Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences
Department of Crop Production Ecology
This recruitment is part of an excellence initiative – SLU Futures – which aims to attract and support promising young researchers within the strategic themes of Future Sustainable Plant Production Systems, Resilient Ecosystems, and One Health. The objective of the initiative is to create conditions for successful research in future-oriented, strong academic environments through long-term employment. Read more here.
SLU is a world-class university in agriculture and forestry and one of the Nordic countries' leading centers for ecological research. The university's vision is to play a key role in development for sustainable life, based on science and education.
This associate senior lecturer position will be located at the Department of Crop Production Ecology, which together with the Department of Ecology constitute a leading hub for research and teaching in sustainable agriculture, plant protection, nature conservation, wildlife management, insect ecology and forestry.
The Department of Crop Production Ecology develops knowledge on crop production systems to meet the demands for quantity and quality of food, feed and bio-based raw materials sustainably in a changing world. Research focuses on the challenges related to increasing demand, climate change, environmental impact and loss of biodiversity linked to farming and food systems. Teaching is at basic and advanced levels, mainly within programs leading to degrees in agronomy and biology.
We are now looking for an associate senior lecturer who wants to address knowledge gaps on how resilient and sustainable crop production systems should be planned based on ecological knowledge, for example, integration of plant and animal production, diversification of crop rotations, minimized tillage and continuous vegetation cover. This research connects to society's major sustainability challenges and requires collaboration with researchers in several disciplines and external actors.
SLU offers a dynamic and excellent research environment supported by modern infrastructure. This includes modern plant cultivation facilities, four field research stations, and more than 60 long-term agricultural experiments, including a new large-scale landscape experiment.
Read more about the department here.
Read more about our benefits and what it means to work at SLU here.
Subject area
The subject encompasses agronomy and ecology with a focus on the function of cropping systems, especially under temperate conditions.
Duties
The associate senior lecturer is expected to develop their own research line within the subject area.
Research should to be carried out in close collaboration with colleagues at the department and SLU, as well as through national and international collaborations.
In addition, the candidate should within the subject area
- apply for external research funding in competition and publish scientific articles
- contribute to developing a research group within the subject area
- participate in postgraduate education as a co-supervisor
- collaborate with other research groups within SLU to strengthen the university's interdisciplinary activities, especially linked to the development of sustainable agricultural systems
- teach at first, second and third cycle level, including doctoral level
- further pedagogical training
- collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Swedish and English are used in parallel at the department. The holder of the position should be able to perform the majority of their tasks in English. However, as a public authority, the university has Swedish as its main language according to the requirements of the Language Act and the holder of the position must be able to communicate in Swedish within four years of beginning the position. The department will provide support with language learning.
Eligibility
Eligible for employment as associate senior lecturer are candidates who hold a PhD or have equivalent academic qualifications. Priority will be given to candidates who have received a PhD or equivalent qualifications no longer than seven years before the application deadline. Other candidates may also be considered if there are extraordinary grounds for doing so. Extraordinary grounds refer to illness, parental leave or similar circumstances.
For employment as associate senior lecturer, the candidate must demonstrate research expertise within the subject area.
Good ability to communicate in written and spoken English is required.
Assessment criteria
The assessment criteria for appointment as an associate senior lecturer will primarily be based on the degree to which the applicant possesses the required qualifications specified for the position.
The assessment criteria for appointment as an associate senior lecturer shall be the degree of scientific expertise required as a qualification for employment.
Furthermore, the assessment includes evaluating the applicant’s ability to independently develop a line of research within the subject area, and to qualify for promotion to senior lecturer during the employment period.
The position will be offered to the eligible candidate who, following a qualitative comprehensive assessment is deemed to have the best qualifications set to conduct and develop the duties in question, and contribute to the positive development of the organisation.
Application deadline:
2025-09-15
Place of work:
Uppsala
Scope:
100 %
Form of Employment:
The employment is limited to four years in accordance with the Higher Education Act. A position as associate senior lecturer is a qualifying employment that constitutes the first step in an academic career at SLU. An associate senior lecturer has the right during his/her employment to apply for promotion to senior lecturer (UK) or associate professor (US) on the basis of criteria established when the position as associate senior lecturer was announced.
Swedish “biträdande universitetslektor”, a tenured position approximately equivalent to Associate senior lecturer (UK) or Assistant professor (US). The applicant who is offered this employment at SLU will be employed as Associate senior lecturer.
This position offers the vibrant research climate at SLU. The benefits of the position include Swedish family health care provisions, parenting support including generous paid leave of absence policies that allow both parents to care for newborns and toddlers. Additionally Sweden has a well-established pre-school structure as well as an educational system that provides no-cost education through university studies. Uppsala has a rich history and culture and is located in the greater Stockholm region, which is an academic and cultural hub. Find out more facts and stories about Sweden at www.sweden.se
Starting date:
By agreement.
Application:
It is desirable that the application is written in English, because the applications will be evaluated by expert advisers both in Sweden and abroad.
For the guidance of your application, there is SLU's appointment procedure for teachers at SLU and General assessment criteria for the appointment of teachers, which you can read here.
Please apply by clicking on the apply-button below.
Academic union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/
Application
- Reference number SLU.ua.2025.2.5.1-2322
- Publishing date 23 June 2025
- Last date to apply 15 September 2025
- Working hours Day
- Position Employeé
- Occupation area Lecturer/Scientist
- Occupation degree Full time
- Employment level Time limited employment (temporary)
- Organizations SLU, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Science, Department of Crop Production Ecology
You need to log in or register to apply for this position
Contact persons
Activity contact persons
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
