Associate professor in Urban Resilience

The Section for Civil and Architectural Engineering (CAE) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applications for a position as Associate Professor in Urban Resilience, with focus on coastal areas, at the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience (SDU.Resilience), part of the Section for Civil and Architectural Engineering (CAE) within the Department of Innovation and Technology (ITI).

The position is available from 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The application deadline is 15 September 2024 at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST) 

Job description

The successful candidate is expected to carry out internationally competitive research activities, to publish in high level peer-reviewed academic journals as well as engage in other forms and levels of research dissemination, form collaboration with other organization (research, public authorities, and private sector), and to play an active role in securing external funding, including Danish, EU, and international sources.

A commitment to excellence in teaching at both undergraduate and graduate level is expected including participation in teaching and the development of new courses and in supervision of BSc, MSc and PhD students as required.

The position as associate professor holds responsibility, but also comes with influence and opportunity to develop and deliver research and education to the highest international level.

Research environment

The UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience (SDU.Resilience) is a research group dedicated to the development of transdisciplinary research, education, and knowledge transfer on urban resilience in Denmark and internationally. SDU.Resilience’s activities focus on urban resilient transition, systemically integrating disaster risk reduction, development, and climate change, both mitigation and adaptation, in urban areas. 

SDU.Resilience’s activities contribute to the implementation of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the New Urban Agenda, and the Sendai Action Framework for Risk Reduction. SDU.Resilience aims at developing research to inform policymaking at national and international level and to support science-based urban planning and design for local action, in the Global North and South.

SDU.Resilience is active in the following research areas:

• Climate Governance
• Spatial Planning for Resilience
• Capacity Building for Resilience
• Water and Resilient Human Settlements
• Resilient Coastal and Maritime Planning
• Climate Nature-Based Solutions
• Circular Economy and Built Environment
• Human Health and Climate in Cities
• Urban Climate Finance
• Data for Disaster Risk Reduction

Duties and responsibilities

The post-holder will contribute to further develop and expand research, education, and knowledge transfer activities across the urban resilience group knowledge areas, with specific focus on coastal areas.

The specific duties of the research fellow in urban resilience include: 

• Play a significant role in initiating and delivering research projects with high impact internationally.
• Collaborate in the publication of research outcomes in high quality scientific journals and books. 
• Actively participate in attracting external funding for research, innovation and education activities from private and public donors. 
• Lead and contribute to the development of courses at BSc, MSc and PhD level, and for capacity building.
• Supervise and support the professional development of research staff.
• Work collaboratively with peers across the faculty, as well as with private and public sector nationally and internationally.

Qualifications

The candidate must hold a PhD degree in urban resilience, urban planning, climate change, architecture, engineering, or related areas.

The candidate shall demonstrate: 

• Research and publication record in the knowledge areas. 
• Experience in preparing applications for funding at national and international level, for public and private donors.
• Track of record in teaching and supervision of students, particularly in the knowledge areas.
• International working experience, particularly in transdisciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
• Experience in the implementation of projects at local level, particularly internationally, is an asset.
• Scientific and practical experience in the Global South, particularly in a developing context, is highly desirable.
• Track of record in developing and delivering capacity building and training courses for researcher and practitioners, is an asset.
• Knowledge of other languages, particularly Spanish and French, is desirable. 

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Danish is not a prerequisite for applying. The hired candidate will be offered Danish courses by the university.

Contact information

Further information about the position is available from Nicola Tollin, Professor wsr in Urban Resilience, Chairholder and coordinator of the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience  tel. +45 93 50 74 70, email: [email protected], or from Head of Section, Professor Christian Koch, tel. +45 6550 4815, e-mail: [email protected]. 

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

Conditions of employment

Appointment as associate professor is permanent.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. 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 

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

The application shall include the following documents in English: 

• Motivation letter, including motivations, skills and qualifications
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae, including contact information
• Certificates/Diplomas (BSc-MSc and PhD)
• Teaching and supervision experience. Please attach as Teaching Portfolio 
• List of publications indicating the publications attached.
• Examples of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication
• A research and development plan for the next four years 
• Reference letters and other relevant qualifications may also be included.

UPLOAD GUIDE: Motivation letter 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 15 September 2024 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 should 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.