Postdoc/Assistant Professor Positions: Geopolitical Struggles of the Emerging Global Tech Order Part-time

Postdoctoral Positions Or Assistant Professorships

The research project “TECHORDER: Geopolitical Struggles of the Emerging Global Tech Order” directed by Professor Rebecca Adler-Nissen (Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen) invites excellent candidates for one or more postdoctoral positions or assistant professorships. The project is funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The positions are all fixed term for a minimum of three years and maximum of four years. Any further extension beyond the minimum of three years' employment depends on the candidate's profile in relation to the teaching requirements at the department. Employment offer as a postdoc or assistant professor will also depend on teaching needs at the department.

TECHORDER explores the emerging “global tech order”—the ideas, power structures and rules that shape digital technology and the relationships between governments and major tech companies (big tech). The project focuses on the ideas of leaders and employees at big tech firms as well as government officials from countries such as the US, China, India, the UK, France, and Germany as well as organizations such as the EU, UN and OECD as well as more specialized organizations. TECHORDER investigates how these actors view two key technologies: artificial intelligence and quantum technology, their own organizations' roles, and the global power dynamics involved in setting global and regional tech rules.

Using a multi-method approach – including ethnographic research, participatory mapping, surveys, interviews, computer vision, and network analysis – the project aims to uncover the hidden cultures, geopolitical rivalries and governance efforts that are reshaping the idea of international order in the digital age. The postdocs/assistant professors will contribute to the project by theorizing and analyzing concrete work packages (WPs), aspects and cases of the emerging tech order and are thus expected to have expertise in one or several of the listed qualifications (below):

• WP1 analyzes debates on order, geopolitics, technology power, and hierarchy, comparing AI and quantum technologies' transformative potential to historical shifts (railway, telegraph, early computing) through document and discourse analysis, qualitative interviews, and cultural histories.
• WP 2 combines qualitative interviews and surveys with state and tech actors (US, China, Europe, India) on AI and quantum computing, exploring their views on technology, future expectations, world politics, and cultural consumption.
• WP3 conducts in-depth qualitative interviews and participatory mapping with state and corporate actors, leveraging professional tech networks, events, and conferences to gather insights for interpretative analysis.
• WP4 will focus on ethnographic observations of meetings and summits and preparation of negotiations in the key sites where regulation and standards get hammered out. The practice-near, multi-sited analysis of how tech rules are negotiated and how ideas, resources and positions get translated into influence and power.
• WP5 will examine how companies and states portray and legitimize the development and governance of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies in the public, including on social media and digital platforms, and how they position themselves in relation to each other and in this broader development.

The positions are aimed at applicants who have obtained or are close to obtaining their PhD in political science or international relations (or related fields) in the past three years (An older degree may be acceptable under special circumstances (such as sick leave, parental leave or similar). The applicants should have proven research experience and academic publications in international relations and/or political science. Furthermore, the applicants should have expertise in one or several of the following areas:

• IR and political theory, document and discourse analysis, qualitative interviews, and cultural history
• Qualitative and interpretative methods, including fieldwork, participant observation and in-depth interviews
• Surveys and interview methods and quantitively analysis
• Analysis of big data, including collecting and scraping data from websites, social media platforms, working with APIs, network analysis and quantitative analysis
• Tech policy, regulation and foreign policies of one or several of these organizations or countries: EU, US, China, India, Germany or France

Considerable weight will be accorded to the ability to conduct independent research, scientific excellence, critical and creative thinking and ability to carry out research in a structured manner as well as the applicants' ability to be a team-player and work across disciplines. Experience from teaching and participation in the international research community, such as organizing workshops, seminars and academic conferences is seen as a merit.

The postdoc/assistant professors are expected to:

• Individual research and writing on the topic of TECHORDER
• Co-author publications with team members
• Teaching
• Engage in and participate actively in the development of TECHORDER and its academic activities, including organizing and participating in workshops, conference and other scholarly activities;
• Contribute to and benefit from the flourishing intellectual life of the International Relations group and the Department of Political Science

The application must be written in English and should contain a CV, a short motivation letter (max 500 words), a research proposal stating the candidate's suggested research contribution uploaded as research plan (max 1500 words), a list of publications, a maximum number of three scientific works, of which only one may be a monograph or compilation thesis and a copy of the doctoral certificate or documentation that the doctoral degree will be/is expected to be obtained prior to the job start. Please click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of the page. The documents must be in Adobe PDF or Word.

Start date: 1 September 2026 or after agreement. Place: Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen. Terms of employment: Further information on qualification requirements as postdoc and assistant professor can be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities 2019 here: 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 39,200 per month + a 18,07 % 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/ The Department of Political Science The Department is a top-ranked European Political Science department, which offers a vibrant, collegial, and pluralist academic working environment for ambitious scholars. The pluralism of Political Science in Copenhagen is evidenced in the various epistemological and methodological approaches as well as subfields adopted by faculty, and in a wide range of core subjects in the MSc program. The Department consists of some 75 faculty members, which currently includes more than 10 tenure-track assistant professors, as well as some 25 Ph.D. students, organized in four main research groups and a few centers. For more on the Department, please consult our webpage: https://politicalscience.ku.dk/ 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/ Appointment procedure After the application deadline, the Head of Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointment Committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been accepted for assessment. The Dean subsequently appoints an expert assessment committee tasked with carrying out an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee. Applicants are ultimately offered the opportunity of commenting on the part of the assessment relating to themselves before the appointment is finalized. The closing date for applications is 23:59 [CEST] 20 April 2026. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. For further information about the position, please contact Rebecca Adler-Nissen ran@ifs.ku.dk