[Lingtyp] Jobs: Assistant professor, Indigenous studies, University of Helsinki

[Matti Miestamo]

Dear All,

some of you might be interested in the following job ad (posted originally at https://www.helsinki.fi/en/open-positions). The contact person for further questions is Professor Hanna Snellman hanna.snellman(at)helsinki.fi.

Best wishes,
Matti Miestamo

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The University of Helsinki – among the best in the world
Founded in 1640, the University of Helsinki is one of the best multidisciplinary research universities in the world. The University of Helsinki is an international academic community of 40,000 students and staff members. It operates on four campuses in Helsinki and at 15 other locations. The high-quality research carried out by the university creates new knowledge for educating diverse specialists in various fields, and for utilisation in social decision-making and the business sector.

The Faculty of Arts (http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/english/index.htm) is Finland’s oldest institution for teaching and research in the humanities and the largest in terms of the structure and range of disciplines. It is also a significant international community fostering research, education and cultural interaction. The Faculty has 7,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and employs 500 experts. 

The Faculty of Arts invites applications for a dynamic and innovative 

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR (TENURE TRACK) OF INDIGENOUS STUDIES 

to develop an entirely new discipline at the University of Helsinki.

The discipline of indigenous studies examines the diverse knowledge of indigenous peoples and their notions of culture, language, identity and history as well as the significance of indigenous peoples in contemporary society. Indigenous studies produces knowledge that can help solve global problems relating to environment, climate change and welfare.

Indigenous studies is a comparative and multidisciplinary field that reaches beyond the traditional humanities to encompass issues of, for example, law, ecology and globalisation. The appointee is expected to be familiar with at least one of the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples as well as to have experience in indigenous studies which may also be oriented towards legal, environmental or societal aspects.

The assistant professor of indigenous studies will work at the multidisciplinary Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies. The assistant professor’s duties will include the development of teaching in the new study module in indigenous studies together with other faculties.

In the tenure track system, the University employs as assistant professors talented, motivated academics who have completed their doctoral degree and have since accrued academic and other relevant qualifications. See University of Helsinki Tenure Track system https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/open-positions/careers-at-the-univ...

The assistant professor is expected to contribute innovatively to the development of the field, provide interdisciplinary teaching in the field and acquire external funding for international research projects. The academic qualifications and teaching experience of applicants as well as their ability to perform independent scientific work will be considered when making the selection. Additional merit will be granted for international and interdisciplinary experience as well as experience in acquiring research funding. The successful applicant will preferably also have the knowledge and skills needed to teach international students. 

Holders of teaching and research positions at Finnish universities must be proficient in the language in which they provide instruction, i.e., Finnish or Swedish. They must also have at least satisfactory spoken and written skills in both Finnish and Swedish. Foreign citizens, non-native Finnish citizens or citizens who have not been educated in Finnish or Swedish language may be exempted from this requirement without a separate application. However, if the appointee to this position is not proficient in Finnish or Swedish, he or she is expected to acquire moderate proficiency, as becoming proficient in Finnish or Swedish is important for the professor’s full integration into the workplace and Finnish society. Support for language studies is offered. To successfully attend to the duties of the position, the appointee must also have good English skills.

The University will assist the appointee in national and international networking as well as publishing in international forums. The appointee will have the opportunity to receive mentoring. He or she can also accumulate teaching experience and increase his or her competence with studies in university pedagogy. 

The salary will be based on level 7 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointee will be paid a salary component based on personal work performance.

Applicants are requested to enclose with their applications the following English-language documents:
1)	A curriculum vitae (see http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/english/administration/resources/cv.htm)
2)	A report (max. 5 pages) on pedagogical expertise (teaching philosophy, previous teaching experience, pedagogical skills, the ability to use and develop teaching materials, other teaching merits) or alternatively, an academic portfolio containing equivalent information (see http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/english/administration/resources/skills/index...)
3)	A report (max. 5 pages) on the applicant’s research activities (including activities in scientific communities, the acquisition of research funding and international scholarly work) and on how the applicant intends to develop his or her research and focus his or her activities, if appointed
4)	A list of publications on which the applicant has indicated his or her key publications; the list should follow the Faculty instructions for classifying publications (see
http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/english/administration/resources/publications...).
5)	Certificates of language proficiency

Please submit your application, together with the required attachments, through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the link Apply for job. Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application via the SAP HR portal. The dead line for applications is 15 October 2015.

Further information about the position may be obtained from Professor Hanna Snellman, tel. +358 050 448 0665, hanna.snellman(at)helsinki.fi.

Apply at latest 15.10.2015

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Matti Miestamo
http://www.ling.helsinki.fi/~matmies/