Associate Professor (tenured) in Machine Learning

Luleå University of Technology is in strong growth with world-leading competence in several research areas. We shape the future through innovative education and ground-breaking research results, and based on the Arctic region, we create global social benefit. Our scientific and artistic research and education are conducted in close collaboration with international, national and regional companies, public actors and leading universities. Luleå University of Technology has a total turnover of SEK 2 billion per year. We currently have 1,500 employees and 17,900 students. In the coming years, multi-billion investments will be made in large projects in Northern Sweden to create a fossil-free society both nationally and globally. Luleå University of Technology is involved in several of these cutting-edge research projects and in the societal transformation that they entail. We offer a broad range of courses and study programmes to match the skills in demand. We hope that you will help us to build the sustainable companies and societies of the future.

LTU is one of Sweden’s leading universities in the area of Machine learning, especially in Deep Learning, with a high concentration of ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems) researchers, as well as unique labs for field robotics, deep learning, and human computer interaction. Furthermore, LTU is Sweden’s leading university in industrial collaboration.

The Machine Learning (ML) subject at the department of Computer Science and Electrical and Space Engineering at Luleå University of Technology, is now looking for excellent researchers contributing to our growing activities. The ML team is conducting fundamental research in all the aspects of machine learning for the welfare of the society with a specific focus on sustainable machine learning for innovative industry and infrastructure.

The ML group is part of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP). WASP is Sweden’s largest individual research program ever, a major national initiative for strategically motivated basic research, education and faculty recruitment. The program addresses research on artificial intelligence and autonomous systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems-of-systems. The vision of WASP is excellent research and competence in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and software for the benefit of Swedish industry.

To strengthen our team on Machine Learning, we recruit excellent researchers working in sustainable Machine Learning with focus on ML in Complex Energy Systems.

Subject description
Machine learning focuses on computational methods by which computer systems uses data to improve their own performance, understanding, and to make accurate predictions and has a close connection to applications.

Duties
Associate professors must be involved in education, educational development and research at the University. Associate professors must also keep abreast of the international development of the subject and supervise doctoral students. Associate professors are expected to contribute to the University's development, to work for obtaining external funding to the subject and to be available for managerial and administrative tasks.

The duties of associate professors also include managing research projects, communicating the outcomes via academic publications and being active in the research community within their own subject.

Furthermore, the associate professor is expected to collaborate with industry and society and to contribute to the activities of the WASP program and its national activities. The associate professor will be given opportunity to develop their independence as researcher and gain accreditation that may allow them to take other teaching positions with higher eligibility requirements.

Qualifications
Qualified for an appointment as associate professor are those who have demonstrated both research and teaching expertise. As much attention must be given to the assessment of teaching expertise as to the assessment of research expertise.

In order to meet the requirements for the appointment as associate professor, the applicants must:

• have demonstrated a research profile showing a clear progress after the completion of the doctoral thesis, and scientific contributions equivalent to at least two doctoral theses;
• have worked as an independent researcher via, for example,
• research-related commissions of trust as an external expert or a reviewer,
• experience of applying for and being granted, in competition, external funding for research and development projects,
• participation in national and/or international research projects, and publications together with researchers within research environments other than the applicant’s own environment.
• have experience of supervising doctoral students, and have been the assistant supervisor for at least one doctoral student for at least two years, unless there are special grounds to the contrary;
• have demonstrated teaching expertise;
• completed courses in higher education pedagogy corresponding to 7.5 credits or otherwise have acquired equivalent knowledge;
• have the ability to collaborate with the wider community demonstrated through, for example,
• dissemination of new knowledge to the wider community,
• incorporation of societal needs into research and/or education contexts.

Assessment criteria
The following assessment criteria apply to this position:

• research expertise
• teaching expertise
• other assessment criteria.

Other assessment criteria listed in order of importance):

• research expertise in the area mentioned in the beginning of this ad
• mobility/international experience (e.g., PhD outside of Sweden and/or significant amount of time after the PhD spend outside of Sweden)
• excellence in foundational research (whether it is theory or application driven), preferably with strong publications in Machine Learning and AI venues
• teaching expertise
• proficiency in development and leadership of activities and staff at the University
• the ability to collaborate with the wider community
• the ability to obtain external research and development funding
• the ability to communicate research and development work

The underrepresented gender is prioritized in case of two candidates having similar merits.

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Information
The position is a permanent full-time employment located in Luleå. Start date by agreement.

For further information about the position, please contact: Professor/Head of subject Marcus Liwicki 0920–49 1006, marcus.liwicki@ltu.se or Professor Elisa Barney Smith, 0920-49 2194 elisa.barney@ltu.se           

Union representatives:
SACO-S Diana Chroneer, 0920-49 2037 diana.chroneer@ltu.se
OFR-S Lars Frisk, +46 (0)920-49 17 92, lars.frisk@ltu.se

In case of different interpretations of the English and Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.

Application
We prefer that you apply for this position by clicking on the apply button below and attach the requested application documents including diplomas (certified and translated into Swedish or English), pedagogical self-reflection and publications, etc. We prefer that applicants follows the Instructions for applicants. Note that the applicant´s educational qualifications should be particularly documented. Mark your application with the reference number below. Your application, including diplomas, must be written in English or Swedish.

Final day to apply: November 13, 2024
Reference number: 4180-2024

In the ad