Tenure-track Assistant Professor i Empirisk Kommunikationsforskning - KU

The Department of Communication, Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen is inviting applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in empirical communication research starting on June 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Department is seeking a new colleague with strong qualifications in quantitative communication research as demonstrated through the application in research projects and teaching activities. In addition, competencies in qualitative and mixed-methods studies of communication are an advantage. It is a further advantage, if the candidate has experience from collaborations with organizations outside the university in research and/or teaching.

The Department is open to candidates working on a broad range of topics within communication research, but is especially interested in candidates who have conducted research in one or more of the following areas:

• The use of digital technologies by individuals, by private and/or public organizations, or by state institutions
• Organizational communication within and across organizations, including internal collaboration and coordination, public relations, lobbying, and advertising
• The role of communication infrastructures and digital platforms in reshaping the social, cultural, and economic conditions of communication.

Applicants shall hold a PhD degree in communication research, media studies, or comparable disciplines. The successful applicant shall have a strong record of international publications appropriate to their career stage and a clear research agenda within their chosen field of study.

The successful candidate will be situated in the Center for Tracking and Society and is expected to teach on the Communication and IT programs and the international Cognition & Communication MA programme. Applicants should envision how their research interests and competencies can strengthen and develop the respective educational programmes.

Place of employment
The Center for Tracking and Society (CTS, Center for Tracking and Society – University of Copenhagen) is an interdisciplinary research collective that explores the role of digital technologies in shaping communication across societal sectors. Researchers work on issues such as datafication, infrastructure studies, platform governance, digital economy, green transition, and social mobilization. At CTS, we seek to foster a community of scholars that thrive professionally and personally across career stages. We value in-person participation in centre meetings, research seminars, and weekly lunches. The successful candidate is expected to take part in the collective by co-organizing and attending activities as well as sharing the responsibility of creating a lively and caring community.

CTS is part of The Department of Communication (KOMM). The department is the largest department in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen. The department has approximately 2,000 students and 200 employees, including 80 faculty members. We offer six bachelor's and seven master's programs: Cognition & Communication, Film and Media Studies, Philosophy, Information Studies, Communication and IT, Pedagogy, and Rhetoric. Research at KOMM is organized into eight sections and four centers, and the programs are organized around subject groups. The department is characterized by strong academic expertise, an international outlook, and close contact with stakeholders in society. The department's researchers are leaders in their fields, participate in public debates, and contribute to the development of society. The programs at the department are highly sought after, and graduates have high professional competencies and the latest knowledge within their fields.

Copenhagen is a highly diverse and international Scandinavian capital with a green profile. Education is free and child-care is subsidized. Public transport is well-developed, and many Copenhageners take their bikes to work. There are lots of green areas in and around Copenhagen, the water in the harbour is clean enough for swimming, and the city has multiple museums and other cultural venues. The University of Copenhagen was founded in 1479 and is the largest in Denmark.

The Tenure Track Program
A tenure track assistant professorship has a duration of six years. The main responsibilities consist of research, teaching, societal impact activities, departmental operations and administration. The successful candidate must complete the university’s Teaching and Learning in Higher Education programme. The Department will appoint a mentor for the assistant professor.

At the end of the sixth year of employment, the Dean will set up an assessment committee for the purpose of evaluating the basis for a promotion to associate professor. For more information about tenure track assistant professorships at the University of Copenhagen: Tenure track at the University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen

Qualification Requirements and Assessment Criteria
Appointment as a tenure track assistant professor assumes research qualifications at least at Ph.D. level. Candidates must be able to document competences in research as well as teaching. Candidates are expected to document scholarly research production at international level and must demonstrate the potential to make a significant impact in their field at both local and international levels.

