SDU Software Engineering in Odense, SDU Centre for Industrial Software in Sønderborg, and SDU Centre for Software Technology in Vejle, all part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), jointly invite applications for one or more 4-year tenure-track assistant professor positions within the broad area of software engineering and technology. The positions are open from Spring 2026, and the specific start date will be agreed with the successful candidates. The application deadline is January 5, 2026, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET).

What we offer

With a tenure-track assistant professor position at SDU, you will:

• be part of one of our dynamic research centres with both a national and international profile, while working in areas of tremendous potential and societal relevance;

• join collaborations across the university, as well as with national, international, and industrial research partners;

• help establish joint innovation projects in close collaboration with industry and the local society;

• help build up the research and educational environment;

• contribute to the teaching programmes at the highest level for undergraduate and graduate students at SDU;

• join a harmonious workplace environment that is conducive to productivity, promotes creativity, and rewards and recognizes individuals and group achievement;

• have the opportunity to live and work in one of the happiest countries in the world that also offers excellent and free health and education systems.

What we expect

The positions are open in any of the research areas of interest to the centres, which include:

• Software Development Processes

• Software Management, Estimation, and Planning

• Requirements Engineering

• Software Architecture and Design

• Software Testing and Quality Assurance

• Software Operation, Evolution, and Maintenance

• Software Reliability Engineering

• Systems Engineering

• Model-Driven Engineering

• Modeling, Simulation and Data Analytics

• Human-Computer Interaction and Design

• Interactive Systems Engineering

• Cybersecurity

• Distributed and Cloud Computing

• Operating Systems and Digital Infrastructure

• AI for Software Engineering

• Software Engineering for Internet of Things

• Software Engineering for Cyber-Physical Systems

• Software Engineering for Embedded Systems

• Software Engineering for AI and Data Science

• Software Engineering for Quantum Computing

• Green Software Engineering

• Empirical Software Engineering

For SDU Software Engineering in Odense, we’re particularly interested in candidates with a research profile in software testing and AI-assisted software engineering. For SDU Centre for Industrial Software in Sønderborg, we’re particularly interested in candidates with a research profile in AI and embedded systems, and AI-assisted software engineering. Finally, for SDU Centre for Software Technology in Vejle, we’re particularly interested in candidates with a research profile in software engineering, human-computer interaction and design, and interactive technology.

Workplace description

The University of Southern Denmark

The University of Southern Denmark is one of the youngest universities in Denmark, founded in 1966. The university is founded around the goal of providing the right knowledge at the right time to support society. The university targets major, complex societal problems of a cross-disciplinary nature such as climate, welfare, health and technology, tackling these in collaboration across faculties.

The Faculty of Engineering

The Faculty of Engineering is driven by the urge to create value for and with society, by curiosity and by the will to create that which only a few could imagine would be possible. Through research, education and collaboration, it is the ambition of the faculty to nurture talent, address challenges, create possibilities, and promote sustainable development. The faculty is strongly engaged with national and international industries and organizations over a broad range of technical domains.

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute is an internationally recognized institute, which has maintained a leading position in robotics for more than three decades. The department is the 2^nd largest department at SDU, with more than 230 staff members and 1500 students. The institute has over the last decades expanded its activities in interactive technologies, artificial intelligence, and software engineering including building several strong research centres at the SDU campuses in Odense and Sønderborg and with the new centre also in Vejle. Thereby, the institute today covers a wide range of areas in robotics, software, AI, and applied informatics.

Curious?

If you are interested in learning more about the position, please contact:

• Torben Worm (Head of Centres): tow@mmmi.sdu.dk

• Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard (Vice-Head of Centres): mbkj@mmmi.sdu.dk

• Thiago Rocha Silva (Associate Professor, SDU Software Engineering, Odense): trsi@mmmi.sdu.dk

• Serkan Ayvaz (Associate Professor, SDU Centre for Industrial Software, Sønderborg): seay@mmmi.sdu.dk

• Noura Howell (Associate Professor, SDU Centre for Software Technology, Vejle): nouh@mmmi.sdu.dk

Further information

If you experience technical problems, please contact hcm-support@sdu.dk.

Application procedure

Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply.

Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material, and an application must include: 

• Cover letter.

• Curriculum Vitae.

• Master’s and PhD degree certificates or equivalent (copy of original and official English translation).

• Complete list of publications.

• Up to five most relevant publications to the position.

• A research statement.

• Summary and documentation of experience in teaching. You may attach it as a teaching portfolio.

• Up to three reference letters may be included (optional).

• A statement/documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position may also be included (optional).

If the applicants have any preferences for one of the centres, they should indicate this on their cover letters.

All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration no.) must be crossed out. All PDF files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.

UPLOAD GUIDE: Cover letter shall be uploaded under ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded under ‘Resume’ (max. 5 MB). All other documents shall be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max. 10 files of max. 50 MB per file).

The application deadline is January 5, 2026, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET).

Tenure track at the Faculty of Engineering, SDU

With the tenure-track programme at the Faculty of Engineering, SDU, we offer an attractive career opportunity for promising scholars. The tenure track is aimed at the most talented scholars who have established a high level in their current research and other professional work, and those who possess exceptional potential to achieve the highest international level within their research area.

You enter the 4-year programme at assistant professor level and, if successful, you are promoted to associate professor by the end of the programme, provided an expert assessment committee confirms that you have acquired the international level of scholarly excellence characteristic of associate professors. Indicators of relevant scholarly merits include independent scholarly output, ground-breaking publications, achievement of excellence grants, and international research network.

The tenure track at the Faculty of Engineering, SDU, is a 4-year programme which includes annual performance and development reviews and a midterm evaluation with a written review by an expert panel to ensure the assistant professor’s track to tenured associate professorship. Finally, a formal academic assessment for permanent associate professorship is conducted by an internationally recognized expert assessment committee. If the final assessment is positive, the candidate will be offered a permanent position as associate professor. If the assessment is negative, the assistant professor can recommend a second assessment within the last six months of employment. Thus, a maximum of two academic assessments can take place.    

When part of the tenure-track programme, the 4-year period as assistant professor may be extended by parental or medical leave.

Assessment and selection process

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. Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation.

Read about the Assessment and selection process.

Conditions of employment

Appointment as a tenure-track assistant professor is temporary and for an initial 4-year period, with guaranteed assessment for a permanent position as associate professor during the final year of employment. The preferred start date is from Spring 2026.

During employment, the tenure-track assistant professor will complete the Lecturer Training Programme.

Employment as an assistant professor requires scientific qualifications at minimum PhD level at the time 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 tenure-track assistant professor as described herein. Further information on salary and taxation.

Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial evaluation, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

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The University of Southern Denmark wishes our staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, are subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position.

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.