Professor or Associate Professor in Contemporary Art with focus on Speculative Materials

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NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus on professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 44,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

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Om stillingen

The Trondheim Academy of Fine Art at NTNU is excited to announce an opportunity for a 100% permanent position as Professor or Associate Professor with a focus on Speculative Materials. We are seeking applications from dedicated and qualified candidates who can help us develop and define the notion of speculative materials and push the academic boundaries through exploring materials as frameworks for societal re-imagination and transformation. An emerging field of artistic research, speculative materials investigate the notion of materials as active agents in shaping cultural, technological, and ecological futures. At the Trondheim Academy of Fine Art, we are dedicated to shaping the roles and impact of artists in society. The successful candidate will thrive in an environment characterized by high ambitions, access to relevant networks and facilities, and a strong international reputation in artistic research.

The Trondheim Academy of Fine Art is a department within the Faculty for Architecture and Design at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). With a dynamic and experimental approach to education and research, our department comprises 30 staff members including 15 PhD candidates, and approximately 80 students across bachelor and master programs. 

Your immediate leader is Head of Department.

Duties of the position

The primary responsibilities include teaching, conducting artistic research, and fostering artistic development, collaboration, and new initiatives within the realm of speculative materials. The ideal candidate will be committed to exploring the potential of art and culture to drive societal transformation, working with academic colleagues both within and outside the department, as well as international public and private sector actors. They will contribute to advancing and articulating our department’s study programs, with a specific focus on developing speculative materials perspectives in education, while engaging in collaborative artistic research projects in the department and across various academic domains.

Candidates must be dedicated to exploring the potential of an art academy embedded within a University for Science and Technology. They should show enthusiasm for relocating their professional activities to the art academy in Trondheim, Norway, enabling them to share their artistic research and production processes and outcomes with the University, its local contexts, and broader national and international networks.

Responsibilities include tutoring and teaching courses in the existing Bachelor and International Master programs in Fine Art, as well as the new educational initiatives in speculative materials. Additionally, the candidate will supervise fellows in a PhD program in artistic research.

Candidates should demonstrate the ability to develop and carry out advanced and collaborative artistic research projects, including collaborations with other academic contexts across the arts, science, and society.  

Required qualifications 

You must have the qualifications required for the position of associate professor or professor in the field of Speculative Materials, as outlined in § 3-6 of the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts 

1. a doctoral degree in a relevant field, or competence at an equivalent level documented either by artistic work or scientific work of the same scope and quality
2. educational competence as per § 3-8,
   • formal training, quality development in own teaching, guidance, and significant contribution to the development of educational quality, is required as a minimum.
   • pedagogical or didactic competence to promote learning, including knowledge and skills in the development and implementation of teaching and guidance at university and college level.
3. Norwegian language skills at level B2

For professor position, you must also document:

significant contributions to research or artistic development work at the highest level, in accordance with international or national standards within the field.

Additional requirements for professor must be documented:

• quality development in own teaching and supervision over time and a high degree of reflection on own practice
• broad experience with supervision, preferably at master's/PhD level
• initiate, lead and/or participate in the development of educational quality in the academic communities
• competence in knowledge in use (innovation, dissemination and interaction with society) and/or
• academic leadership and elected posts/appointed roles.

For both positions: 

You must document relevant basic competence in teaching and supervision at a university/higher education-level, as referenced in the NTNUs guidelines for academic positions. If this cannot be documented, you will be required to complete an approved course in university pedagogy within two years of commencement. NTNU offers qualifying courses.

New employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language by appointment is required, within three years, to demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level B2 of the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU. 

Preferred qualifications

• experience and advanced understanding of artistic research processes
• knowledge and critical understanding of the potential and opportunities for creative processes and (speculative) materials 
• knowledge of relevant frameworks and networks in the creative and cultural sector and industries (e.g.)
• well-grounded, up-to-date competence and outstanding artistic practice, including a strong record of exhibition activities in contemporary art venues in internationally relevant arenas
• the ability and willingness to explore the potentials of collaboration across art and society 
• documented involvement in internationally funded cross-disciplinary research projects
• understanding of the contemporary art world, its current dynamics, and future perspectives
• hands-on experience in leadership and/or management
• relevant capacities for contributing to strategic development on the levels of the Department, the Faculty, and the University 

The position will be expected to delivery teaching of high quality both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including supervision of Master’s and Doctoral candidates. In addition to a clear vision of the role of contemporary art in rapidly changing societies, successful applicants will outline a teaching philosophy that elaborates on traditions of studio-based (or possibly conservatory-based) arts educations, while addressing future challenges by linking it to artistic research practices that advance in terms both methodologies and substance. Special care should be taken to demonstrate and articulate experience with innovative teaching methods, including how these can be implemented collaborating with partners in and outside the academic context.

Applicants who lack formal qualifications in educational competence, or cannot document equivalent qualifications, will need to complete an approved pedagogical development programme within two years of appointment.

A solid command of both written and spoken English is a prerequisite. It is also a prerequisite that within three years of appointment, new employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three in the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU. 

Additionally, please consult the  Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts for general criteria for the position. NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

Personal qualities

We are looking for candidates with strong teamwork skills, including the ability to work efficiently under varying workloads and deadlines. Being collegial, reliable, actively present, and committed to NTNU’s vision, values, social mission, key challenges, and main objectives is important for this position.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer 

• exciting and challenging tasks in a strong international academic environment 
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues 
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• employee benefits 

Application Process

You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

Video: https://youtu.be/bwfNPj8HxHw

Salary and conditions

As an Associate Professor (code 1011) you are normally paid from gross NOK 750 000 – 950 000 NOK per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As Professor (code 1013) you are normally paid from gross NOK 900 000 – 1 200 000 NOK per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The engagement is to be made in accordance withthe regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

For the necessary professional and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application

Your application and supporting documentation must be in English. 

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in Norwegian/a Scandinavian language or English. (decide on this - remove if not applicable) 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Your application must include:

• CV, diplomas, and certificates
• A teaching portfolio, in which your teaching competence is compiled and presented systematically,   (See guidelines for applicants: Documentation of educational competence
• Academic works – published or unpublished – that you wish to be considered during assessment of your application (up to 10 items)
• A description of the scientific/artistic works you consider most relevant, which you particularly wish to be factored into the assessment
• A complete publication list
• A research plan
• Details of projects for which you have served as project manager, including information on financing, duration, and scope
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees

It is important that you both document and reflect on your competence. You are encouraged to use the NTNUs competence matrix as a guide for  documentation of your competence.

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Our assessment of the pedagogical skills will be based on documented pedagogical material, forms of presentation in your academic works, teaching experience, PhD, and Masters supervision, and any other relevant pedagogical background. Both quality and scope will be taken into consideration, and an open scientific practice will be recognized.

NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and the obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions to science and society. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.

Your application will be considered by an expert committee. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview, and to deliver a trial teaching session.

General information

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse, and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.  

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability, and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time.

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality.

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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

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As an employee at NTNU, you must continually maintainand improve your professional development and be flexible regardingany organizational changes.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given expert evaluations of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and are stipulated by rules of confidentiality. 

If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Head of Department Jacob Jessen at jacob.jessen@ntnu.no or phone +47 920 97 913. 

If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Adviser Natalia Swahn at natalia.swahn@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 17.08.2026