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We are inviting applications for the position of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor in the field of Visual Information in the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences. The position will be located in the Degree Programme in Journalism at the Unit of Communication Sciences, and will collaborate with the Visual Studies Lab.
We are looking for a person with a social scientific and/or humanities background, who focuses reflexively and critically on various forms of visual information.
Visual information refers to approaches that deal with visual modes of knowing that are used in order to influence public discussions and common understandings. Ways of seeing, observing, representing and archiving are of special interest to studying visual information, including both embodied ways of seeing, as well as the roles of visual technologies in mediating these. The applicant is expected to pursue a critical and reflexive research agenda related to visual forms of knowing, including, but not limited to photographies, remote sensing practices and ways of visualizing these. As such, visual information expands classic forms of visual journalism taught at the department to include also other forms related to images and knowledge.
Relevant backgrounds for the applicant include, but are not limited to journalism studies, visual studies, media and communication studies, digital humanities, photography research, political communication, visual sociology, media-anthropology and science and technology studies.
Visual Information within the Degree Programme of Journalism:
The Degree Programme in Journalism has a broad base of expertise ranging from classic to experimental journalistic forms, with a deep commitment to understanding the role of visuals in relation to forms of knowing. Our research and teaching are built around a focus on social scientific understandings of the role of publics, as well as how texts, images and algorithms influence these. We emphasize a focus on societal and technological changes, as well as comparative and conceptual approaches in our studies. Our teaching highlights the relevance of research, a critical stance to the present, and a close collaboration with various kinds of societal actors, both within and outside of classic journalistic fields.
The field of visual journalism is rapidly changing, as novel technologies have started to become important for various forms of visual evidence. Increasingly, a solid understanding of the interrelations between images and knowledge is of importance for visual journalists too. The scholar to be appointed in visual information is expected to focus on and advance our understandings of these interrelations between images and knowledge.
The Communication Sciences Unit hosts the Visual Studies Lab, bringing together researchers who work on vision and visuality from a social science and humanities perspective, with empirically grounded, interdisciplinary methods of working. The Visual Studies Lab is part of a larger research environment at the unit, as well as exceptionally well connected internationally.
JOB DESCRIPTION
We are seeking a highly motivated and accomplished academic who will
- pursue high-quality and diverse scientific research and research leadership,
- develop the field of visual information as a whole and follow scientific development on their own field,
- actively seek research funding and other external funding,
- contribute to social impact and international networking and collaboration,
- give research-based teaching and contribute to curriculum development and student supervision, and
- contribute to planning and administrative tasks of the degree programme of journalism, the doctoral programme of media, communication and performing arts, and the Visual Studies Lab.
REQUIREMENTS
We have a three-stage tenure track path; in this call we welcome applicants to all three tenure track stages.
Assistant Professor
We require:
- an applicable doctoral degree in suitable field within the social sciences or humanities,
- the ability to undertake Independent scholarly activity; and potential to pursue scholarly and artistic activity at a high international level of excellence, and
- teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties and functions of the position.
Associate Professor
We require:
- an applicable doctoral degree in a suitable field within the social sciences or humanities,
- a track record of independent scholarly activity,
- teaching skills required to successfully perform the duties and functions of the position,
- an ability to lead a research group and acquire external funding, and
- a track record of international scholarly activity.
Professor
We require:
- an applicable doctoral degree in a suitable field within the social sciences or humanities,
- high-level scholarly expertise,
- experience of leading high-quality scientific research,
- the ability to provide high-quality research-based education and instruction,
- a track record of gaining competitive external research funding, and
- A track record of international scholarly activity.
We expect social scientific and/or humanities-based expertise especially in the history and future development of visual technologies, an understanding of critical discourses surrounding these, as well as sound theoretical, conceptual and multidisciplinary ways of analysis. We are particularly interested in scholars focusing on questions of knowledge, evidence and how these are visually configured.
The post requires fluency in English. Non-Finnish speakers will be supported to learn Finnish.
In addition, the following will be considered an advantage:
- track record and experience of collaboration in multidisciplinary environments
- pedagogical studies, merits and experience
- competence in various research methods
- merits in doctoral education
- national and international positions of responsibility
- societal impact
- collaboration and interaction skills required to successfully perform the duties
- suitability of the applicant’s research to the strategy of the Tampere University
Tampere University is a unique, multidisciplinary and boldly forward-looking, evolving community. Our values are openness, diversity, responsibility, courage, critical thinking, erudition/ Bildung, and learner-centredness. We hope that you can embrace these values and promote them in your work.
WE OFFER
Tampere University and the higher education community offer a unique multidisciplinary environment for interdisciplinary research and teaching. We offer an initial appointment for assistant professor and for associate professor for five years. Subject to successful performance, you will become a tenured member of the Faculty staff at the end of the first five-year period. You will be well-supported throughout the five-year period to ease transition to a tenured position. Full professors will hold a permanent appointment from the outset. Please read more about the Tenure track career path at Tampere University.
We offer you the opportunity to join our dynamic and innovative international community. As a member of staff at Tampere University, you will enjoy a range of competitive benefits, such as occupational health care services, flexible work schedule, versatile research infrastructure, modern teaching facilities and a safe and inviting campus area as well as a personal fund to spend on sports and cultural activities in your free time. Please read more about working at Tampere University. You can also find more information about us and working and living Tampere by watching our video: Tampere Higher Education Community – our academic playground.
Tampere sits between two lakes and is Finland’s second largest urban area and the largest inland city in the Nordic countries. Nature is close everywhere you turn your head in Tampere. This, coupled with a strong industrial tradition and a vivid cultural scene, makes Tampere a unique environment for living and working. For more information on Tampere, please see VisitTampere and BusinessTampere.
Finland provides one of the most advanced and comprehensive social security systems in the world. It includes, for example, sickness benefits, various family benefits and a comprehensive healthcare system. For more information on Finland, please check InfoFinland and This is Finland.
The position will begin on 1 January 2024, or as mutually agreed. A trial period of six months applies to all our new employees.
Salaries are based on the job demands and employees’ personal performance in accordance with the Finnish University Salary System. The starting salary range will be from €4,000 to €4,600/month for an assistant professor, from €4,600 to €5,300/month for an associate professor, and from €5,500 to €6,300/month for a professor. A higher salary may be agreed upon based on the successful candidate’s experience and/or performance.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your application through our online recruitment system (link below). The closing date for applications is August 14th, 2023 (at 23.59 EEST / UTC +3).
Please write your application and all accompanying documents in English and attach them in PDF format. Applications should include the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae according to TENK guidelines
- List of publications according to Academy of Finland guidelines. Please indicate your 10 most important publications for evaluation for an international expert review and add hyperlinks to these publications. For any of the 10 that are not open access, please append full copies of the published manuscript at the end of the PDF file.
- Teaching portfolio according to the university guideline
- Vision paper (2-3 pages) on the development of visual information in the multidisciplinary environment of the Tampere university community
- Description of research activities (up to 5 pages) with a clear agenda of your own future research.
Candidates may be invited for a video interview during the first stage of the recruitment process. The most qualified candidates will be invited for an on-site interview. The on-site interviews are planned to be held on Tuesday 26th of September 2023. The most qualified candidates will also undergo an aptitude assessment, a review by external experts and will be expected to provide a demonstration of their teaching skills.
For more information, please contact:
Professor (Visual Studies) Asko Lehmuskallio, asko.lehmuskallio@tuni.fi or Head of Communication Sciences Unit, Iiris Ruoho, iiris.ruoho@tuni.fi
For questions regarding the application process, please contact HR Specialist Lilli Sarasvirta, lilli.sarasvirta@tuni.fi