Postdoctoral position in research project on interest groups

The Department of Political Science at Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, invites applications for one 2-year fulltime postdoctoral position to join a new research programme on interest groups and other private actors in politics. The project is directed by professor, Anne Skorkjær Binderkrantz.

The starting date is 1 May 2025 but can be flexible subject to mutual agreement.


The research project

The position is part of a research programme on how interest group represent their members in politics and the political role of interest groups and other private actors. The research programme is partly funded by a grant from Independent Research Fund Denmark and partly by the Danish Power and Democracy study.

The programme focuses on two related research questions:
1) How well do interest group represent their members?
2) What is the political role of private actors such as interest groups and private foundations in the Danish democracy?

The research will have a focus on Denmark, but also includes comparison with other established democracies. Methodologically the research programme combines mapping of interest groups and other private actors across political arenas, surveys of interest groups and their members, quantitative analysis of group appearances in the news media and interviews with different political actors.
 

Job description

The postdoctoral researcher will be employed as part of a research group and is expected to engage in collaborative research with the research team. The applicant is expected to be present at the Department of Political Science at Aarhus University at least three days a week on average and participate in project meetings as well as be part of the broader research environment at the Department.

The postdoc will be expected to take a leading role in developing, designing as well as coordinating research projects and publishing research in high impact journals as well as in disseminating research to the public. Moreover, as part of the research group, the postdocs are expected to provide support for project-related research, organizational, and administrative tasks. The postdoc is expected to be able to conduct interviews with different actors in Danish.


The successful applicant

The successful applicant will be part of a research project of high societal and research relevance and of a vibrant and supportive research team with an informal atmosphere. There will be excellent opportunities for intellectual development and mentoring as well as developing an independent research agenda within the context of the project.

The project offers funding for conferences, additional training, and good opportunities for developing a strong academic network.

In addition to the outlined research tasks, the positions entail teaching the equivalent of one course per year.

Salary is highly competitive and set according to the Danish pay schedule.


Your qualifications

Candidates must hold (or be close to completing) a PhD in Political Science or another field relevant to the project. In addition to this the applicant should:
 

• have an interest in understanding the political role and representative function of private actors such as interest groups
• have an interest in conducting collaborative research and in research dissemination
• have experience with designing and administering surveys and/or conducting interviews
• have an excellent command of spoken and written English and Danish

As part of your application, you should attach a CV, proof of PhD degree (or the near completion of a PhD degree) and your best publication (could be an unpublished chapter of your dissertation, a working paper, or a published article).

Who we are
The Department of Political Science is one of the six departments at Aarhus BSS, one of the five faculties at Aarhus University. The department is among the largest and strongest political science departments in Europe, with particular strengths in the areas of political behavior, political psychology and political philosophy.

At the Department of Political Science, we emphasize a dynamic and flexible research and teaching profile characterized by pluralism and openness. With more than 100 academic staff members and 40 PhD students, we offer a lively, ambitious and highly collegial research and teaching environment with many international visitors and workshops and a clear international orientation. For more information about the Department of Political Science.

Further information
Applicants are encouraged to contact Professor Anne Binderkrantz, E-mail [email protected] prior to submitting their application to learn more about the project, the hiring process, and/or specific tasks.

If you need help uploading your application or have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR supporter Line Møller Kristiansen, E-mail: [email protected].

Place of work
Department of Political Science, Bartholins Allé 7, DK - 8000 Aarhus C



International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information here:
https://internationalstaff.au.dk/relocationservice/

Please find more information about research opportunities at Aarhus University here: http://international.au.dk/research/

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here:
http://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/


Terms of employment

The appointment is made in accordance with the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities as well as the circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State (in Danish).
The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.


Application procedure

When you apply for this position it is mandatory to attach the following:

• Application
• Curriculum Vitae. You are encouraged to declare any periods of leave without research activity, including, for example, maternity leave, since your research activities are assessed in relation to your actual research time
• Education (diploma for master's, PhD and possibly higher doctoral degree)
• List of publications (the enclosed publications must be clearly marked on the list of publications)
• Publications. Up to three publications can be included in the application. In the event of several authors the publications must be accompanied by a co-author statement concerning the applicant's share of the collaborative work with the consent of the co-authors. This template may be used for the purpose
• Teaching portfolio. The specific requirements regarding the documentation can be found here

Materials which cannot be uploaded together with the application may be submitted in three copies to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, Aarhus University, Tåsingegade 1, 2nd floor, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

Read more about how to apply for an academic post at Aarhus BSS here


The evaluation process

After the application deadline, an assessment committee is appointed. Please note that the assessment of applicants is based solely on the material received prior to the application deadline. For further information, see Guidelines for Assessment Committee, Aarhus BSS.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.
 


Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/