The University Centre of the Westfjords is home to an international, multidisciplinary master’s program in Coastal and Marine Management, with around 40-50 active master’s students each year, and it is now being joined by a corresponding program called Coastal Communities and Regional Development. Both programs are in cooperation with the University of Akureyri.

The Program Director works in a small but progressive university and research environment in Ísafjörður, in the Westfjords region of Iceland, and has ample opportunity to show initiative with the aim of creating an outstanding study and work environment for an international group of students. The Program Director organises teaching, maintains relationships with the program’s partners, and is first-step advisor to students on their master’s theses. The role demands excellent organisational skills, professional working habits, and the desire to provide an excellent service. The role demands a high level of cooperative working, as both master’s programs must run simultaneously in harmony. The Program Director needs to carefully follow students’ thesis work in close co-operation with thesis advisers and therefore must have a good professional overview and knowledge of the main research methods used in human geography, social sciences, and/or economics. The Program Director should ideally have experience as a thesis adviser to master’s students. The Program Director may also undertake some teaching activities.

Necessary qualifications and experience:

  • Multidisciplinary training and/or research experience in a relevant field
  • Master’s degree or PhD
  • Service-minded and a good communicator
  • Well-organised
  • Initiative and flexibility in the workplace
  • Experience of research and as a thesis adviser desirable
  • Excellent spoken and written English. Knowledge of Icelandic desirable.

In assessing applications, consideration will be paid to how well applicants fit the University Centre’s needs with regard to making sure the two master’s programs develop in a similar manner. The University Centre reserves the right to refuse all applications.

The new Program Director needs to be able to start no later than autumn 2018. For further information contact Peter Weiss, Director of the University Centre, telephone: (+354) 450 3045 or weiss@uw.is.

Applications with list of published work, list of teaching experience and other academic work, if applicable, should be sent by email to weiss@uw.is.