Centre for Software Technologies (CST), part of Mærsk-McKinney Møller Instituttet, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), invites applications for one or more 4-year tenure track assistant professor positions within Software Engineering. The positions are open from Spring 2026, and the specific start date will be agreed with the successful candidates.
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 a tenure-track assistant 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.
- 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 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 and software engineering of particular relevance to the Centre include: Interactive User Interface Technologies (e.g. Mobile/VR/AR), Software Reliability Engineering, Software Testing, Accessible and Inclusive Web Technologies, Behavioral Data Science for Design and Engineering of Interactive Products, Software Operations and Maintenance, Tool Support for Software Engineering and Software Development, AI4SE and SE4AI, Technologies for Engaging and Playful 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 2ndlargest 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/en/mmmi.
Curious?
If you are interested in learning more about the position, please contact
Further information
If you experience technical problems, please contact hcm-support@sdu.dk.
Application procedure
Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply.
Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material, and an application must include:
- Motivated application.
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Master’s and PhD degree certificates or equivalent (copy of original/official English translation).
- Complete list of publications.
- Publications most relevant to the position.
- Summary and documentation of experience in teaching. You may attach as a Teaching Portfolio.
- A research statement.
- References/reference letters may be included.
- A statement/documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position may also be included.
UPLOAD GUIDE: Motivated application shall be uploaded as ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded as ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents shall be uploaded as ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files of max 50 MB per file).
All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration no.) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.
The application deadline is September 8, 2025, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)
Tenure Track at the Faculty of Engineering, SDU
With the tenure track programme at the Faculty of Engineering, SDU, we offer an attractive career opportunity for promising scholars. The tenure track is aimed at the most talented scholars who have established a high level in their current research and other professional work, and those who possess exceptional potential to achieve the highest international level within their research area.
You enter the 4-year programme at assistant professor level and if successful you are promoted to associate professor by the end of the programme, provided an expert assessment committee confirms that you have acquired the international level of scholarly excellence characteristic of associate professors. Indicators of relevant scholarly merits include documented through independent scholarly output, ground-breaking publications, achievement of excellence grants, and international research network.
The tenure track at the Faculty of Engineering, SDU, is a 4-year programme which includes annual performance and development reviews and a midterm evaluation with a written review by an expert panel to ensure the assistant professor’s track to tenured associate professorship. Finally, a formal academic assessment for permanent associate professorship is conducted by an internationally recognized expert assessment committee. If the final assessment is positive, the candidate will be offered a permanent position as associate professor. If the assessment is negative, the assistant professor can recommend a second assessment within the last six months of employment. Thus, a maximum of two academic assessments can take place.
When part of the tenure track programme, the 4-year period as assistant professor may be extended by maternity leave, paternity leave and/or adoption leave.
Assessment and selection process
Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied, and only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU. Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation.
Read about the Assessment and selection process.
Conditions of employment
Appointment as a tenure track assistant professor is temporary and for an initial 4-year period, with guaranteed assessment for a permanent position as associate professor during the final year of employment. The preferred start date is from January 1, 2026.
During employment, the tenure track assistant professor will complete the Lecturer Training Programme.
Employment as an assistant professor requires scientific qualifications at minimum PhD level at the time of employment. Employment will be 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 tenure track assistant professor as described herein. Further information on salary and taxation.
Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial evaluation, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.
The University of Southern Denmark wishes our staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, are subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates 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.
