Associate Professors in International Politics

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 at the section for International and Regional Politics (IRP).

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, governance and international order, and new and emerging security challenges such as cyber security, intelligence, and digitalization. Starting date is planned for March 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The 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. Currently, the department employs around 90 people and attracts 2,500 students in its various full-time bachelor and master programs as well as part-time professional master programs. For a detailed description of the department's profile and activities and more information about its strategy, please visit the department's website.

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 with a specific emphasis on contributing to and running the professional Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies. The successful candidates 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 applicants will be tasked with a range of obligations in the IRP section and in the Department of Political Science and Public Management, including:

• Conduct and publish research at a high international level in areas of relevance to the International and Regional Politics section and to the Center for War Studies
• Conduct relevant teaching and supervision within the department's entire portfolio of study programs, including the full-time political science program, the Master program in International Security and Law and the professional Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies
• Study program management at the Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies
• Apply for relevant individual/collective external research funding to develop the research environment in line with the strategic goals of the Department and the IRP section
• Engage in knowledge exchange activities with the wider society
• Applicants are also expected to perform a number of research-related tasks such as conducting research management including supervision and mentoring of assistant professors, postdocs and PhD students, and participation in academic assessment committees.

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 International and Regional Politics Section indicating the po­tential for international scholarly impact and for facilitating research cooperation within the Center for War Studies
• Substantial publication of research at an inter­nationally recognized level (beyond the topic of and data used for the PhD dissertation),
• Proven ability to participate in and develop research collectives as well as international networks,
• A strong teaching profile that demonstrates ample experience with various teaching and supervision formats,
• Proven ability in the development and implementation of new pedagogical or didactical techniques,
• Documented participation in fundraising and coordination of research projects,
• An experience with and genuine interest in outreach or knowledge-sharing activities.

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.

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 further information, please contact the Head of Section, Kira Vrist Rønn [email protected].

Application, salary, etc.
Appointment to the positions requires a PhD or equivalent and will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the Danish state with the associated circular on the protocol on job structure for academic staff at universities and the provisions for the position of associate professor as described herein.

An application must include the following:

• A detailed CV
• A letter of motivation
• A detailed research plan (max 3 pages) for the next 4-5 years that describes the applicant's:
• Potential to advance the field (both empirically and theoretically)
• Relationship to the aim and goals of the International and Regional Politics Section and the Center for War Studies
• Planned national and international collaborations
• Potential to obtain external funding
• Certificates/Diplomas (Master and PhD degree)
• A complete list of publications, which indicates which publications are most relevant for the position
• Up to 5 of the most relevant publications. 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.

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.

Documents should not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

Applications that are incomplete may be rejected without any substantive evaluation.

Assessment of applications will be done under existing Appointment Order for universities. Applications will be assessed by an academic assessment committee that determines whether applicants are qualified to be an associate professor. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material. The committee reserves the right to arrive at a decision solely based on the material submitted.

Shortlisting and personal tests may be used in the assessment process.

When the assessment committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns them. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointment committee. The appointment committee will manage and complete a series of job interviews with especially promising applicants. On the basis of the applications, the written assessments, the job interviews, and a deliberation within the appointments committee, the Head of Department determines which candidate(s) will be offered the position.

Applications must be submitted no later than October 1, 2024, 23:59 CET.

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

Uploaded files must be in Adobe PDF and not exceed 10 MB.

Read the guideline for applicants