Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Full Professor in Geology at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Faculty of Science
University of Copenhagen

The Natural History Museum of Denmark wishes to appoint a Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Full Professor and curator in the field of Geology with a great vision for natural history museums in a changing world. Duties are divided equally between collection-based research (50%) and other museum duties (50%), including curation and digitization of relevant parts of the geological collections, public engagement/exhibition/interpretation work, research-based teaching and supervision of students, and to act as the museum's liaison with relevant Danish natural history communities.

The successful candidate will be expected to establish and develop an externally funded collection-based research program/group and publish in high impact journals. We particularly encourage applications from candidates with a research specialization in petrology, geochronology and mineralogy, the latter with a focus on minerals critical for the transition to a carbon-neutral future. In this connection the museum has large and historic rock, ore and mineral collections with a focus on Greenland.

We value collaboration across disciplines and professions. All applicants are expected to demonstrate interdisciplinary thinking and a commitment to working together to create solutions to global challenges. This also goes for collection work. Curators develop the collections that they are responsible for through research, field work, loan activities, digitization, acting as scientific host for visiting researchers, and increasing accessibility for everyone.

The museum is a member of Geocenter Denmark, a national center of geoscientific research, education, consulting and innovation that enables close cooperation with other Danish university departments and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. .

This curatorial position in Geology at the Natural History Museum of Denmark will be filled at either the Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or full Professor level. Candidates for appointment at the Professorship level must be able to demonstrate that they have played a leading role in advancing their research field documented by an exceptionally strong and high impact publication record as well as providing evidence for major research grants and having excellent public engagement experience. All curators at the Natural History Museum of Denmark are expected to take a leading role in society as advocates for science and nature, creating impact at all levels while actively promoting the museum’s Vision and Values (https://snm.ku.dk/english/vision-and-values/) Further details of qualifications required for appointment at the various levels at the museum are detailed below.

The position is available starting 1 December 2024.

Qualifications

Tenure-track assistant professor
Applicants at the tenure track assistant professor level are expected to have an academic record demonstrating the potential to deliver high profile internationally competitive research in the area of specialization. They should be a scientific specialist in one of the collection areas of the museum. Previous curatorial and university teaching experience would be advantageous but is not a requirement. A documented interest and a vision for public engagement and community-based activities, such as citizen science, is essential. A genuine interest in participating in exhibition work is a prerequisite.

Assessment of applicants for the tenure-track assistant professorship will primarily consider their level of documented, internationally competitive research. The ability to attract external funding will be considered together with outreach qualifications. Teaching qualifications are not mandatory but documented teaching qualifications and teaching experience will be considered.

Associate professor
The position requires a track record of successful external research funding as well as a strong publication record in high-level, international, peer-reviewed venues in the area of specialization. Curatorial expertise is required and previous experience of digitising geological collections will be considered an important asset. Broad experience or a compelling vision for public engagement and community-based activities is essential. Experience from exhibition work is an advantage. Candidates are also required to have documented university-level competencies in delivering high-quality undergraduate/graduate teaching and must be able to explain and reflect upon their own teaching practice and portfolio. Formal pedagogical training or supervision equivalent to the University of Copenhagen teacher training programme for assistant professors is required. See assessment criteria below.

Full professor
Applicants are expected to have a solid track record of attracting significant external research funding, a significant publication record in high-level, international, peer-reviewed venues in the area of specialization, and an active international network of research collaborators. Candidates are also required to have significant curatorial experience with scientific curation and digitizing of collections and university-level competencies in delivering high-quality undergraduate/graduate teaching and supervision and must be able to explain and reflect upon their own teaching practice and portfolio, as well as participate in strategic teaching planning. Formal pedagogical training or supervision equivalent to the University of Copenhagen teacher training programme for assistant professors is required.
Extensive experience in and a compelling vision for public engagement and community-based activities, such as citizen science, is prerequisite. Experience from exhibition work is desired. Candidates are expected to have significant managerial qualifications, for instance, in positions of service to their institution or to the community, and experience in leading a competitive research group. See assessment criteria below.

Assessment of applicants will primarily consider their level of documented qualifications for a position at the museum with excellent international standing. The overall fit for the Natural History Museum will also be considered.

Six overall criteria apply for appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria—research, teaching, societal impact, organizational contribution, external funding, and leadership—are considered a framework for an overall assessment of the candidates. Each candidate is also assessed according to the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement.

More information on these criteria for each rank can be found at the following links:

• Tenure-track assistant professor
• Associate professor
• Full professor

Furthermore, each candidate must be assessed according to the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement. Please read more here.

