Senior lecturer in criminology

Ref no: ORU 2.1.1-02537/2025

Örebro University is shaping the future through internationally competitive research and offers professional-oriented education that ranks among the best in the country. You can now apply for the position of senior lecturer in criminology and have the opportunity to be part of Örebro University's ongoing journey with a focus on research and education.

Subject area

The subject area for this position is criminology.

Background

At the School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences (BSR), education is offered at the undergraduate, advanced, and doctoral levels in all subjects (criminology, psychology, law, and social work). At BSR there are a number of strong research environments with prominent researchers who also participate in teaching at all levels. The school is characterized by collaboration across subject boundaries and a desire to continuously develop education, collaboration and research.

Criminology is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary subject at BSR, focused on the development and causes of crime, as well as criminal policy measures to prevent and combat crime. The criminology education at Örebro University includes, in addition to doctoral-level education, a bachelor's program as well as independent national and international courses at the undergraduate and advanced levels. The education is characterized by an integrative and applied approach, with the local profile of the bachelor's program focusing on crime prevention and safety-promoting work based on evidence-based processes.

The Criminology unit hosts three research environments: Biopsychosocial Criminology and Psychology (BPS), Center for Criminological and Psychosocial Research (CAPS), and Center for Violence Studies (CVS). Their research focuses on the causes of individual and contextual variations in crime, the consequences of victimization, and applied criminology, with an emphasis on risk assessment, prediction, crime prevention, as well as safety promotion. For more information, see: Örebro University – Criminology Research.

Duties and responsibilities

As a senior lecturer you spend your working hours on teaching at all levels, research, and any associated public engagement activities. In addition to education, research and collaboration, duties and responsibilities include development work, administration and continuing professional development. Moreover, teaching encompasses supervision, examination, course development, planning and evaluation. Regarding research, you are expected to contribute to and strengthen one or more of the unit’s research environments.

Qualifications

Those qualified for appointment as a senior lecturer are applicants who have demonstrated teaching expertise and been awarded a doctoral degree in a subject matter relevant for the position or has the corresponding research/artistic competence or some other professional expertise that is of value in view of the subject matter of the position and the duties that it will involve.

A general eligibility criterion for teaching staff at Örebro University is that they have completed courses on teaching and learning in higher education corresponding to 10 weeks. Knowledge and skills equivalent to such courses may also be assessed to establish whether these provide eligibility. A teacher who at the time of appointment lacks such training or the equivalent competence must complete the required courses no later than within two years of taking up the position.

Assessment criteria

At Örebro University, learning is based on science and evidenced experience, stemming from research and reflection on teaching, learning and didactics in higher education. When appointing teaching staff, equal care shall be taken in assessing teaching expertise as research expertise. The assessment is to consider the applicant’s qualifications and experience from collaboration with the wider community, of which the university is a part, as well as national and international experience and mobility. Teachers are to have the ability to communicate and disseminate information, collaborate and engage with the wider community, and facilitate utilisation of the university’s research. In addition, the applicant’s suitability for the position will be assessed. Suitability refers to the applicant demonstrating the personal qualities required to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities at hand, the ability to cooperate with other members of staff, and the ability to contribute to the development of the operations.

Scientific expertise, teaching expertise, and other assessment criteria are given equal weight.

Research expertise

Research expertise is demonstrated through independent research contributions and continued scientific publishing following the award of the doctoral degree. Importance shall also be attached to the applicant’s establishment in the research community as well as to their experience of planning, managing and leading their own research. The research expertise of the applicant is assessed based on their scientific production, completed projects, the scientific and societal impact of the projects and the role played by the applicant.

Particularly meritorious is research production within one of the subject's research environments or in line with the profile of the criminology program at Örebro University. In addition, involvement in applied research is meritorious.

Teaching expertise

When defining teaching expertise at Örebro University, three categories are used: teaching approach, how the teaching approach is put into practice, and professional development as a teacher. The applicant’s teaching qualifications are therefore to be documented accordingly and in compliance with Örebro University’s template for teaching portfolios, relating clearly to the values set out in Örebro University’s educational philosophy.

Teaching expertise is demonstrated through varying degrees of experience within teaching and supervision at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. In addition, the ability to draw on research in teaching, as well as the ability to develop student’s self-learning and interest in the subject are included. The applicant is expected to have the ability to independently take responsibility for planning, implementing, examining, and evaluating courses and study programmes, as well as the ability to contribute to and lead the pedagogical development of teaching. The ability to collaborate with society at large is assessed based on the ability to develop and implement training courses for outside the higher education sector, to communicate courses and study programmes, and to prepare teaching materials for external use.

When assessing teaching expertise, consideration shall be given to experience in course responsibility and course development, including the coordination and leadership of teaching staff, as well as the planning, implementation, and evaluation of teaching. Teaching experience in courses with similar content to those within the local profile of the Criminology program at Örebro University, as well as research and evaluation methodology, supervision, and examination of independent projects, are considered particularly meritorious. It is furthermore meritorious to have demonstrated teaching experience in the subject areas of crime prevention and qualitative research methods.

Other assessment criteria

It is meritorious to have obtained a doctoral degree within the main field of criminology or with a criminologically-relevant focus in a related discipline such as sociology, psychology, social work, medical sciences, or human geography.

Particular consideration will be given to how the applicant, through experience, personal suitability, and competence, can be assessed as complementing and strengthening the education and research in criminology and its research environments.

Particular emphasis will be placed on personal qualities such as a solution-oriented approach, strong collaboration skills, commitment to the organization, and the ability to take responsibility for the psychosocial work environment.

The duties require excellent communication skills, both written and oral, in English. Communication skills, both written and oral, in Swedish are considered particularly meritorious.

Information

This is a permanent full-time position, starting as per agreement. At Örebro University, salary depends on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, and positions announced are, where appropriate, subject to a trial period.

For more information about the position, contact head of department Brittany Evans, +46 19 30 12 29, email: brittany.evans@oru.se, or head of subject Catherine Tuvblad, email: catherine.tuvblad@oru.se.

At Örebro University, we expect each member of staff to be open to development and change, take responsibility for their work and performance, demonstrate a keen interest in collaboration and contribute to development, as well as to show respect for others by adopting a constructive and professional approach.

Örebro University actively pursues equal opportunities and gender equality as well as a work environment characterised by openness, trust and respect. We value the qualities that diversity adds to our operations.

Application

Apply for the position via Örebro University’s website. Click the button “Apply” to begin the application procedure.

For the application to be complete, the following electronic documents must be included:

• Covering letter, outlining how you believe you can contribute to the continued development of Örebro University
• CV with a relevant description of your overall qualifications and experience
• Teaching portfolio (as instructed in Örebro University’s guidelines)
• Research portfolio
• Publication list
• Relevant scientific publications (maximum of 10 and in full-text format)
• Copies of relevant course/degree certificates and references verifying eligibility and criteria met

Only documents written in Swedish, English, Norwegian or Danish can be reviewed.
More information for applicants will be found on our career site: https://www.oru.se/english/career/available-positions/applicants-and-external-experts/

The application deadline is May 7, 2025. We look forward to receiving your application!

After the application deadline, no supplements can be made electronically. If you have scientific publications that cannot be attached electronically to the application, you will, once the external experts have been appointed, receive instructions on how the missing publications can be submitted.

As we have already made our choices in terms of external collaboration partners and marketing efforts for this recruitment process, we decline any contact with recruitment agencies and advertisers.

As directed by the National Archives of Sweden (Riksarkivet), we are required to deposit one file copy of the application documents, excluding publications, for a period of two years after the appointment decision has gained legal force.