The Copenhagen Centre for Social Data Science (SODAS), Faculty of Social Science (SAMF), University of Copenhagen (UCPH) invites candidates for a position as Tenure-Track Assistant Professor or Associate Professor (based on qualification) with specialization in Mixed Digital Methods. The position is a full-time position available from 15 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

What does SODAS offer?

SODAS is a world-class research, teaching and impact centre at the intersection of data science and the social sciences. The centre leverages computational techniques from data science for the collection, processing and analysing of digital/big data with a view to develop new social science insights, methods and theories. SODAS is home to a diverse community of researchers from anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and data science (For more, see https://sodas.ku.dk/.) The centre plays a key role in the new M.Sc. in Social Data Science (SDS) Master of Science (MSc) in Social Data Science – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk) which attracts highly dedicated and diverse students from across the globe.

Qualification requirements for tenure-track assistant professors

The tenure-track position is a six-year, fixed-term academic position involving both research and teaching. The tenure-track appointee will have to complete a teacher- training course designed especially for assistant professors if they have not already done so in a previous position.

Approximately six months before the end of the six-year period as assistant professor, a committee set up by the Dean will assess whether the assistant professor can be considered for promotion to a tenured position as associate professor.

Read more about the tenure-track program at the UCPH at this homepage: Tenure track at the University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Qualification requirements for associate professors

The applicant for the associate professorship has research and teaching qualifications corresponding to what can be achieved by satisfactory employment as an assistant professor or tenure-track assistant professor.

The applicant is expected to take part in managing research projects, provide pedagogical supervision, support assistant professors and participate in academic assessment panels.

Applicants are encouraged to read the University guidelines for teaching portfolio when appointing staff at the UCPH: Job application portfolio – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

In order to be assessed as qualified for a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor or an Associate Professor position at the University of Copenhagen, the candidate must meet the University’s six overarching criteria of academic merit (research, teaching, societal impact, organizational contribution, external funding and leadership), which will be used as a framework for the overall assessment of candidates (and may partly overlap with the qualifications listed in bullets above).

You can read more about the criteria for recognizing merit for professorial positions here: 5c_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-professors.pdf (ku.dk)

Duties and Responsibilities

• We are looking for applications from candidates with a strong interdisciplinary research and teaching profile, who are enthusiastic about taking a leading role in a fast growing social data scientist community. The ideal candidate has a background in the social sciences and proven competence in and a track record of combining of qualitative, quantitative, and data science methods
• Duties and responsibilities include contributing to academic and social life at SODAS via world-class research, teaching and impact. It is expected that the candidate will play a key role in the development and teaching of new elective courses in social data science offered to both SDS students and graduate students from the five SAMF departments. Candidates at the associate professor level are also expected to take on administrative responsibilities, to foster synergy with other fields and to exercise academic leadership.

Your Competencies and Opportunities

Outstanding applicants across all fields of the social sciences with cross-methodological expertise within what can broadly be called mixed digital methods (e.g. social network analysis, text as data, quali-quanti methods) will be favorably considered.

Qualifications are expected within the following areas

• A track record of high-quality research as evidenced by publications in internationally leading journals.
• Experience with interdisciplinary collaboration and methodological development across and between qualitative and quantitative social science, as well as data science
• Motivation and vision to foster interdisciplinary research, teaching and impact.
• Success in obtaining research grants from public and/or private funding bodies
• Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to collaborate with academic and administrative colleagues
• Capacity and willingness to teach in and further develop the SDS M.Sc. program, as well as potential further education/executive courses
• A commitment to student and staff well-being and to the visions of the university

Why come to Copenhagen?

At SODAS you will be part of a vibrant, international and ambitious research community working across disciplines in a beautiful old campus right in the heart of wonderful Copenhagen.

• The city is continuously ranked among the top-5 livable cities on earth with clean air, beautiful architecture, a rich cultural life, and dedication to work-life balance and “hygge”.
• Denmark has generous parental leave and Copenhagen offers great childcare facilities, international schools and is a very family friendly city.

The greater Copenhagen area has become an incredible data science hub in which SODAS plays a central role, with many potential collaborations within and across universities.

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences

SODAS is part of the Faculty of the Social Sciences. The Faculty is a successful academic community that strives to put knowledge into action by:                      

• Engaging partners in the co-creation of knowledge, learning and social change.
• Empowering our students to become reflective and responsible citizens who have the vision, the knowledge and the competences to change society for the better.
• Energising global, European and Danish communities of knowledge by innovating research methodologies and by research findings with impact

For more on the Faculty strategy on Social Data Science, see Digital Social Science – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Terms of Employment

• Employment with the Faculty of Social Sciences and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit. We do this by applying academic criteria of the University of Copenhagen which are related to the duties and conditions of each particular post and the needs of the place of employment concerned.
• According to the UCPH’s language policy, non-Danish-speaking appointees are expected to acquire proficiency in Danish sufficient to be able to interact with colleagues and students within a reasonable period of time (3-6 years).
• Further details about the qualification requirements for university staff can be found in the ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2019 Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf (ku.dk) 
• Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• The salary range starts at DKK 35,600 (Assistant Professor) and DKK DKK 41,400 (Associate Professor) per month + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements upon employment and on an annual basis.

A special tax scheme is available to eligible researchers recruited from abroad, see

Tax – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Recruitment Process

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, applicants are selected for assessment on the advice of an Appointment Committee. All applicants are then the notified whether the committee has recommended their application for assessment. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee and each applicant will have the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/her/themselves. Further information about the recruitment process for academic positions at the University of Copenhagen can be found here: Recruitment process – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

An Equal Opportunity Workplace

The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, see HR Excellence in Research – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

International applicant?

The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: ism.ku.dk

Contact Information

Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk, please refer to ID number: 211-0172/23-2N #1

Additional information about the position can be obtained from Director of SODAS Professor Morten Axel Pedersen, e-mail: map@sodas.ku.dk, phone +45 31 31 46 30 and Head of Studies for the MSc in Social Data Science, Friedolin Merhout (friedolin.merhout@sodas.ku.dk).

Application Procedure and Material

The application must be submitted in English through the online application form by clicking "Apply now" below. Applications need to include the following material in PDF format:

• Cover Letter / Motivated Application (please explicate if you apply for the tenure-track assistant position and/or the associate professor position).
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Certificates and diplomas.
• Teaching portfolio. Documentation of teaching qualifications in accordance with the University guidelines for teaching portfolios when appointing academic staff at the University of Copenhagen: Guide_for_teaching_portfolio_when_appointing_academic_staff.pdf (ku.dk)
• Publications. The 6 most important publications, of which at least three must have been published within the five years immediately preceding the deadline for application. The publications selected must be uploaded as attachments and named from 1 to 6.
• Publication list. A complete list of all publications with clearly marked publication dates. The uploaded publications must be marked with * on the list to be assessed.
• Documentation of ability to disseminate information. Documentation of the ability to disseminate information to and share knowledge with society.

Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavors, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly specified. The hiring committee may ask for a signed statement from the co-authors specifying the extent and nature of each individual’s contribution.

Please note that it is only possible to upload one document per attachment category. If there is more than one document for a category, please make sure to compile the documents as one file.  

The closing date for applications is 29 March 2023 at 23:59 CEST

Applications or enclosures received thereafter will not be considered.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.