Call for Assistant Professor positions (Application period is closed)

Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program on Humanities and Society (WASP-HS) aims to realize excellent research and develop competence on the consequences and challenges of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for the individual person and society. Part of this initiative, is the appointment of up to 10 assistant professors (equivalent to biträdande lektor).

In the selection of these appointments, special attention is given to the quality of the research environments and the research environments’ capacity for strengthening and extending Swedish excellence across the core disciplines of WASP-HS and integrating these positions in the academic programs and interdisciplinary visions of the universities involved. Affinity and experience with multidisciplinary research is therefore highly relevant. At the same time, holders of these positions are expected to contribute to teaching and education activities, strengthening and developing education programs that contribute to the training of a new generation of professionals and academics well versed in the core topics of WASP-HS. Besides the salary costs, overhead and extra costs for the position, the recruitment package will include funding for one PhD student.

Training and support of the holders of these positions as well as of the PIs and supervisors of the projects affiliated with WASP-HS is an important priority of the program. Of equal importance is the facilitation of the interaction and collaboration between the holders of WASP-HS positions, across disciplines and across universities. Regular meetings and workshops will be held for holders of WASP-HS positions, who also will be expected to participate actively in other activities of the program. Where relevant, we will also develop a mentorship program through which senior researchers will support program members, possibly involving our international partner universities.

In short, these positions will

  • Strengthen the vision of WASP-HS of excellence across and integrating humanities and social sciences disciplines.
  • Support excellent research on promising topics, where the university can offer a suitable research environment and guarantee continuity beyond the term of this program.
  • Contribute to the development of a new generation of multidisciplinary scholars and professionals on topics related to WASP-HS, through their participation in teaching, curriculum development and other education activities

Application Procedure

STAGE 1 – Selection of research areas:

  • Universities are invited to propose research topics for the positions and provide an indication of how these meet the expectations described above, following the format of the template online at (http://wasp-hs.org/open-calls/assistant-professors/ ).
  • Each university can submit a maximum of 3 proposals in different disciplines. Each proposal must be accompanied by a commitment letter by vice-chancellor and dean or head of department.
    • Deadline for submission is 10 June 2020.
    • Call opens on 25 March 2020.
  • Evaluation process:
    • The proposals will be evaluated and ranked by a panel consisting of the WASP-HS management team, extended with 3 to 4 experts in relevant disciplines, of which one is chairperson.
    • The final decision will be made by the WASP-HS board and announced in October 2020.
  • Evaluation criteria
    • The profile for the position
      • Scientific quality including novelty, relevance and interdisciplinary aspects
      • The profile’s relevance for WASP-HS
      • Capacity for strengthening and extending Swedish excellence across the core disciplines of WASP-HS
      • The multidisciplinary/ interdisciplinary character of the research
    • The research environment
      • Scientific quality of the research environment
      • Capacity for integrating the position of assistant professor in the research programs and interdisciplinary visions of the university
      • Capacity for integrating the position on education programs and the ambitions of the university
      • Possibility to participate in education activities that involve strengthening the education and developing interdisciplinary courses and programs in the core areas of WASP-HS

STAGE 2 – Selection of candidates:

  • Universities are invited to open up job announcements based on approved proposals. This must be an open process, announced widely in Sweden and abroad during the fourth trimester of 2020 (to be confirmed).
  • Recruitment decisions must be based on evaluation by international standards and depend on the quality of the candidates.
  • Each proposed candidate will be evaluated by the evaluation committee of the respective university in accordance with current guidelines and regulations.
  • The WASP-HS board approves of the financing of the assistant professorship after the completion of the evaluation process. This decision will be based on a report by the employing university, describing how the recruitment and selection process met the requirements stated in the first two bullet points above (the requirement that the position must be announced in an open process, announced widely in Sweden and abroad during the fourth trimester and that recruitment decision must be based on evaluation by international standards and depend on the quality of the candidates.)
  • WASP-HS will offer selected candidates an employment package as described in the next page under the conditions that the university meets the required commitments and ensures the rights and obligations of the holder of the position.
  • In case not all positions are filled in the first round the board will decide on opening a second open call. Alternatively, the board can consider reopening the position at some of the universities.

 WASP-HS Recruitment packages

Assistant Professor (biträdande lektor)

  • Own salary, with a maximum of 80% FTE for a maximum of 5 years including a maximum of 50% LKP and 18.5% overhead.
  • 100 KSEK per year for extra costs such as travel and material costs

PhD student

  • The package is equivalent to PhD positions associated with MMW/MAW projects
  • Maximum 3 MSEK, including maximum 18.5% overhead and indirect costs.
  • Graduate school costs (500KSEK paid directly to the school).
  • The PhD position is expected to be full time for four years. The position can be extended by at most one additional year, i.e. up to five years, if the student participates in teaching activities for up to 20%.

Commitment from the universities

  • Cover remaining “LKP” and overhead.
  • Funding of other PhD position or postdoc position associated with the assistant professor.
  • Ensure that the candidate has the possibility to fulfill the requirements for a permanent position afterwards (including teaching requirements during the duration of the position)

Rights and obligations

  1. WASP-HS activities
    • The selected candidate is expected to participate in WASP-HS meetings, contribute to the graduate school and other activities, and report research results and publications.
  2. WASP-HS graduate school
    • PhD students associated with the assistant professor packages will participate in the WASP-HS graduate school
    • Selected PhD students must meet the requirements of the WASP-HS graduate school
  3. Reporting of publications
    • All publications should include acknowledgement to WASP-HS:
      “This work was partially supported by the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program – Humanities and Society (WASP-HS) funded by the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation.”
    • All publications must be filed in the employing university’s publication system.

Download application

Download application for assistant professor positions.

Further information: