Six new positions in Computer Science in its Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology

Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology is seeking to recruit to up to six new positions in Computer Science (Software Engineering and Data Science) in its Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology

The University of the Faroe Islands is the primary higher education and research institution in the Faroe Islands, the nation’s only university and its foremost knowledge centre. The University undertakes research and research-based teaching, providing for synergy between research and teaching to serve the evolving needs and priorities of the Faroes and their wider region.

The University, which plays a vital role in Faroese society, has around 100 academic staff, some 60 staff in support and service positions, and around 1,000 students. The University is comprised of five faculties and a central administration. In all that it does, the University is committed to equality of opportunity, to inclusivity, and to supporting the well-being of our students and staff in an environment in which all can thrive and flourish.

The University is seeking to recruit to six new academic positions for the BSc in Software Engineering programme and a new MSc program in Data Science that is currently being developed in its Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology. This Faculty delivers bachelor’s programmes in software engineering, general engineering, and biology. Research interests at the faculty are, among other things, within mathematics and statistics, computer science and data science, algorithms, computer networks and communications, wireless networks, biostatistics and bioinformatics, genetic research, environmental biology and chemistry, fish farming and fish stocks, physics and engineering, energy conservation, ocean currents and waves, weather, and climate change.

The position

The Faculty of Science and Technology is delighted to be inviting applications to become part of an exciting new opportunity to join its computer science team, which currently delivers a BSc education in Software Engineering in collaboration with the Faroese IT industry. The BSc education typically has about 40-60 students across two cohorts with a biannual intake of students (next time in 2022). It is delivered by 4.5 permanent staff members, one member of staff in a two-year position, and external teachers from the IT industry.

To meet the growing demand for well-trained IT people in the Faroe Islands our aim is, from 2023, to offer a new master’s programme in Data Science with the admission of students every year, in addition to admitting students every year to the existing bachelor education in Software Engineering.

The master’s programme will focus on the cutting edge of IT subjects in areas including Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things/5G, and Internet Security. The six new positions are being created to support the all-round work of the team, with the main duties being to plan, arrange and teach courses in the bachelor’s and master’s programmes, supervise student thesis/projects and to do research in the prioritised areas. The research will be according to the scientific interests, competences, and experience of the successful applicants. It is expected that successful applicants will have a strong desire to develop in the position, keeping themselves continuously updated within at least one of the prioritised areas, and that they will develop prolific collaborations with university/universities abroad in these disciplines.

Qualifications, competences, and experiences

Applicants should hold a relevant university degree (MSc or PhD) in e.g., Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics/Statistics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or something similar. In addition to the required educational qualifications, careful consideration will be given to the work experience of applicants.

Applicants will ideally have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• computer science, discrete mathematics, linear algebra and statistics, operating systems
• software engineering, Java/C#, C/C++, and/or other programming languages
• data science and machine learning with Python and/or R
• internet security, artificial intelligence, internet of things
• teaching and research experience from universities in the Nordic countries or Europe
• language competence in either Faroese, a Scandinavian language, or in English
• recent experiences from the IT industry and/or academia

The level of appointment will be as Full Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor depending on the qualifications of the applicant. Employment as a Teaching Lecturer (i.e., fulltime teaching position) may also be considered for a time period agreed upon between the applicant and the university.

Appointments as Full Professor and Associate Professor will be permanent, subject to appropriate progress after the first year.

Appointment as Assistant Professor will be a fixed-term (ordinarily 4 years) teaching and research post, subject to appropriate progress after the first year. Promotion to an Associate Professor position will be subject to a positive outcome of an assessment after the fixed-term period. Applicants not holding a PhD may also be considered for an Assistant Professor position if they have a credible plan for completing a PhD during the fixed-term appointment.

Application

Applicants are invited to send a motivated application, including letter of interest, full copies of diplomas (not just front pages), full curriculum vitae including working experience, publication list, and description of experience and interests in teaching, research, and development. Applicants with research experience are invited to send a maximum of five publications they consider relevant. Applicants should specify the level of appointment they are seeking.

The application must be written in English and sent digitally to umsokn@setur.fo.

Terms of appointment

The position will be filled according to the regulations governing positions at the University of the Faroe Islands. The salary and general terms of appointment will be in accordance with agreements between the Ministry of Finance and the Faroese professional union, Akademikarafelag Føroya.

Closing date

The application deadline is 18th of February 2022. The aim will be for up to three candidates to start in August 2022 and for up to three candidates to start in October 2022.

Additional information

For additional information please contact Hannes Gislason, hannesg@setur.fo, Professor in Information and Communication Technology, or Hans Pauli Joensen, hanspj@setur.fo, Dean at the Faculty of Science and Technology. For information about the University of the Faroe Islands and the Software Engineering programme, please visit www.setur.fo.