Full time assistant professor in Animal Physiology

University faculty : Sciences
Department : Veterinary medicine
Grade : instructors
Contract : fixed term contract
Category : scientific personnel
Allocation : University staff
Reference : 279-107 (poste Z 50006253)

Responsabilities

Context

At the University of Namur, the veterinary department is attached to the NARILIS institute (Namur Research Institute of Life Sciences) and develops research activity in ethology, infectiology, zootechnics et osteoarticular diseases. The researchers and teachers of the veterinary department take benefit from an interdisciplinary and stimulating environment, with access to cutting edge equipment, an animal facility (rodents), a biosafety level 3 laboratory and the center for ovine research (experimental station with a sheep herd of about 250 ewes).

The research and teaching activities in physiology contribute particularly to the teaching of bachelor, master and PhD students in Veterinary medicine and Biological sciences.

Tasks

As member of the Veterinary department, you will endorse missions in the 3 fields of academic activities : teaching, research and services.

• The first activity will be dedicated to teaching in animal physiology.

The teaching will be mainly given to bachelor students in Veterinary medicine but also to bachelor and master students in Biological and Biomedical sciences of the University of Namur. The teaching program will be characterised by :

1. a competence based curriculum,
2. concerted management of the student's working time,
3. the application of active learning methods,
4. activities refering to authentic clinical cases associated with the sheep experimental station in Faulx-Les-Tombes,
5. the development of transgenerational and transdisciplinary teaching activities,
6. the implementation of original assessment methods in agreement with the learning objectives.

• Research project will be carried out within the veterinary departement. It will be focused on a topic in veterinary sciences or in an animal model relevant to improve human health.
• You will be committed to the missions and to service activities for the benefits of the faculty or the University.

More precisely, your specific missions are to :

• develop a teaching program in the field of animal physiology (from bachelor to Ph.D.), in line with the teaching philosophy of the Veterinary medicine department. The teaching duty will be specified according to the profile of the selected candidate ;
• actively contribute to interdisciplinary and transgenerational teaching to the bachelors in Veterinary medicine ; • supervise master theses and Ph.D. theses ;
• develop a research program in the field of physiology or pathophysiology ;
• contribute to the different services of the department of Veterinary medicine ;
• contribute, through your research and teaching activities, to the international visibility of the University.

Profile

Degree, background and experience

You must comply with the following criteria :

• to hold a Ph.D. in Veterinary sciences, Life sciences or an equivalent experience such as board certified specialist of a veterinary European or American college ; • to have performed a post-doctoral training (or equivalent experience) of at least 6 months outside the Institution in which the Ph.D. has been obtained ; • to propose a research project in the field of physiology, pathology or internal medicine, preferentially in Veterinary sciences or using a model relevant for improving knowledge in human medicine ; • to develop an educational approach in line with the six teaching priorities mentioned above.;

Competences

The competences listed are as follow:

• to have pedagogical qualities ;
• to be able to work in a collaborative way with the teaching staff (conciliation, dialogue, esteem) ;
• to be fluent in English (spoken and written) ;
• to be able to give courses to bachelor students in French, or commit himself/herself to give courses in French within two years following the starting date of the contract.

The following will be considered as advantages:

• a scientific experience recognized by international publications in peer reviewed journals ;
• qualifications to conduct scientific research of high level and to lead a team of researchers ;
• a research project using the tools and equipment mentioned above ;
• an experience in University teaching in line with one or several of the six pedagogical streams developed above ;
• the ability to teach in English ;
• an expertise in animal experimentation (laboratory rodents or large animals) ;
• • the capacity to give theoretical and practical applications to the teachings in Veterinary medicine ;
• • the ability to highlight, through the different tasks, the roles of a Vet in view of the societal questions ;
• • The ability to give lectures in front of a large group of students in lecture hall.

Selection criteria of primary importance

• Qualifications, knowledge and competences listed above ;
• The quality of both the teaching and the research projects attached to the application file ;
• The quality of the interview and the lecture given during the interview.

Additional information

To obtain further information, the candidate may contact Professor Benoît Muylkens, Director of the Veterinary medicine department, rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000 Namur (Belgium) – benoit.muylkens@unamur.be.

For any question relating to the recruitment and selection procedure, you can contact the Human Resources Development Department: developpement.rh@unamur.be.

Starting date : November 1st 2023

Contract : fixed term with an integration period – the Board of directors anticipate an integration period of three years if the selected candidate is designated for the first time in the academic staff of UNamur. At the end of this three years period, the permanent appointment is subjected to a satisfactory evaluation process.

Remarks

Selection procedure

• Analysis and sorting of applications by the selection committtee,
• In the case of top applications, the candidate will meet the selection committee. The interview will include the presentation of the summaryof there search project and a lecture on a specific topic. The thematic of the lecture will be communicated to the applicant at minimum 3 weeks ahead the interview ,
• Interview by the human resource department - Decision of the administration council.

How to apply

Applications must be introduced with the form to be downloaded from the UNamur website at http://www.unamur.be/universite/jobs/. The completed form must be sent, at the latest on June 23, 2023, to the Director of Human Resources of the University of Namur by classical mail (rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000 Namur (Belgium)) or by e-mail (candidature@unamur.be), with the following annexes :

• a curriculum vitae ;
• a research project of maximum 6 pages ;
• a teaching project of maximum 6 pages ;
• a selection of maximum 3 scientific articles published as first or last author by the selected candidate ;
• the academic background and the evaluation(s) of the teaching activities (if available).

The human resources management policy of the University of Namur is based on respect for the equal rights and equal treatment of all. Diversity is articulated around different axes, including gender, disability, origin, beliefs, age, sexual orientation, and so on. The University of Namur is also a signatory of the Charter of Diversity.