Postdoctoral Researcher to the Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences

The Department of Political Science,Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH) seeks a highly motivated and experienced post-doctoral researcher focusing on research in defence, security, and strategic studies at the Centre for Military Studies.

The position is available for two years, starting from 1st of January 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Applications are invited from qualified candidates, who have experience with research and teaching within the field of defence, security, strategic and military studies. Applicants with experience in applied research in foreign, security, or defence policy are especially welcome. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to both excellence and relevance.

Introduction
Based in the Department of Political Science, the Centre for Military Studies is a university research centre focusing on research in defence, security, and strategic studies. In order to provide new knowledge and  identify relevant strategic options for Denmark in particular, we conduct both curiosity-driven and problem-driven independent research. The Centre works closely with the Danish Ministry of Defence, the Danish Armed Forces and other national and international stakeholders when investigating issues and developing ideas and options. As a fully integrated part of the Department of Political Science, the Centre takes part in teaching and research activities at the Department. For more information, please consult our webpage: https://cms.polsci.ku.dk/

Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities of the Postdoctoral Researcher include contributing to the scholary and intellectual life of the University by conducting world-class research and teaching.

As Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Military Studies the general duties are:

• Research within the field of defence, security, and strategic studies
• Applied research and other commissioned analytical tasks for the Danish Ministry of Defence and the political parties to the Defence Agreement
• Knowledge sharing with society, including media appearances and public lectures
• Teaching, supervision and examination of undergraduate and post-graduate students at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen

The weighting of the different duties may vary periodically, but the successful candidate can expect to roughly share her/his time between doing research and specific studies including problem-driven research for the Danish Ministry of Defence and the political parties to the Defence Agreement, and, teaching at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen.

Your Competencies and Opportunities
To qualify for the position the applicant must have a PhD in Political Science or equivalent academic qualifications as well as:

• An aspiration to increase our understanding of the world and its problems based on a proven record of outstanding research, as evidenced primarily by a well-received PhD dissertation and an emerging international reputation based on a publication profile that complements the existing research strengths of the Department
• An engagement in knowledge exchange and policy-impact in an international context and in Denmark. We encourage proactive engagement with government, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students.
• A commitment to contribute to the delivery of an excellent student experience based on teaching experiences in one or more of the main areas covered by the Department. The Department prefers candidates, who can cover more than one of the main courses taught at BSc level.
• Robust interpersonal skills, which enables the candidate to be a constructive and empathic colleague in a diverse and vibrant working environment.

We will expect candidates to present a clear, well-developed and viable strategy for future outstanding research that will result in further world-leading publications as well as a commitment to innovate teaching and approaches to societal impact.

Further qualifications:

Besides these essential qualifications, it is a strong plus if the candidate has:

• Proven ability to engage in policy-innovation and policy formulation
• Documented knowledge of the institutions and changing threat landscape of Western security
• Documented interest in the challenges faced by small European states
• Proven ability to work on or lead specific projects in teams
• Proven ability to communicate complicated issues to the wider public

Danish language qualifications are a notable advantage but not a requirement.

Strategy of the Faculty of the Social Sciences
The Department of Political Science 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.
• Energizing 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://samf.ku.dk/fakultetet/strategi/ .

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.
• Further information on qualification requirements as Postdoctoral Researcher can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/dokumenter/Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf
• Terms of appointment and salary is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• The salary range starts at DKK 38,459,62per 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, email:[email protected], please refer to ID number: 211-1199/22-2I

Additional information about the position can be obtained from the Interim Director of the Center for Military Studies Kristian Søby Kristensen (e-mail: [email protected] , phone: +45 28729017)

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. A cover letter (max. 2 pages) with a motivation for your application and detailing how your profile matches the qualifications required for this post.
• Curriculum vitae
• Certificates and Diplomas including certified/signed copy of PhD certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor must be attached as well
• Publication list. A complete list of all publications with clearly marked publication dates.
• Documentation of societal impact including through applied research. Documentation of any ability to and/or experience with societalimpact including throughapplied research.
• Documentation of ability to disseminate information. Documentation of any ability to disseminate information to and share knowledge with society.

The closing date for applications is 5th of October, at 23.59

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.