Associate Professor or Professor of Linguistics Full-time

Associate Professor or Professor of Linguistics

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of Associate Professor or Professor of Linguistics. The position is permanent and full-time. Applicants may apply for only one of the advertised positions and must state in their application which position they are applying for. Applications that do not specify the position will not be considered. The appointment will commence on 1 February 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and welcomes all qualified applicants, regardless of their background.

Depending on their research profile, the successful applicant will be based in either the Department of Scandinavian Studies and Experience Economy or the Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics. Both departments are among the nine departments in the School of Communication and Culture. The Department of Scandinavian Studies and Experience Economy focuses on Danish and Scandinavian literature, language and media, media consumption, event culture and cultural analysis. The Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics focuses on cognitive, functional, and usage-based approaches to documenting, describing, and analyzing language and social interaction, as well as on experimental and computational modeling of human cognition and behavior.

We are seeking an applicant who can contribute to research and teaching in the departments' language sections. The successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to research in cross-departmental programs, such as the research program for Language and Communication and the research program for Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, as well as to research in relevant centers, such as the Peter Skautrup Center for Jutlandic Dialect Research.

Overall, we are seeking an innovative and dedicated applicant who will enhance the departments' linguistic research and teaching profiles nationally and internationally and contribute to Aarhus University's core activities in research, teaching, supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange.

The departments' linguistic research covers a wide range of topics, including language variation and dialects, Danish language history, grammar, digital literacies and digital media, contact languages and language change, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, language in interaction and computational linguistics. We are seeking an applicant who will support and expand the current research profiles across the departments and who has experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Outreach and collaboration with external partners
• Digitalization
• Language variation
• Sociolinguistics
• Contact languages and language change

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to linguistics research by publishing original peer-reviewed research internationally and making scholarly contributions to the field. The successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to research initiatives in linguistics and within the departments' research community, including participation in new collaborative projects with internal and external partners and engagement in securing external research funding. The successful applicant for the full professor position will be expected to demonstrate research leadership and to lead applications for international research funding and the development of international research networks.

We are seeking an applicant with teaching and supervision experience at university level. The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to the departments' teaching and supervision activities and to teach and supervise on the department's bachelor's and master's degree programs, particularly the degree program in Scandinavian Languages and Literature (Danish) and the degree program in Linguistics. Please indicate in your application which courses you could teach. The successful applicant will also be expected to apply innovative teaching methods. It is an advantage if the applicant can teach on more than one of the programs mentioned above. The successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to the ongoing development of curricula and degree programs in Scandinavian Studies and Linguistics. Experience in degree program and curriculum development at universities or similar institutions will be an advantage. The successful applicant will also be expected to supervise and support the development of early-career researchers and to recruit and supervise PhD students, as well as to participate in the development and implementation of PhD courses in the field. The successful applicant for the position of full professor will also be expected to be the driving force behind the ongoing development of degree programs in Scandinavian Studies and Linguistics. Experience of degree program development at universities or similar institutions will be an advantage.

The successful applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange, for instance through research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society and public dissemination of knowledge. The successful applicant will have excellent opportunities to engage in relevant collaborative initiatives with partners both within and outside Aarhus University.

Applicants for the position of associate professor must hold a PhD or equivalent qualifications in linguistics, Scandinavian studies or a related field and must provide documentation of teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained during an assistant professorship. Applicants must document:

• an internationally oriented research profile, demonstrated by a strong international peer-reviewed research publication record
• participation in international research projects as well as national and international research networks
• experience of knowledge exchange
• teaching and supervision competences and experience at BA and MA level, including curriculum development, documented in a teaching portfolio that includes a teaching statement in the form of a short personal essay describing the applicant's approach to teaching, with practical examples illustrating their philosophy
• completion of a teacher-training program for university teaching or an equivalent pedagogical qualification.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognized research institutions
• experience of applying for external research funding.

Applicants for the position of full professor must hold a PhD or equivalent qualifications in linguistics, Scandinavian studies or a related field and must provide documentation of teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained during an associate professorship. Applicants must document:

• a record of original peer-reviewed research publications at the highest international level that have contributed to developments in the field
• a record of achievement in research management and in attracting external research funding
• participation in international research collaboration
• participation in both national and international research networks
• extensive teaching and supervision experience at BA, MA and PhD level, as well as experience in curriculum development, documented in a teaching portfolio that includes a teaching statement in the form of a short personal essay describing the applicant's approach to teaching, with practical examples illustrating their philosophy
• completion of a teacher-training program for university teaching or an equivalent pedagogical qualification
• extensive experience in supervising and mentoring early-career researchers (PhD students, postdocs and assistant professors), as well as experience in PhD curriculum development
• a significant record of achievement in knowledge exchange
• a significant record of institutional leadership, management and responsibility for curriculum development.

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognized research institutions.

For both positions, a research plan for the next 3-5 years is required. The plan must detail how the applicant intends to contribute to the field and to the department's strategic profile, including specific plans for publication, funding acquisition and external partnerships.

Important: Although the application system allows submission without attachments, applications that do not include the required publications (a maximum of 5) and a teaching portfolio will not be considered. Although the application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, applicants are asked not to include them with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Active participation in the department's daily life is a high priority, and we emphasize the importance of strong working relationships among colleagues and with students. To sustain and further enhance the department's excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to maintain a regular and active presence within the department. We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment that supports it. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.

International applicants are encouraged to read about the attractive working conditions and benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a range of services for international researchers and accompanying family members, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers' employment.

An appointee who does not speak Danish will be required to acquire proficiency in Danish sufficient to manage tasks, including administrative and managerial responsibilities, and to participate fully in the activities of the School of Communication and Culture within approximately three years of commencing the appointment. These include, but are not limited to, reading work-related texts and taking part in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish.

For more information about the Department of Scandinavian Studies and Experience Economy, please see the department's website. For more information about the Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, please see the department's website. The place of employment will be Jens Chr. Skous Vej 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.