The Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, invites applications for one or more positions at the level of Associate Professor in International Politics.
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 fields of international security studies, security governance, international order and emerging security challenges related, for example, to new technologies. Specifically, we are looking for a scholar who wishes to engage in developing our teaching and research profile related to “New wars and conflicts”.
Starting date is planned for September 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The International and Regional Politics (IRP) section is part of the Department of Political Science and Public Management under the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. The Department is organized around three research sections, including the International and Regional Politics section, as well as several cross-disciplinary research centres and research groups.
Research in international politics at the IRP section focuses mainly, though not exclusively, on contemporary security issues. 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 IRP section is responsible for teaching introductory IP courses at bachelor level and specialized graduate courses in Political Science, especially in the Master's program in International Security and Law and in the professional Master program in Intelligence and Cyber Studies. All international politics researchers of the IRP section are associated with the Center for War Studies (CWS), which facilitates inter-disciplinary research into fundamental questions of war, peace, and international order. For a detailed description of the research and activities of the Center for War Studies, please visit the CWS website.
We are now looking for candidates who can support the department in realizing its strategic objectives. The successful candidate will be someone who produces original ideas through high-quality and pioneering research within areas of relevance to the IRP section and to Center for War Studies and who will engage in effective knowledge exchange through our high-quality study programs and through genuine engagement with societal actors and the wider public. The successful applicant will be tasked with a range of obligations in the IRP section and in the Department of Political Science and Public Management, including:
For applicants to qualify for the position, the following criteria must be met (please consult the Scholarly Qualification Matrix:
Applicants should also present a clear and realistic plan for attracting external funding for the coming 5 years.
It is 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. For a detailed overview of the department’s entry criteria for positions at associate professor level please see the Scholarly Qualification Matrix.
Within a three-year period, non-Danish-speaking applicants are expected to master the Danish language at a level which enables reading Danish exam papers and administrative documents. The department offers free language classes and a reduction in workload to support non-Danish speaking employees.
Researchers who have not worked in Denmark before taking up this position may be eligible for a special tax scheme that reduces Danish income tax for 7 years. You can find more information about this tax scheme here.
The University of Southern Denmark does not offer spousal appointments, but both the University of Southern Denmark and the Odense Local Authority provide programs to help new employees and their families integrate into Danish society. This includes special training programs for candidate's partners on finding employment in Denmark.
For further information, please contact the Head of Section, Kira Vrist Rønn kroenn@sam.sdu.dk.
Application
An application must include the following:
Furthermore, applicants are requested to submit a teaching portfolio as documentation for teaching experience, and if relevant, supervision qualifications. Formal application instructions and guide for teaching portfolio may be found here.
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’.
The application deadline is June 7, 2025, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)
Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply now" on our website.
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
Appointment as an associate professor is permanent. 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 associate professor as described herein.
Employment as an associate professor requires academic qualifications at PhD level as well as scientific and teaching qualifications at a level achievable based on satisfactory completion of a period of employment as assistant professor/researcher but may be achievable by other means.
For a detailed description of the entry criteria and a job description for an associate professor, 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 faculty members and students. The department's ambition is therefore to recruit, develop, and retain talented scholars committed to both academic excellence and departmental development. Furthermore, the department wishes our staff to be gender balanced and 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.
About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.
Reference number: 2779