DIAS Fellow in Hybrid War and Democratic Challenges

The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) and the Digital Democracy Centre (DDC) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) seek an outstanding candidate to fill a tenure track Fellow (Assistant Professor level) position with a background in computational social sciences, data science, including (but not limited to) computer science, communication, political science, linguistics, information studies, digital humanities, sociology or psychology on the topic of Hybrid War and Democratic Challenges. The candidate is expected to start on April 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. The place of employment will be Odense.

The ’Hybrid War and Democracy’ initiative explores changes in how international conflicts are waged. Domestic and foreign influence campaigns are bolstered by new digital technologies and artificial intelligence. This creates new challenges for democracies, threat perceptions, information integrity, and for citizens’ information agency.

We are looking for a researcher with clear potential for research excellence who thrives in and is inspired by interdisciplinary collaboration. The ideal candidate will be expected to contribute to high-quality research in their field while embracing DIAS’s mission of curiosity-driven inquiry and interdisciplinary dialogue. The successful candidate should have a strong and promising research profile, with potential for attracting external research funding, and a demonstrated ability to work across disciplines. The candidate will be attached to both the DDC and DIAS and should be prepared to engage in multiple and diverse research environments at SDU. Teaching obligations will be reduced compared to a standard assistant professorship at SDU, allowing more time for research and leadership activities.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• A commitment to engaging in boundary-crossing interdisciplinary research and dialogue.
• A strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to research that bridges multiple fields.
• Strong interest in driving internationally competitive research activities at the highest level of ambition.
• Engagement in various forms of research dissemination, including interdisciplinary research and dialogue.
• Ability to communicate project results in English both in writing in academic contexts and to the broader public.
• Ability of working independently and on a team through research process, including data collection, data analysis, writing scientific articles, and knowledge dissemination.
• Ability (preferably) to work with computational methods.

Qualifications

Successful applicants must:

• Hold a PhD or similar qualifications within relevant fields of computational social sciences, data science, including (but not limited to) computer science, communication, political science, linguistics, information studies, digital humanities, sociology or psychology.
• To qualify for the position as Assistant Professor you must have obtained (or approved to defend) a PhD or similar degree by the application deadline.
• Exhibit curiosity-driven research excellence, thinking beyond traditional boundaries.
• Be fluent in English.
• Show potential for attracting external research funding. Experience in applying for external funding and a strong international network, are considered comparative advantages.
• Have research publications that demonstrate their excellence and broad thinking.

The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS)

DIAS at SDU is a hub for interdisciplinary excellence at and beyond the frontier of knowledge, bringing together outstanding researchers from various disciplines to foster groundbreaking interdisciplinary research and bold innovation. DIAS nurtures a collaborative and curiosity-driven environment, encouraging scholars to think outside the box and challenge conventional boundaries. The institute values open-minded exploration and an ambitious yet collegial atmosphere with a strong sense of community. Researchers affiliated with DIAS are expected to contribute actively to DIAS activities, and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations across faculties and departments, both nationally and internationally.

About the DDC

The DDC is a part of the Faculty of Social Sciences. It is an interdisciplinary Centre with members from computer science, law, media studies, political science, business, and organizations. The DDC believes in fostering a stimulating and inspiring environment for both faculty members and students. The DDC’s ambition is to recruit, develop, and retain talented scholars committed to both research, education, and impact. Furthermore, the DDC wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Additional information

For further information about being a fellow at DIAS, please contact DIAS director Sten Rynning at +45 6550 2193 or via email (director-dias@sdu.dk).

For more questions about the position please contact Prof Claes de Vreese via email (chv@sam.sdu.dk).

Application, salary, and employment terms

The position is based at the DDC and DIAS in Odense and includes regular participation in DIAS and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Employment is governed by the collective agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).

The salary comprises a seniority-based base salary and a centrally agreed supplement.

Additional supplements may be negotiated locally.

As of 1 August 2026, the annual salary for an Assistant Professor is DKK 480,224.96 (salary level 6), consisting of a base salary of DKK 417,456 and a supplement of DKK 62,768.96.

All amounts are stated before tax, before added pension (18.07%), and any additional supplements. Pension contributions are paid by SDU, and both salary components (the annual salary and the supplement) are pensionable. For further information, please see SDU’s pages on salary, taxation, and general employment conditions.

SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary.

Danish Tenure Track Programme

An appointment as Assistant Professor (Danish tenure track) is limited to a six-year term. The academic assessment for promotion to Associate Professor must be initiated no later than the end of the fifth year of employment. However, a tenure track assistant professor may request an earlier assessment within the first four years.

If the initial assessment is negative, one reassessment may be conducted during the final six months prior to a potential transition. A maximum of two assessments may be undertaken.

A positive assessment leads to appointment to a permanent Associate Professor position. If the final assessment is negative, the employment may be terminated in accordance with the applicable collective agreement.

A six-year development plan for the tenure track programme is established at the start of employment.

Application requirements
The application must include the following:

• Letter of motivation that clearly explains the applicant's interest, qualifications, and motivation for the position.
• Detailed CV including documentation of experience, and contacts for possible references.
• An elaborated research and funding plan (max 4 pages) for the next three years including a description of synergy with the department's activities and the potential to benefit from DIAS’s interdisciplinary environment.
• Copies of certificates/Diplomas (Master and PhD degree).
• Complete list of publications, indicating which publications are most relevant for the position.
• Up to 3 of the most relevant research articles – if you submit a monograph, it counts as 3 articles. Please upload one PDF file for each publication. For co-authored publications, briefly describe the extent of the co-authorship or your contribution to the publications (please do this for each co-authored publication). You can do so by using this form or by describing the co-authorship in such a way that the committee can assess the extent of your contribution.
• Applicants 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 can be found here.

All application materials must be submitted in English, and only applications written in English will be considered.

We recommend that international applicants take the time to visit websites of Work in Denmark and the International Staff Office at SDU. Here you can find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark.

Submission guidelines

• Files must be submitted in PDF format.
• If multiple files are needed for a single section, combine them into one PDF file.
• Zip files, image files (jpg, png, etc.), and password-protected PDF files will not be accepted. All PDF files must be unlocked to allow binding.
• Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Assessment

Shortlisting may be used as part of the assessment process. Read about shortlisting at SDU.

Assessment of applications will be done under the 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 them.

Applications that are incomplete with regards to the above requirements will not be assessed by the committee. Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process and references may be obtained.

About SDU
SDU is committed to fostering a diverse staff that reflects society’s diversity. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of personal background.
SDU was founded in 1966 and now has over 27,000 students, nearly 20% of whom are international. SDU employs more than 3,800 staff and offers 115 study programmes across disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, and engineering. While SDU’s main campus is in Odense, it also has campuses in other locations.

Equal opportunity employment
The University of Southern Denmark is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected status.

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.

How to apply
Applications must be submitted electronically via the "Apply online" link provided in the job posting.

We recommend reading "How to apply for a position at SDU" before applying.

If you experience technical problems, please contact hcm-support@sdu.dk.

Application deadline: November 23, 2026, 23:59 CET/CEST.

Applicants may also wish to consider the related Postdoc positions ‘Hybrid War and Democracy’ at The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS). Candidates interested in both positions must submit a separate application for each position, as appointment to a position is only possible if an application has been submitted for that specific vacancy.