro/). The current position is an opportunity to become a central part of the newly established Centre for Precision Medicine Örebro. The centre is part of both GMS and CG and serves as the local centre for genomic medicine and clinical genomics, offering services for assessing genomic data, molecular marker data, or microbiome data from patients from local, national and European clinical studies, and for patients at Örebro University Hospital, including data analysis and interpretation.  The position is based at the School of Medical Sciences where several research groups collaborate in research and education, in the fields such as biomedicine, medicine, health sciences, epidemiology, systems biology and bioinformatics.

Duties and responsibilities

As a senior lecturer you are spending your working hours on teaching at all levels, research, and any associated public engagement activities. In addition to education, research and collaboration, duties and responsibilities include development work, administration and continuing professional development. Moreover, teaching encompasses supervision, examination, course development, planning and evaluation. 

The senior lecturer develops research and education in the field of translational bioinformatics independently and as part of local, national and international collaborations and together with our business partners in research and education. An important role for the senior lecturer entails the development of the translational bioinformatics part of the Centre for Precision Medicine Örebro. Initially, educational duties will amount to 20% of the position and after four years entail up to 50%.

Qualifications

Those qualified for appointment as a senior lecturer are applicants who have demonstrated teaching expertise and been awarded a doctoral degree in a subject matter relevant for the position, or has the corresponding research competence or some other professional expertise that is of value in view of the subject matter of the position and the duties that it will involve.

A general eligibility criterion for teaching staff at Örebro University is that they have completed courses on teaching and learning in higher education corresponding to 10 weeks. Knowledge and skills equivalent to such courses may also be assessed to establish whether these provide eligibility. A teacher who at the time of appointment lacks such training or the equivalent competence, must complete the required courses no later than within two years of taking up the position.

Assessment criteria

When appointing teaching staff, both the applicant’s research/artistic expertise and their teaching expertise will be assessed, and they are to be given equal attention. The assessment is also to consider the applicant’s qualifications and experience from collaboration with the wider community, of which the university is a part, as well as national and international experience and mobility. Teachers are to have the ability to communicate and disseminate information; collaborate and engage with the wider community; and facilitate utilisation of the university’s research. In addition, the applicant’s suitability for the position will be assessed. Suitability refers to the applicant demonstrating the personal qualities required to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities at hand; to be able to cooperate with other members of staff; and to contribute to the development of university operations.

Research expertise

Research expertise is to be demonstrated through independent research contributions and continued scientific publishing following the award of the doctoral degree. Importance shall also be attached to the candidate’s establishment in the research community as well as to their experience of planning, administrating, and leading their own research.

In terms of research specialisation, you are expected to contribute to implementing translational bioinformatics in research, education and for the implementation, both locally and in national collaborations. Experience with collaborations outside academia is highly valued. Research expertise is to be demonstrated in the fields of applied / clinical / sequencing bioinformatics or closely related. Independent research within bioinformatics with focus on sequencing data analysis, analysis workflow development or translational aspects, such as previous work in translational projects within the field of bioinformatics is considered obligatory. In addition to volume and quality of research production, we value a demonstrated ability to apply for and secure research grants.

Teaching expertise

When defining teaching expertise at Örebro University, three categories are used: teaching approach, how the teaching approach is put into practice, and professional development as a teacher. The applicant’s teaching qualifications are therefore to be documented accordingly and in compliance with Örebro University’s template for teaching portfolios, relating clearly to the values set out in Örebro University’s educational philosophy.

Teaching expertise is to be demonstrated through varying degrees of contributions within teaching, such as planning, execution, evaluation and follow up of teaching activities, as well as supervision and examination. The applicant must be able to account for their teaching outlook and approach and have the ability to reflect on their own pedagogical development as well as on the teacher’s role. The applicant is also expected to have contributed to educational development.

Your teaching expertise should include the demonstrated ability to maintain a scientific approach in teaching and in the development of own teaching material. You have documented experience in teaching bioinformatics methodology on different levels, and, especially, to non-bioinformatics students as for example biomedical or medical students.

Other assessment criteria

Very good communication skills (orally, and in writing), in Swedish and English, are mandatory.
Further assessment criteria include demonstrated experience of leadership and/or administrative roles in academia.  As a person, you have great collaborative and team-building skills, and are able to work together with co-workers, students, and external stakeholders.

Information

This is a permanent full-time position (100%). At Örebro University, salary depends on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, and positions announced are, where appropriate, subject to a trial period.

For more information about the position, contact Dirk Repsilber +46 19 30 1256, email: dirk.repsilber@oru.se (bioinformatics) or Svante Hugosson +46 19 30 1319, email: svante.hugosson@oru.se.

At Örebro University, we expect each member of staff to be open to development and change; take responsibility for their work and performance; demonstrate a keen interest in collaboration and contribute to development; as well as to show respect for others by adopting a constructive and professional approach.

Örebro University actively pursues equal opportunities and gender equality as well as a work environment characterised by openness, trust and respect. We value the qualities that diversity adds to our operations.

Application

The application is made online. Click the button “Apply” to begin the application procedure.

For the application to be complete, the following electronic documents must be included:

• Covering letter, outlining how you believe you can contribute to the continued development of Örebro University
• CV with a relevant description of your overall qualifications and experience
• Teaching portfolio (as instructed in Örebro University’s guidelines)
• Research/artistic portfolio
• Publication list
• Relevant scientific publications (maximum of 10 and in full-text format)
• Copies of relevant course/degree certificates and references verifying eligibility and criteria met

Only documents written in Swedish, English, Norwegian and Danish can be reviewed.
More information for applicants will be found at out career site:  https://www.oru.se/english/working-at-orebro-university/jobs-and-vacancies/applicants-and-external-experts/

The application deadline is Feb 28, 2023. We look forward to receiving your application!