The Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, invites applications for one 3-year postdoctoral researcher at the Section for Public Administration, Welfare, and Politics (PAWP) in relation to the CALi project headed by Associate Professor Matthias Döring (funded by DFF, titled “Navigating the System – Citizens’ Administrative Literacy”). 

We are looking for talented and dynamic individuals with the ambition of establishing themselves as leading scholars in their field of research. We are particularly interested in scholars working in the field of citizen-state interactions, experience and expertise in psychometrics and scale development is highly valued. 

The planned starting date is July 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The successful candidate will work as part of a research team exploring the competencies citizens require to successfully interact with public authorities. The project examines administrative literacy across different countries, languages, and service areas, and seeks to develop a quantitative measurement approach including comprehensive validation strategies. The successful applicant will be tasked with a range of obligations in the PAWP section and in the Department of Political Science and Public Management, including:

• Contribute to the CALi project,

• Conduct and publish research at a high international level in areas of relevance to Political Science and Public Administration,

• Conduct relevant teaching and supervision within the department's entire portfolio of study programs, including the full-time political science program,

• Engage in knowledge exchange activities with the wider society,

• Engage in and contribute to a good working environment at the section and the department level.

For applicants to qualify for the position, the following criteria must be met (please consult the Scholarly Qualification Matrix:

• Delineate a research profile aligned with the strategy of the Public Administration, Welfare, and Politics Section indicating the po­tential for international scholarly impact and for facilitating research cooperation within the section

• Publications of research at an inter­nationally recognized level 

• Documented experience with teaching and/or supervision

• A strong teaching potential aligned with the department’s educational profile and a keen interest in developing teaching skills, new teaching formats and/or courses

• Contributions to collaborations and networks internationally and nationally

• A proven willingness to contribute to the social and professional life of the department and/or the research group

• Experience with and genuine interest in outreach or knowledge-sharing activities and/or cooperation with external partner

In alignment with the new ministerial classification of academic ranks and titles, research and teaching competencies will be given equal weight in the assessment of any candidate. It is additionally important to us that applicants have good interpersonal skills and are dedicated to take part in the everyday academic and social environment at the department. Such engagement can be documented by, for example, past engagement in social and professional activities.

The PAWP section is part of the Department of Political Science and Public Management under the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Research in public administration at the PAWP-section focuses mainly, though not exclusively, on contemporary issues of access and equity to state services, exclusion, and discrimination, as well as digitalization. The researchers have a strong research profile and a dynamic doctoral training program and extensive partnerships with other Danish and European institutes and universities. The PAWP-section is responsible for teaching introductory PA courses at bachelor level and specialized graduate courses in Political Science. 

For further information, please contact Associate Professor Matthias Döring, mdoering@sam.sdu.dk.

Application

Appointment to the positions requires a PhD or equivalent and will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

An application must include the following:

• A detailed CV

• A letter of motivation

• A detailed research plan (max 3 pages) for the next 3 years that describes the applicant's:

  • Potential to advance the field (both empirically and theoretically)

  • Relationship to the aim and goals of the PAWP Section

  • Planned national and international collaborations

  • Potential to obtain external funding

• Copy of certificates/diplomas (Master and PhD degree)

• Teaching portfolio. Formal application instructions and guide for teaching portfolio may be found here.

• A complete list of publications, indicating which publications are most relevant for the position

• Up to 3 of the most relevant publications. Please upload a pdf for each publication. NOTE: If publications have been co-authored, co-author statements must be a part of this pdf and must include information like in this example. The statement is just for your inspiration.

• Please attach the PhD dissertation as a publication, if such exists.

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English, and all documents must be in pdf format, no more than 5 MB per file. Documents should not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

Applicants are encouraged to read the information "How to apply" before applying. If you experience technical problems when uploading the application, please contact hcm-support@sdu.dk. 

UPLOAD GUIDE: Motivated application should be uploaded as ‘Cover letter’, Curriculum Vitae should be uploaded as ‘Resume’. All other documents should be uploaded as ‘Miscellaneous documents’. 

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply now" on our website.

The application deadline is 30 March 2026 at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST) 

Assessment and selection process

Assessment of applications will be done under existing Appointment Order for universities. Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied, and only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU.  The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material. Incomplete applications may be rejected without any substantial evaluation.

When the assessment committee has submitted its report, applicants will receive the part of the assessment that concerns themselves. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Management, who will form an appointment committee. Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation by the appointment committee. 

Based on information from the entire recruitment process, the Head of Department determines which applicants will be offered a position.

Conditions of employment

Employment will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state with the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for a postdoc position as described herein. 

For a detailed description of the entry criteria and a job description for a postdoc, as well as a descriptions of the assessment and hiring processes at the Department of Political Science and Public Management, please consult the department’s Scholarly Qualification Matrix – REEAD.

The person employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organiser”.

SDU recommends that international applicants take the time to visit Work in Denmark, where there is information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU.

About the Department of Political Science and Public Management

The Department of Political Science and Public Management is part of the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences and currently has approximately 90 permanent employees as well as several part-time employees. Currently, the department attracts around 2,500 students in its various full-time bachelor and master programs as well as part-time professional master programs. The department is located on three of the University of Southern Denmark’s campuses in Odense, Sønderborg and Esbjerg, respectively. 

The department is organized around three research sections in Public Administration, Welfare and Politics, International and Regional Politics, and Journalism as well as several cross-disciplinary research centres and research groups. 

The department believes in fostering a stimulating and inspiring environment for both staff members and students. Therefore, the department’s ambition is to recruit, develop, and retain talented scholars committed to both academic and educational excellence and departmental development. Furthermore, the department wishes the staff to reflect the diversity of society and, thus, welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

For a detailed description of the department's profile and activities and more information about its strategy, please visit the department's website.