Associate Professor in Quantitative Research Methodology

About the position

A permanent position as an Associate Professor (SKO 1011) in Quantitative Research Methodology is available at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. The position is affiliated with the Section for Methodology, Work and Organizational Psychology, Culture and Community Psychology, and Social Psychology (MAKS).

The Department of Psychology is Norway’s largest provider of psychology education, offering programmes for both licensed clinical psychologists and non-clinical professionals. 

The MAKS section covers basic and applied research and teaching for the Bachelor, Master, Professional (clinical) and PhD programmes within its four units. The section strives to offer an inclusive and diverse environment with good onboarding and openness to researcher-driven initiatives. We facilitate collaboration, learning and career development. 

The MAKS Section has currently 44 national and international permanent and non-permanent staff and includes University Lecturers, Associate Professors and Professors (45% women), as well as PhD & Postdoc fellows and Adjunct Professors.

More about the position

The methodology unit of the MAKS-section includes five permanent academic positions in quantitative methods. The candidate is expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in research design, statistics, and other quantitative methodologies, and supervise graduate and undergraduate student research. The successful candidate is expected to lead and initiate research, and to actively engage in and contribute to initiatives related to quantitative methods. The position also involves administrative and other duties in accordance with university regulations.

Teaching-related work and administrative tasks account for 53 % of the position, while the remaining 47% is allocated to research activities.

What skills are important in this role?

Necessary requirements

• PhD or equivalent qualification in psychology or a closely related field. Applicants who have not yet been awarded their PhD degree must document that their thesis has been submitted for evaluation by the application deadline. Appointment to the position is conditional upon the PhD degree having been awarded before the candidate takes up the position.
• A documented track record of scientific publications showcasing expertise in, and practical implementations of:
  • Psychometrics
  • A range of diverse research designs, which may include quasi-experimental designs, randomized trials or survey methodology. 
  • Advanced data analytic approaches, which may include multivariate general and generalized models, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), multi-level modelling, Bayesian statistics, or approaches combining quantitative data analyses with machine learning.
• Documented experience in teaching and related activities, such as presentations and dissemination efforts.
• Documented pedagogical skills (i.e., a certification in university pedagogics) and an ability to take active part in teaching and administrative work as well as contributing to the further development of teaching in quantitative methodology. Applicants that cannot document basic pedagogical competence at the time of employment must acquire this within the first two years subsequent to their appointment. The Department will support this certification, and the University of Oslo will offer required courses. 
• Applicants must have fluent oral and written communication skills in English. Applicants who are not fluent in a Scandinavian language will have to learn Norwegian within the first three years of employment to effectively participate in the functions required by the position (documented proficiency: CEFR Independent user Level B2 or equivalent). The Department will support learning Norwegian by available courses at the University of Oslo.

The successful candidate is expected to take up residence in the greater Oslo region to actively participate in and contribute to the working environment at the Department of Psychology.

Additional favorable qualifications

• Proficiency in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is considered an advantage
• Research expertise in one or more key research areas central to the MAKS-section Publications that highlight advancements in research methodology.
• Documented experience in teaching research designs and quantitative analyses at the university level.
• Experience with Open Science practices.
• Familiarity with R, Python, Julia, or other relevant computing languages. 
• Active involvement in international research networks.
• A history of securing external funding for research projects.

Personal skills

The following qualifications are of relevance for the assessment of applicants:

• An open-minded, respectful and friendly approach towards both students and colleagues. 
• High motivation, work capacity, and strong dedication to the subject matter.
• Initiative and the ability to collaborate efficiently with colleagues.
• Responsibility towards maintaining a positive work environment and contributing to shared tasks.
• The willingness to share expertise and knowledge, especially in supporting the development of junior scholars.

Assessment of candidates

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal suitability and motivation for the position. 

Qualified applicants will be ranked based on the requirements outlined above. Top-ranking applicants will be invited to an interview as well as a trial lecture. In assessing academic achievements, the focus will be on both the quality and content of the work and the quantity and journal metrics. Academic achievements will be assessed in the context of an applicant's career stage and any career breaks, such as parental leave. Special emphasis will be placed on:

• Research and development work within the field of quantitative methodology 
• Publications from the last five years 

Please see formal regulations under General information regarding procedure and guidelines for assessment.

Why should you choose us?

• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
• Committed colleagues in a good working environment. 
• Good welfare schemes.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities. 
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Associate Professor, position code 1011 in salary range NOK 750 000 - 900 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.
• The Associate Professor will have the opportunity to apply for promotion to (Full) Professor after commencing the position, see Qualification requirements for promotion to Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences
• Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Career development at PSI

The Department of Psychology wants to facilitate future career opportunities for PhD students, postdocs and associate professors at the Department. We follow UiO's personnel policy, which requires the individual leader to actively follow up his or her employees, among other things by ensuring the individual's opportunity for development at work.

UiOs competence development offer

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. 

Diversity and gender equality

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

The Department of Psychology shall work actively for equality, ensure equal opportunities and rights, and prevent discrimination.

Application

The application must include the following documents: 

• Application letter. The letter should include a 1–3-page description of the applicant’s academic profile, how the applicant views his/her academic interests in relation to the core areas of this position and the research group, and how the applicant wishes to contribute to the development of research and teaching in Quantitative Methodology at the department in the short and long term.
• CV (complete list of education; positions; research, pedagogical, administrative, research communication and public dissemination qualifications and experience; as well as other qualifying activities).
• A complete list of scientific publications.
• Copies of educational certificates (in English or a Scandinavian language).
• Academic works (up to 5 publications) and a brief account of these. (Please note that these publications should be articles, chapters, brief reports or the likes. Please do not submit entire books.)
• Educational portfolio of 3-6 pages documenting educational competence and experience, including a reflection note in which your own practice and learning vision is related to the characteristics of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
• Applicants who have had statutory care leave are encouraged to provide documentation for this period.

Candidates who are invited to interviews will be asked to provide references later in the process

The application with attachments must be submitted via our online recruitment system. 

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

General information

Interviews and trial lecture will be used in the selection process. The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to the Rules for Appointments to Professorships and Associate Professorships at the University of Oslo, Rules for practicing the requirement for basic pedagogical competence at the University of Oslo and Guide for applicants for Professor and Associate professor positions - University of Oslo. 

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.