Tenure Track Associate Professor, Software Engineering

We are now looking for

Associate Professor

to join us in the Empirical Software Engineering in Software, Systems, and Services (M3S) research unit at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.

M3S conducts basic and applied software engineering research at a high quality and internationally recognized level. Our applied research involves several application domains, for example, automotive, health and wellness, cyber-physical systems, and emerging technologies such as AI and Quantum Software. The unit has a versatile portfolio of externally funded projects with industry collaborators, including Horizon Europe, ITEA, Research Council of Finland, and Business Finland. The unit is also responsible for software engineering education in Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at the University of Oulu and offers a double degree Bachelor’s program in Software Engineering in the joint institute of Oulu School, Nanjing Institute of Technology.

The research profiles in empirical software engineering relevant to this position include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:

• Requirements Engineering
• Software Quality Assurance / Testing
• Human/ Behavioral/ Cognitive Aspects in Software Engineering
• Safety, security, compliance, privacy, trust, ethics
• Software engineering challenges in emerging technologies (AI, Quantum) and applied domains
• International / inter-multicultural software engineering education

About the job

As an Associate Professor of Software Engineering, you will:

• Establish your own research track(s) in the field in line with the research unit's strategy.
• Conduct independent research in your research track(s) and sustain international recognition.
• Supervise doctoral researchers and mentor postdoctoral researchers.
• Publish your research outcomes in top-quality software engineering journals and conferences.
• Contribute to software engineering teaching responsibilities of the unit as a responsible teacher for teaching courses and supervising thesis students.
• Establish a sustainable funding portfolio in your research track(s) and form your own team.
• Undertake leadership and administrative responsibilities within the research unit and the university.

What we offer?

• A start-up package including: funding for a doctoral researcher and reasonable research/ travel expenses, and reduced teaching duties during the first two years.
• The support of an experienced and enthusiastic team of 65+ people where you can share your expertise and grow as an expert.
• Wellness benefit ePassi covering sport, culture and well-being. Read more about other staff benefits.
• Work that matters and a workplace that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Read more about working with us.
• We have an HR Excellence in Research a quality label, which is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers.
• Our Buddy Programme and Spouse Network support you and close ones in settling into Oulu.
• If you are moving from abroad, we offer comprehensive relocation packages to support your smooth relocation to Oulu.
• Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, an excellent education system, and a competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu.

Who are you?

You should have excellent potential for a successful scientific career. The top candidates undergo an evaluation by external experts and are required to reach top scores (5-6 on a scale from 1 to 6 for scientific activity and as the overall score) to be recruited. Find out more about our tenure track system, entry criteria, evaluation procedure, and advancement on our careers website. Please note that this position is on-site in Oulu, Finland, and remote work is not considered.

In order to succeed and enjoy the position, we expect from you: 

As an Associate professor:

• You must have a Doctoral degree in a relevant research field.
• You must demonstrate evidence of high-quality scientific research work.
• You must demonstrate evidence of relevant teaching and pedagogical skills.
• You must demonstrate your ability to pursue external research funding, manage research projects, and lead a research team as PI, co-PI, or in a senior role with significant contributions to grant proposals.
• You must have sufficient and relevant experience in international software engineering communities and evidence of international cooperation and recognition.
• You must have excellent written and spoken communication skills in English

We also appreciate:

• Evidence of acquired competitive research funding as PI or co-PI.
• Evidence for continuous activity for pedagogical competence development.
• Leadership and administration experience in research and teaching.
• Significant periods of international mobility experience (teaching and/or research).
• Societal engagement and impact activities.

Salary

The position is fixed-term for 5 years as of 1 June 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The salary will be based on levels 6-7 of the demand level chart for teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (a maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). The starting gross salary will be approx. 4500-5200 € per month (before taxes).  A trial period of 6 months is applied for the position.

How to apply?

Are you interested? If yes, please apply through our recruitment system by 2 March 2025 (23:59 Finnish local time).

The application should be written in English and include the following:

1. Cover letter summarizing how you fulfill the merits required for the position.
2. CV following the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity
3. List of publications following the guidelines of the Academy of Finland, with the ten most important ones marked
4. Brief account of research merits 
5. Brief account of teaching merits or a teaching portfolio including:
   1. Teaching philosophy, teaching strategies, and methods
   2. Teacher’s self-reflection on his/her teaching style, a personal background idea of teaching; how are these reflected in teaching?
   3. A description of oneself as a teacher and an implementer of educational work
   4. Practical experience in teaching and efforts to improve teaching
   5. Description of educational material (curricula, handouts, assignments, workbooks)
   6. Professional development as a teacher
   7. Evaluation of teaching (student evaluations, peer evaluations, awards, and assessed test lectures)
   8. Plans for future directions of teaching in the discipline concerned 
6. Details regarding the acquisition of research funds 
7. A brief research and action plan 
8. Contact details of 2–4 persons available for recommendation

The eligible applicants fitting best in the profile expected for the position will be invited to an on-site or remote interview. All applicants will be notified during the selection process.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, such as people of different ages,  genders, and lingual, cultural, or minority groups. 

The selection process follows the University of Oulu tenure track guidelines. It is carried out by a recruitment committee, and the candidates are subjected to publication analyses based on their publication lists. The candidates considered most suitable by the recruitment committee will also undergo an expert evaluation.

Contact Information

If you have any further questions, please contact Prof. Burak Turhan (burak.turhan@oulu.fi)