Associate Senior Lecturer in Botany

The department's activities are conducted at two main locations: Natrium on Medicinaregatan 7B in Gothenburg, and the Kristineberg Marine Research Station in Fiskebäckskil. The current position is located at the premises in Gothenburg, which is where Herbarium GB is situated. The latter hosts more than one million specimens from around the world (~60% imaged; ~28% with digitized metadata) and forms part of a global network of almost 4,000 herbaria.

01Subject area

Botany, specializing in vascular plant systematics.

02Subject area description

Vascular plant systematics is the scientific study of the diversity, evolutionary relationships, and taxonomy of vascular plants. In the 21st century, systematics is a highly integrative discipline, one that engages a diversity of data types and methodologies, and has strong connections to evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation biology. For this position we seek a plant systematist having competence in the tools of modern systematics, a strong interest in natural history collections, and whose research makes first-hand use of material housed in such collections.

03Duties

This associate senior lectureship initially comprises 60% research and teaching in botany and 40% curation of the vascular plant collections at Herbarium GB. The curation component comprises contribution to strategic development of the collections, basic curation, and curation-related research.

Teaching and research tasks include:

• Development of and engagement with a sustained, substantive, and productive research program focusing on vascular plants. A significant component of the research should be collections-based, making use of herbarium material.
• Building and leading a research group, including applying for external research funding and publishing in high-quality scientific journals.
• Teaching topics in plant taxonomy, systematics, and related subjects at undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes lecturing, coordination of practical exercises, course leadership, and project supervision.
• Supervising doctoral students.
• Participation in the development and renewal of teaching, in both content and form.
• Development of collaborations with other research groups at University of Gothenburg and with researchers at other institutions. The department is especially keen to strengthen its collaboration with the Gothenburg Botanical Garden, with respect to research, teaching, and collection management.
• Participation in and development of societal collaboration projects.

Curation tasks include:

• Participation in the development of strategic goals and drafting of grant applications for Herbarium GB.
• Curation and development of the vascular plant collections in Herbarium GB.
• Execution and publication of research relating to or arising from curation activities.
• Promoting integration of Herbarium GB into university- and botanic garden-based teaching, research, and community activities.
• Support of digitization and database cataloguing in line with international standards for specimen data.
• Support of visiting researchers and promoting collaboration with national and international institutions.

04Eligibility

Eligibility for employment as an associate senior lecturer is regulated by the Higher Education Ordinance and the University of Gothenburg's employment regulations.

To be eligible for appointment as an associate senior lecturer, the applicant must have been awarded a PhD or has the corresponding research expertise. Primary consideration should be given to a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise within seven years of the deadline for application for employment as an associate senior lecturer. However, a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved equivalent expertise at an earlier date may also be considered if there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are sick leave, parental leave, or other similar circumstances.

Ability to teach in English is a requirement.

05Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria for appointment as associate senior lecturer are governed by the Higher Education Ordinance and the Appointments Procedure for Teachers at the University of Gothenburg. We seek candidates who have demonstrated the ability to independently initiate, develop, and conduct high-quality research within the subject area of the position. For appointment as an associate senior lecturer at the Faculty of Science and Technology, academic and teaching qualifications must be adequate in relation to the subject content and job description of the advertised position.

For this position, emphasis is placed on research qualifications and expertise, particularly in herbarium specimen-based research, with curation skills considered to be of similar importance. The assessment categories of collaboration with the wider community and management and administrative expertise are considered advantageous.

The assessment of research and curation skills includes

• Proficiency in vascular plant systematics, taxonomy, and nomenclature, as evidenced by publications and participation in scientific conferences.
• Experience of herbarium curation and/or collections-based taxonomic research.
• Advanced knowledge of modern techniques in taxonomy and systematics, including phylogenetic and phylogenomic tools.
• A clear vision of the future role and operation of herbaria, and thoughts on the priority actions required to realize that vision.
• Experience of herbarium digitization, georeferencing, and/or database development.
• Knowledge of the Northern Eurasian and/or Eurasian floras, specifically floristics and regional plant identification.

Personal qualities such as initiative, organization skills, pedagogical insight, and communication skills will also be taken into consideration..

06Employment

Type of employment: Fixed-term employment for five years

Extent: Full-time (100%)

Location: Gothenburg

Starting date: By agreement

07Application

Apply for the position via the University of Gothenburg's recruitment portal by clicking on the "Apply" button.

Too see the full ad and apply, please visit: https://web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/1035/job?site=7&lang=UK&validator=9b89bead79bb7258ad55c8d75228e5b7&job_id=41863