University of Southern Denmark

Assistant professorship within sustainability and consumer/business transformations

The Department of Business & Management (DBM) welcomes applications from highly qualified candidates for one or more exciting new positions as assistant professor in the research areas of sustainability and consumer/business transformations. The positions are available for a period of 3 years with the possibility of an extension. They are located in Odense and are available from February 1^st, 2024, or as soon as possible hereafter.

Who are your new colleagues?

The hired candidate will work within two of the department’s research units Consumption, Culture, and Commerce unit (CCC) and The International Business & Entrepreneurship unit (IBE), with the primary focus on the units externally-funded international research projects.

Research at the CCC unit focuses on two over-arching themes: studies of consumer culture (e.g., consumption symbolism, globalization and glocalization processes) and socio-cultural perspectives on markets and marketing with emphasis on theory development and critique. The unit pilots a B.Sc. degree in Market and Management Anthropology, hosts three M.Sc. profiles in Marketing and delivers teaching in a number of other educational programmes.

The IBE unit focuses specifically on the international business activities of B2B companies within the setting of an increasingly internationalized world. The research unit is engaged in two major research themes: International business and international entrepreneurship with special emphasis on international activities of small and medium-sized firms, international market relationships, entry modes, and business models in general. The unit is currently developing additional research expertise in emerging markets, sustainability, and industry 4.0 consequences for international business and international entrepreneurship. The goal of the research unit is to contribute to an improved understanding of the emergence, growth, and survival of firms in diverse markets, through the study of the organization of marketing and strategic activities both within the firm and through the interplay with other actors on the market.

The Department of Business & Management works both quantitatively and qualitatively to build bridges between applied and fundamental research. The Department houses seven vibrant research units (Accounting, Centre for Integrative Innovation Management, Consumption, Culture & Commerce, Finance, International Business & Entrepreneurship, Management of People, and Strategic Organization Design) whose work is anchored in an understanding of the relationships between markets, organizations and individuals. It encompasses a variety of areas from evolutionary models of organization to new exotic forms of consumption and seeks synergy between research, teaching and knowledge exchange.

A modern, forward-looking university SDU came 52^nd in the Times Higher Education Young University rankings of 2016 and has around 30,000 students enrolled across its six campuses in Denmark. With more than 3000 staff benefiting from Denmark’s renowned levels of well-being and work-life balance, SDU has a strong focus on societal relevance and has adopted the United Nations’ Strategic Development Goals as its guiding principles.  

What are we looking for?

The unit is looking for candidates with the capacity to decisively contribute to the department’s international research projects on sustainable regeneration of neighbourhoods (with an emphasis on sustainable consumption) and sustainable business transformations (with a focus on smart specialization strategies). The candidate should also demonstrate the potential to add to the units’ overall research agenda and educational activities. It is important that candidates have good interpersonal skills and are dedicated to taking an active part in the everyday academic and social environment at the department and in the research units in particular. To fulfill the requirements of the position, the candidates chosen are expected to be physically present at SDU Odense on a regular basis.

The successful candidate is ambitious and will have an international profile in the area of relevance to the CCC or the IBE unit, preferably, with a focus on sustainability issues. A substantial record of research publications in highly recognized journals in one or more of the research areas mentioned above is expected, as well as the potential to make advances both empirically and theoretically. 

Successful candidates will be expected to play an important role in externally funded research projects, and in the periods of lighter research activity to teach and supervise students who participate in bachelor and master courses covering topics such as consumption studies, international business, marketing and branding, globalization, and qualitative research methods). Successful candidates will have substantial teaching experience and must document pedagogical qualifications and competences including evidence of development and innovation.

Beyond the research publication record and teaching experience, successful candidates will be expected to contribute actively to the social and academic lives at the department as well as participate in the guidance of doctoral students and junior faculty. Also, we expect active and constructive participation in the university’s academic administration, and it is an advantage if the candidates have experience with working on externally-funded international research projects, and in establishing ties with the international research community. Furthermore, the right applicants should thrive in a multi-disciplinary environment that seeks to contribute to a broad academic dialogue.

If the successful candidates are not fluent in Danish, (s)he will be expected to learn Danish within a period of three years. Within this timeframe applicants are expected to master Danish at a level which enables them to correct Danish exam papers and read administrative documents. Fluency in Italian, Spanish, or French is also of benefit, due to the requirements of the international research projects.

The department believes in fostering a stimulating and inspiring environment for both faculty members and students. Also, the department addresses social challenges and knowledge exchange with society through high-quality study programmes and genuine engagement with external partners and society at large.

Further information can be obtained from head of research for the CCC group, professor Ian Woodward iawo@sam.sdu.dk or head of research for the IBE group, associate professor Martin Hannibal mhk@sam.sdu.dk.

How to apply for this position?
 
Appointment to the position requires a PhD or equivalent and will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

For more information on the department guidelines for qualification and recruitment please visit our website.

An application must include:

• Letter of motivation
• Detailed CV
• Certificates/Diplomas (Master and PhD degree)
• Teaching portfolio detailing the candidate’s prior teaching experience, teaching skills, teaching philosophy, and other forms of knowledge communication (please see below)
• A research and publication plan detailing the candidate’s ideas and plans for her/his future research work which demonstrate a willingness to aim for the most recognized academic outlets internationally
• Complete list of publications, indicating which publications are most relevant for the position
• Up to 5 of the most relevant publications. Please upload a pdf for each publication. If your publications have been co-authored, please briefly describe the extent of the co-authorship or your contribution to the individual joint publication. You can do so by using this form or you can describe the co-authorship in such a way that the committee can assess the extent of your contribution.

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English.

Applicants applying for an assistant professorship are requested to submit a teaching portfolio with the application as documentation for teaching experience as well as supervision qualifications. Formal application instructions and a guide for the teaching portfolio may be found here.

Assessment of applications will be done under existing Appointment Order for universities. 

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.

When the assessment committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns him/her. The assessment report will subsequently be forwarded to the Head of Department who will assemble an appointment committee. The appointment committee will manage and conduct the job interviews, should they be required.

Applications that are incomplete may be rejected without any substantive evaluation. Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.As part of the overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, an interview may be applied.

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link “Apply online”. Uploaded files must be in Adobe PDF (unlocked) Word format.

Read the guideline for the applicants

Each field can only contain a single file of max. 10 Mb.