Information on the tenure-track program
The tenure-track programme is a career programme. Candidates hired as tenure-track assistant professors will be assigned a mentor who will provide the candidate with guidance related to career development, academic topics, and administrative procedures. The performance of the tenure-track assistant professor will be followed via internal yearly evaluations and a mid-term and final international evaluation by an assessment committee. After a 6-year period, tenure-track assistant professors are expected to meet the criteria for appointment of associate professors at the University of Copenhagen. These criteria include but are not limited to publication track record, raising external research funding, curation and development of one or more museum collections, teaching including completing the university pedagogy course, supervision of BSc and MSc students, acting as curator/consultant for exhibits and public engagement.

Performance and progression towards the criteria will be evaluated with due consideration of differences between research fields. Upon a positive final appraisal, the tenure-track assistant professor will be promoted to associate professor, which is a permanent position. See this page for more information about the University of Copenhagen’s tenure-track program.

About the Natural History Museum of Denmark
The Natural History Museum of Denmark is the Danish national museum for nature. We work to empower citizens to connect with nature with the aim to create positive change for people and planet. We want to inspire, engage and enable people to enjoy, understand, and care for the diversity of the natural world. The impact of climate change and anthropogenic forces on biodiversity has reached a critical point. We firmly believe that natural history museums can and should play a key role towards a more sustainable relationship with nature.

We are currently building a new Danish national museum for nature. One big museum site, in the Botanical Garden, in the center of Copenhagen, will host state-of-the-art laboratories, outstanding research collections, new public galleries, and combined facilities for programming, education, and citizen science. It is an ambition for the museum to change the way people think about and use natural history museums.

The Natural History Museum of Denmark supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in all aspects of museum activities.

The Natural History Museum consists of the national Botanical Garden and three museum sites with public galleries, offices, laboratories, and collection space. The Botanical Garden was founded in 1600. The collections date back to Ole Worm’s Cabinet of Curiosities from around 1620. With 14 million specimens and 9,000 different species in the Botanical Garden, it is the largest museum collection in Denmark. It covers our planetary history with botanical, zoological, and geological specimens from all over the world.

The Natural History Museum of Denmark is part of the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. The University of Copenhagen was founded in 1479 and is the largest in Denmark. Read more about the museum at http://www.snm.ku.dk/english/

Inquiries about the position can be made to Deputy Director of Research, Michael Storey (+45 40185497 or [email protected]).

Affirmative action
The Natural History Museum of Denmark is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or disabled status. We are actively promoting a strategy to improve the gender balance among scientific staff.

Copenhagen is a highly diverse and international Scandinavian capital with a green profile. Education is free and childcare is subsidized. Public transport is well developed, and most Copenhageners take their bikes to work. There are lots of green areas in and around Copenhagen, the water in the harbor is clean enough for swimming, and the city has multiple museums and other cultural venues.

Terms of employment
The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

The successful candidate is expected to take Danish lessons if there is no prior knowledge of Danish language. The International Office at the University of Copenhagen can help.

How to apply
The position may be applied for at the tenure-track assistant professor level, at the associate professor level, or at the full professor level. Please note that it is possible to apply at more than one level. If applying at more than one level, separate applications must be submitted (see below).

The application, including all attachments, must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

• A cover letter stating the motivation for applying (1 page)

• Research profile: description of previous, current and future research plans (1 page)
• A vision for creating impact as a tenure track assistant professor/associate professor/professor at the Natural History Museum of Denmark (1 page)
• Suggested curatorial area (half a page)

• Curriculum vitae documenting:
  • Research leadership experience
  • Previous positions at museums, universities, or other research or cultural institutions
  • Fundraising experience
  • International network and relations
  • Curatorial experience (curation of collections)
  • Public engagement activities, i.e. citizen science projects, exhibitions, popular lectures or other relevant activities
  
  
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• If available, description and documentation of teaching and supervision experience and qualifications- please describe and document:
  • Experience with supervision of BSc, MSc students, and PhD students
  • Teaching experience
  • Formal pedagogical training
  
  

• Complete publication list
• Separate reprints of up to 5 particularly relevant papers

The deadline for applications is 3 April 2024, 23:59 GMT+2

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorised recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee.

You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews/trial lectures will be held on 19 September 2024.

Please refer to the following no. in future communication in this case:

211-0204/24-2N Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Geology

211-0577/24-2E Associate Professor in Geology

211-0266/24-2K Professor in Geology

Kilde: Jobnet.dk