Assessment criteria
Candidates are required to describe how their competences match the following criteria:

• Assistant professors should demonstrate intellectual originality, develop their research profile and provide valuable contributions to research-based knowledge. They should have a plan for their own research that shows development potential; Peer-reviewed publications in recognised journals and/or books or anthologies; and have participated in scientific seminars and conferences, also with own contributions.
• Assistant professors must be able to provide research-based teaching, have experience with research-based teaching and should be interested in developing their own pedagogic competencies (e.g. documented didactic training).
• Assistant professors have experience with dissemination of research, external partnerships or other forms of societal impact in the form of media contributions, advice and knowledge-sharing in the public sphere.
• Assistant professors have experience with contributing to organisational work, collaborating with others, and generating a vibrant, inclusive, and healthy work environment.
• Assistant professors have experience with applications for external research funding and should have plans to apply for external funding.

Shortlisted candidates will have their academic qualifications assessed by and Assessment Committee.

For more information about the University of Copenhagen’s general criteria for the employment of assistant professors, please visit: Criteria for recognising merit – University of Copenhagen

For more information about the qualification requirements for assistant professorships, as stipulated in the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (2019), see (in Danish): Bekendtgørelse om stillingsstruktur for videnskabeligt personale ved universiteter

Further information about the position is available from the head of department Esben Nedenskov Petersen, e-mail: enp@hum.ku.dk

Read more about the Department of Communication: Department of Communication – University of Copenhagen

Application Applications must be written in English and must include the following attachments:

1. Application letter (max. one page)
2. CV (max. three pages)
3. Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates, PhD diploma, etc.)
4. Publications: Applicants must submit a maximum of five publications for assessment, of which a minimum of two must have been published within the last five years prior to the deadline for applications. The selected publications must be uploaded as attachments and numbered 1–5. If any of the publications have one or more co-authors, applicants must clearly identify the part(s) for which they are responsible. The university may request statements from co-authors on the scope and nature of their contribution to the work.
5. Complete publication list (attached publications must be marked with an asterisk). The list must be structured systematically and divided into the following categories:
   • Peer-reviewed publications:
     • Monographs and anthologies
     • Articles in journals
     • Book chapters/anthology contributions, etc.
   • Non-peer-reviewed publications:
     • Publications disseminating research findings, etc.
     • Other publications
6. A research plan (max. five pages) that includes a brief description of previous research, current research projects and upcoming research. Applicants are also asked to account for experience with organising research events (workshop, conferences, etc.) and with research collaborations, and participation in research environments both at the local and international levels.
7. Teaching portfolio (max. five pages, documentation appendix max. 10 pages), consisting of a factual overview of teaching experience and areas of responsibility, a paper reflecting on own teaching competencies and ideas for development in relation to aforementioned educational programmes, and a documentation appendix.

Only material in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and English will be evaluated.

The recruitment process
Once the deadline has expired, the head of department will set an appointment committee consisting of faculty members and a student representative from the department to give advice on the appointment. The applicants will be selected based on an overall assessment of their match with the department’s recruitment needs and the qualification requirements outlined above. This will be compared with the applicants’ research and teaching profile, as specified in their CV, list of publications, teaching portfolio, and research plan. All applicants will be notified as soon as possible whether they have been shortlisted for evaluation by the Assessment Committee. The selected applicants will be informed about the members of the Assessment Committee and they will be invited to comment on the committee’s assessment of their application before the appointment is announced.

For more information see: Recruitment process – University of Copenhagen

Further information about the recruitment procedure is available from HR e-mail: hr-soendre@adm.ku.dk. Please state case number 211-0249/25-2N #1

Remuneration and terms of employment
The appointment will be made in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). It will be possible to negotiate supplements on the basis of qualifications. For further information about the Faculty of Humanities’ starter pack fortenure trackassistant professors, see:Tenure-track employment – University of Copenhagen

It is expected that non-Danish speakers, within 3-6 years, will acquire the necessary language skills to teach in Danish speaking classrooms and meetings. The department will support and help faculty members to acquire knowledge and skills in the Danish language.

We strive for a diverse and inclusive University that reflects the breadth and diversity of society and encourages everyone regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability and ethnicity to apply for the position.
When you will be affiliated with the University of Copenhagen or otherwise have access to their research, you may be required to undergo a background screening. The purpose is to protect the security and research integrity of the University of Copenhagen.

The deadline for applications is 23:59 [CET] on 26 January 2026.

Any applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered.