Associate Professors in Software Engineering, Interaction Technologies, Embedded Systems, and Cyber-Security

SDU Software Engineering in Odense, SDU Centre for Industrial Software in Sønderborg, and SDU Centre for Software Technology in Vejle, all part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), jointly invite applications for one or more associate professor positions within the broad area of software engineering and technology. The positions are open from Spring 2026, and the specific start date will be agreed with the successful candidates. 

The application deadline is May 1, 2026, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)

What we offer

With an associate professor position at SDU, you will:

• be part of one of our dynamic research centres with both a national and international profile, while working in areas of tremendous potential and societal relevance;
• join collaborations across the university, as well as with national, international, and industrial research partners;
• help establish joint innovation projects in close collaboration with industry and the local society;
• help build up the research and educational environment;
• contribute to the teaching programmes at the highest level for undergraduate and graduate students at SDU;
• join a harmonious workplace environment that is conducive to productivity, promotes creativity, and rewards and recognizes individuals and group achievement;
• have 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

The positions are open in any of the research areas of interest to the centres, which include:

Software Engineering

(E.g., Requirements Engineering, Software Architecture and Design, Software Testing and Quality Assurance, Software Operation, Evolution, and Maintenance, Software Reliability Engineering, AI for Software Engineering, Software Engineering for AI and Data Science, Software Engineering for Quantum Computing, Green Software Engineering, Empirical Software Engineering)

Interaction Technologies 

(E.g., Human-Computer Interaction, Interaction Design, Novel User Interfaces, Extended Reality, Interactive Systems Engineering, AI for Interaction Design and AI in Interaction Technologies)

Embedded Systems 

(E.g., Software Engineering for Internet of Things, Software Engineering for Cyber-Physical Systems, Software Engineering for Embedded Systems, AI in Embedded Systems, Model-Driven Engineering, Programming Technologies for Embedded Systems, Testing of Embedded Systems)

Cyber-Security 

(E.g., Software Engineering Methods for Secure Systems, Threat Modelling, Cyber-Security in Embedded Systems, Cyber-Security Awareness and Training Tooling, Advanced Analytics for Cyber-Security, and Cyber-Security Engineering for AI)

For SDU Software Engineering in Odense, we’re particularly interested in candidates with a research profile in Software Engineering and Interaction Technologies. 

For SDU Centre for Industrial Software in Sønderborg, we’re particularly interested in candidates with a research profile in Embedded Systems and Cyber-Security. 

Finally, for SDU Centre for Software Technology in Vejle, we’re particularly interested in candidates with a research profile in Software Engineering, Cyber-Security and Interaction Technologies.

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 2^nd largest 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. Thereby, the institute today covers a wide range of areas in robotics, software, AI, and applied informatics.

Curious?

If you are interested in learning more about the position, please contact:

• Torben Worm (Head of Centres): tow@mmmi.sdu.dk
• Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard (Vice-Head of Centres): mbkj@mmmi.sdu.dk
• Serkan Ayvaz (Associate Professor, SDU Centre for Industrial Software, Sønderborg): seay@mmmi.sdu.dk
• Michel Albonico (Associate Professor, SDU Centre for Software Technology, Vejle): mical@mmmi.sdu.dk

If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support.

Application

Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply.

Assessment of the candidates is based on the application material, and the application must include:

• Cover letter.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Master’s and PhD degree certificates or equivalent (original and an official English translation). 
• Complete list of publications.
• Up to five publications most relevant to the position.
• A research statement.
• Teaching Portfolio. 
• Up to three reference letters may be included (optional).
• A statement/documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position may also be included (optional).

If the applicants have any preferences for one of the centres, they should indicate this on their cover letters.

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.

UPLOAD GUIDE: Cover letter shall be uploaded under ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded under ‘Resume’ (max. 5 MB). All other documents shall be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max. 10 files of max. 50 MB per file).

The application deadline is May 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST) 

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 an associate professor is permanent.  

Employment as an associate professor requires academic qualifications at PhD level as well as scientific and teaching qualifications commensurate with the position as an associate professor. 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 including the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for associate professor as described therein. Further information on salary and taxation. Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

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The University of Southern Denmark wishes its 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, is subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position(s).

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.