Part-time Administrative Officer for the Centre for Industrial Mechanics

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applications for a part-time Administrative Officer position at the Centre for Industrial Mechanics (CIM), part of the Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the SDU Sønderborg campus.

We are looking for a structured and proactive colleague who can support the Centre’s day-to-day administration, assist with project coordination, and contribute to the planning and organization of conferences, workshops, meetings and other academic and industrial events. The position offers the opportunity to work in an international university environment with close interaction with academic staff, students, external partners and administrative units.

Unique opportunity

The Centre for Industrial Mechanics combines research, education and collaboration with industry across areas including mechanical engineering, energy systems, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, mechatronics and related technologies. As the Centre continues to develop its activities and external collaborations, effective administrative and project support is important for ensuring smooth daily operations and successful delivery of events and projects.

The successful candidate will become part of an international and collaborative working environment and will have a varied portfolio of tasks. The role is well suited to a person who enjoys organizing, coordinating and communicating, and who is comfortable handling both routine administrative duties and changing priorities.

Workplace description

The Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at SDU conducts research and education from fundamental engineering principles to applied solutions. The Centre for Industrial Mechanics is located in the Alsion building at SDU’s Sønderborg campus and benefits from strong connections with companies and organizations in Southern Denmark and Northern Germany. The working environment is international, and English is widely used in daily communication.

Duties of the position

• Conference and Event Organization: Support the planning and practical organization of conferences, workshops, seminars, project meetings and other events. Tasks may include registration, participant communication, invitations, agendas, room coordination, catering, travel arrangements, accommodation, event materials and on-site support.
• Daily Administrative Support: Assist with general administrative tasks for the Centre and its research groups, including correspondence, document preparation, meeting coordination, scheduling, filing, maintaining administrative records and following up on agreed actions.
• Project Administration and Coordination: Support externally and internally funded projects with practical project-management tasks such as meeting planning, collection of inputs from partners, follow-up on deadlines and deliverables, preparation of simple status overviews, and coordination of project documentation.
• Meeting Support: Organize internal and external meetings, prepare agendas and supporting material when required, take meeting notes or minutes, and assist with follow-up of decisions and action points.
• Communication and Stakeholder Coordination: Communicate professionally with colleagues, students, project partners, companies, conference participants and other external stakeholders, and help ensure that relevant information is shared in a timely and structured manner.
• Travel and Visit Coordination: Assist with practical arrangements for staff travel, guest visits, invited speakers and visiting researchers in accordance with SDU procedures.
• Documentation and Information Management: Maintain structured project and administrative files, contact lists, event information, templates, presentations and other shared material, and support the collection and organization of information needed for reports and internal follow-up.
• Financial and Procurement Support: Provide practical administrative assistance related to purchases, invoices, reimbursements, budgets and project expenses in coordination with the relevant SDU administrative functions. The role does not require responsibility for formal financial approval.
• Other Administrative Tasks: Contribute flexibly to other administrative and organizational tasks that arise in the daily operation of the Centre and its projects.

We are seeking a reliable and motivated candidate with strong organizational and communication skills. The position does not require a specific advanced academic specialization; a relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s degree is sufficient.

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business administration, management, communication, social sciences, humanities, engineering management, public administration, project management, or another relevant field.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage several tasks, deadlines and stakeholders in parallel.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
• A structured, responsible and service-oriented approach to administrative work.
• Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with academic and administrative colleagues.
• Good general digital skills, including confidence using common office applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
• Attention to detail and the ability to handle information and documentation systematically.

It will be considered an advantage if you have

• Previous experience with administration, event or conference organization, project coordination, or similar support functions.
• Experience from a university, research organization, public institution or an international working environment.
• Experience supporting externally funded projects or collaboration with companies and other external partners.

Personal qualifications

We value a colleague who is approachable, dependable and solution-oriented. You should enjoy creating structure, helping others and following tasks through to completion. Since the role involves interaction with many different people, we also expect you to communicate clearly and professionally and to handle changing priorities with flexibility.

The position is part-time with anticipated 12 hours per week. It is time limited to 1 year with the possibility for extension.

The exact weekly working hours and distribution of working time will be agreed in connection with the appointment.

The workplace is Campus Soenderborg.

Preferred starting date: As soon as possible.

Further information

For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Lars Duggen, Centre for Industrial Mechanics, University of Southern Denmark, e-mail: duggen@sdu.dk.

Information about the Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and the Centre for Industrial Mechanics is available on SDU’s website.

Application procedure

Applications must be submitted electronically through SDU’s recruitment system. The application should include the following:

• A motivated application describing your interest in the position and relevant experience.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Documentation of relevant Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree.
• Any additional documentation that you consider relevant to the position.

Application deadline is September 24, 2026 at 23:59 o'clock.

Employment shall take place in accordance with the framework agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.

As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process.

SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary.

Application must include cover letter, CV and certificate. All documents in connection with the application should not contain CPR number (civil registration number) – in that case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

All attached files must be in Adobe PDF format. Cover letter and CV can contain max. 5 Mb.

We recommend that you read how to apply before you apply.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

About SDU

The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.