Assistant and Associate Professors sought for the Centre for Software Technology at SDU Vejle

SDU’s new campus in Vejle is set to become a world-class IT research and educational environment. The campus will consist of two research centres aiming to be world-class research environments in interactive technology, software engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence. SDU Vejle is a collaboration between the renowned Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at SDU, the new campus will be based on the philosophy of these well-established research environments where curiosity, creativity and innovation thrive. SDU Vejle will welcome its first students in 2026. By 2032, we aim for the Vejle campus to host over 1200 Danish and international students, employ more than 90 academic staff members, and annually graduate 300 skilled and sought-after IT students.

Learn more about the new campus in Vejle here.

SDU Centre for Software Technology

The aim of the centre is to cover research and education in interactive technology, artificial intelligence, and software engineering. Furthermore, we see these areas complementing each other to make way for the engineering of the next generation of reliable, intelligent and interactive software solutions. This includes understanding how AI technologies and data-informed software development with a human-centred perspective can change the engineering of products and software infrastructures.

The vision of the centre is to:

• Create world class breakthroughs and knowledge within the centre’s academic focus
• Educate highly sought after engineers within the centre’s academic focus
• Establish valuable collaborations with local, national, and international industry

The mission of the centre is to:

• Educate talented and highly competent engineers that not only meet the needs of industry but also enrich and enhance society.
• Provide access for the communities surrounding the centre to the newest and most. advanced knowledge and technologies available globally within the centre’s academic focus.
• Closely collaborate with industry on innovation, research, development, testing and deployment of new software and hardware-based technologies.
• Contribute to a human-centred digital transition, focusing on integrating digital and intelligent technologies into life and work while prioritizing the needs, experiences, and well-being of people.

What we offer

With an assistant/associate professor position in the SDU Centre for Software Technology you will be a part of the team that will build up the centre. In this position, you will:

• Be a part of a dynamic research centre while working in areas of tremendous potential and societal relevance.
• Be a part of the team of SDU’s new Vejle campus, to build up the research and educational environment of the new campus.
• Be part of multidisciplinary research in the centre 
• Join collaborations with the wider university, national and international research partners as well as industrial partners.
• Contribute to the new teaching programmes at the highest level for undergraduate and postgraduate students at SDU Vejle.
• Join a harmonious workplace environment that is conducive to productivity, promotes creativity, and rewards and recognizes individuals and group achievement.
• Be part of a centre with both a national and international profile
• Create and join innovation projects in close collaboration with industry and the local society.
• An associate professorship position is a tenured/permanent position.
• An appointment as assistant professor lasts for three years, and contingent on successful completion of a lecturer training programme and a positive performance evaluation, a permanent position for associate professor is normally opened, for which the assistant professor can apply.
• 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

• You have a PhD degree in an area related to Interactive Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, or Software Engineering.
• You have a promising record of research impact.
• You are an enthusiastic and highly motivated teacher and supervisor. 
• You have achieved funding success commensurate with the targeted rank (associate or assistant professor). 
• You are an excellent collaborator, able to work in complex international multi-stakeholder environments.
• You are an effective and inspiring communicator end attentive listener.
• Talent, experience, and success with industrial cooperation is a plus.

Examples of subtopics within interactive technology, artificial intelligence, and software engineering of particular relevance to the Centre include: Software Reliability Engineering, Software Testing, Software Infrastructure Engineering, Software Operations and Maintenance, Secure Software Development, Tool Support for Software Engineering and Software Development, AI4SE and SE4AI, Accessible and Inclusive Web Technologies, Interactive User Interface Technologies (e.g. Mobile/VR/AR), Technologies for Engaging and Playful Interactive Products, Behavioral Data Science for Design and Engineering of Interactive Products, AI for Interactive Software, Creative Systems and User Support.

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. Professors in these areas include Prof. Anders Drachen in interactive technologies and Prof. Mikkel Kjærgaard in software engineering. Thereby, the institute today covers a wide range of areas in robotics, software, AI, and applied informatics. Learn more about our institute at https://www.sdu.dk/mmmi.

Curious?

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

• Kasper Hallenborg (Head of Department) [email protected]
• Torben Worm (Head of Centre) [email protected]
• Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard (Vice Head of Centre) [email protected]

Further information

If you experience technical problems, please contact[email protected]. 

Conditions of employment as Assistant Professor

Appointment as assistant professor is temporary and for an initial 3-year period. 

The preferred starting date is August 1, 2025.

During employment, the assistant professor must complete the Lecturer Training Programme. 

The successful applicant will be employed 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 assistant professor as described herein Further information on salary and taxation. 

Employment as assistant professor requires scientific qualifications at PhD level at the time of employment.

Conditions of employment as Associate Professor

Appointment as associate professor is permanent.

The preferred starting date is August 1, 2025 

The successful applicant will be employed 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 Further information on salary and taxation. 

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. 

Assessment and selection process
 Read about the Assessment and selection process. 

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied. Only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU. 

Interviews and tests may be part of the process.

Application procedure

Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply and specific faculty information for application at the Faculty of Engineering.

Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material. Please include the following documents in English: 

• Motivated application.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Certificates/Diplomas (master’s and PhD degree) – Danish and/or English. 
• Complete list of publications.
• Publications most relevant for the position. Please attach as one PDF-file for each publication (only full text publications (i.e. no links) can form the basis for assessment of the application).
• Teaching Portfolio. 
• Research plan.

The application may also include:

• Dissemination qualifications may be included in the CV.
• List of supervised projects and acquired third party funding, if any.   
• Reference letters/References
• Documentation of other qualifications with relevance to the position.

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

The application deadline is April 7, 2025, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST) 

Formalities

• According to the University of Southern Denmark’s internal guidelines, there must be at least three qualified applicants to a position before it can be filled.
• Documents must not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.
• The application and CV must not exceed 10 MB.  

The University of Southern Denmark wishes to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply 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.