One or more associate professorships in Sociology

Updated: over 2 years ago
Deadline: 17 Dec 2021

The Department of Sociology,Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH) seeks excellent candidates for one or more associate professorships in sociology and sociological methods.

The position is a permanent, full-time position and is available from 1st June 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Department of Sociology is an international departmentwith an ambitious and friendly atmosphere comprising at present 30 Faculty, 15 Post Docs, 15 Ph.D. Students, and 10 administrative staff. We pursue problem-oriented research and investigate topics such as social mobility, culture and climate change, education, social movements, health and sociology of science. We share a pronounced commitment to social theory – both classical and modern. We value qualitative and quantitative methods highly and have in recent years invested a significant amount of resources in the area of social data science. The Department is located in the very center of the old city of Copenhagen and shares a campus with the other departments of the Faculty of Social Sciences: Anthropology, Economics, Political Science and Psychology with whom we have close collaborations.

Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities of the post include contributing to the scholarship and intellectual life of the University by conducting world-class research and teaching. An associate professor also has administrative responsibilities and is expected to develop the field in synergy with other fields as well as to exercise academic leadership.

To fulfill the research requirements of the position the applicant chosen is expected to be physically present on a regular basis and actively participate in the teaching and research activities of the Department.

General duties attached to the position as Associate Professor are:

  • Individual and group-based research, and research-based publishing, meeting high international standards within the field of Sociology / Sociological methods
  • Teaching, supervision and examination of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students in existing programmes of the Department of Sociology
  • Promoting the Department’s academic reputation nationally as well as internationally
  • Take an active interest in the employability of our graduate students
  • Initiating fund raising and coordinating funding activities
  • Contributing to the administrative responsibilities of the Department of Sociology and Faculty wide tasks
  • Communicating research findings to the public in general and to the stakeholders of the Department of Sociology and Faculty of Social Science in particular
  • Active participation in regular research activities such as conferences, workshops and seminars

Your Competencies and Opportunities
In order to be assessed qualified for an associate professor position at the University of Copenhagen, the candidate must meet the University’s criteria of academic merit.

Six overall criteria apply for professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding and leadership) are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Furthermore, each candidate must be assessed according to the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement.

You can read more about the criteria UCPH criteria here: here .

Find more information for recognising merit for associate professors: here .

A successfull candidate is expected to have a thorough training in the field of Sociology and an in-depth understanding of social theory. You have an excellent track record in publishing in leading international journals in the field. You have pronounced skills within sociological methods with a keen interest to expand that knowledge further and to initiate and conduct research that combine different sociological methods.

A successful candidate has strong interpersonal skills as well as an aptitude for working collaboratively with colleagues in planning and delivering teaching, in research projects and in the discharge of administrative duties.

Furthermore, the candidate must demonstrate a commitment to student learning, supporting student welfare and enhancing the student experience.

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences
The Department of Sociology 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, see:https://socialsciences.ku.dk/faculty/strategy/ . You can read the Department’s strategy here: here .

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 Department concerned
  • The position is permanent, and therefore we strongly encourage the appointed associate professor to acquire the proficiency in Danish required to teach and interact with colleagues in that language in 3-6 years. The Department will provide and pay for the necessary language training
  • Further information on qualification requirements as professor can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities 2019: here
  • Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne)
  • The salary is DKK 40,549.87 per month + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis 

The recruitment process
Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here:  https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/ .

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 https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/ .

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 :https://ism.ku.dk/ .

Contact information
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR, e-mail: [email protected] , please refer to ID number: 211-0045/21-2P #1.

Additional information about the position can be obtained from the Head of Department Benedikte Brincker, e-mail: [email protected] , phone +45 35321415.

How to Apply
Submit a complete application at our online portal. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page to apply.

Your application must be written in English and include the following documents:

  • Motivated application
    Curriculum vitae
  • Certificates and Diplomas
  • 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.
  • Teaching portfolio. Documentation of teaching qualifications in accordance with the University guidelines for teaching portfolios when appointing academic staff at the University of Copenhagen
  • 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.

The closing date for applications is 23:59 [CET] 17 December 2021.

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.



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