New initiative for Assistant Professor positions at the Faculty of Science and Technology
The Faculty of Science and Technology at Uppsala University is seeking promising international researchers for assistant professor positions across six subject areas. Photo: David Naylor.
The Faculty of Science and Technology at Uppsala University is now launching a series of broad calls for assistant professor positions across six subject areas. The calls are aimed at promising international researchers conducting high-quality research.
Charlotte Platzer Björkman. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt.
“This is a unique opportunity and we are hoping for very strong candidates”, says Charlotte Platzer Björkman, Vice-Rector of the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Uppsala University recruits assistant professors on an ongoing basis, but the new initiative differs from the regular, department-initiated calls. The faculty is now launching a series of broader, more externally targeted calls aimed at attracting a larger and more international pool of applicants.
“We are complementing our regular recruitment process with a model that is more openly structured. This is a way to attract the research leaders of the future and create broader competition for the positions by not narrowing the subject area too much”, says Charlotte Platzer Björkman.
More efficient management
Similar initiatives have been carried out at other universities, including Chalmers, and Uppsala University has also previously run a trial with a broad call. Around 2013, the faculty conducted a coordinated international recruitment campaign for ten assistant professors across the entire Faculty of Science and Technology. The new model, with one position per section, simplifies management and better aligns with the needs of the departments.
The positions are also strategically linked to the Swedish Research Council's ongoing calls for 2026-2027. The first positions in the Faculty of Science and Technology are currently being advertised, with more to follow throughout the year.
Career development position with timeframes
Assistant professor is a career-development position with nationally regulated frameworks. Applicants must have completed their doctorate no more than seven years ago and the maximum duration of the post is six years. The position is eligible for consideration for promotion to senior lecturer.
“It is an important part of the career path for young researchers. We want to give them good conditions to develop and establish themselves with us", says Charlotte Platzer Björkman.
Mobility and internationalisation
Mobility is greatest early in a research career, before family circumstances and other factors make moving more difficult. For researchers considering moving to Sweden, Uppsala University offers a combination of academic quality and good living conditions, says the Vice-Chancellor.
“Sweden is a great country to live and work in. “Uppsala University has world-class research, strong traditions of collegial governance, and a close connection between research and education”, says Charlotte Platzer Björkman.
"A unique opportunity"
She also highlights that the university is home to several national and international infrastructures, providing early-career researchers with excellent opportunities to develop their research. It also contributes to the university’s renewal, development, and long-term skills provision.
“This is an outward-looking and forward-looking initiative. If it works out, we might consider doing something similar again. But right now, it's a unique opportunity - and it's important to take advantage of it," says Charlotte Platzer Björkman.
Anneli Björkman