A three-year postdoctoral position at the Department of Anthropology, Aarhus University

The Department of Anthropology, School of Culture and Society, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University invites applications for a three-year fixed-term postdoctoral position related to the research project “Stories from my new life: Mobile transitions and social becomings among resettled refugees in Denmark” (TRANSIT).

The three-year postdoctoral position will commence on 1 February, 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Place of employment: Department of Anthropology, Moesgaard Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg, Denmark.

The Faculty of Arts is committed 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.

The position

The position will be associated with the research project TRANSIT at the Department of Anthropology and is a combined teaching and research position.

The position is offered with a view to attracting qualified applicants with an established and well-documented research record in innovative and internationally recognized research within anthropology and a specialization in migration and refugee studies, collaborative methods and creative forms of research dissemination.

Here is a brief description of the TRANSIT project:

In 2021-2024 app. 600 Congolese women and children were resettled in Denmark under the UNHCR resettlement program. TRANSIT is concerned with resettled refugees’ life transitions, understood as a set of complex legal, social and existential transitions that are particularly urgent in the context of resettlement: 1) the transition from youth to adulthood; 2) the transition from being single to being married; and 3) the transition into old age and, ultimately, death. The project aims to establish a collaboration between Aarhus University, VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research, FLUGT – Refugee Museum of Denmark, DFUNK – Dansk Flygtningehjælp Ungdom and a large group of resettled families in order to: a) create a mobile pop-up exhibition to be presented across Denmark in 2029; b) develop research-based teaching materials for pupils in the final years of Folkeskolen and in Gymnasiet on what it means to be resettled and start a new life in Denmark; and c) publish articles in leading peer-reviewed journals – based on a range of qualitative and quantitative data – on storytelling and life transitions following resettlement.

The selected candidate is expected to do individual fieldwork, be main responsible for a work-package (a training course in storytelling with DFUNK – Danish Refugee Youth), and to be a dedicated member of the project team and engaged in all the project activities and responsibilities.

Teaching

The position will involve some teaching (up to 20% of the time) as agreed upon with the Head of the Department and the project PI. The selected applicant will be required to teach and supervise at BA and MA levels of the Institute’s degree programs in Anthropology and Human Security and will be expected to have teaching experience at university level.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent qualifications in anthropology or a related discipline. They must also be able to document the following:

• An internationally oriented research profile documented through relevant academic publications, and possibly other research contributions, at the international level.
• Experience of university-level teaching and a commitment to teaching development and the supervision of student projects.
• Experience of or interest in active participation in international research collaborations.

Applicants are asked to submit:

• A concise statement of motivation for applying for the position (maximum two pages).
• A full CV (maximum one page).
• A full publications list (research outputs and public dissemination)
• A maximum of two publications.

Only submitted publications will be assessed; a list of publications is not sufficient. As a result, applications without submitted publications will not be assessed.

References or recommendations should not be included with the application. Applicants who are selected for a job interview may be asked to provide professional references.

Qualifications

The research activities will be evaluated in relation to the actual research time. We therefore encourage applicants to specify any periods of leave they may have had without research activities (e.g. maternity/paternity leave), so we can subtract these periods from the span of their academic career when evaluating their productivity.

Professional references or recommendations should not be included. Applicants who are selected for an interview may be asked to provide professional references.

Language and further information
Applicants can teach and supervise in English at university level.

To maintain and develop the department’s research environment, the person appointed is expected to be present at the department on a regular basis.

Applications must be uploaded in English.

For further information about the TRANSIT project (including the project description), please contact, PI, Professor Mikkel Rytter, mikkel.rytter@cas.au.dk

For further information about the application procedure, please contact Human Resources: iks-hr-sag@au.dk.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to check Family and work-life balance and Attractive working conditions for further information about the 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 broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see Taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

School of Culture and Society

The School of Culture and Society is a vibrant research community engaged in understanding the cultural and social conditions that shape human life. Our work examines how people interact with their environments, from prehistory to the present and across both local and global contexts. Through cross-sector and cross-disciplinary partnerships, we aim to support research innovation and contribute to addressing the major questions facing society. In both research and education, we are committed to bringing the humanities into active dialogue with partners beyond the university.

The School is committed to:

• Promoting an international environment characterized by active academic and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Encouraging innovative and experimental approaches to research, teaching, and communication.
• Cultivating environments that generate new knowledge and educate students for the future.
• Advancing broad engagement with digital humanities.
• Upholding a deep commitment to addressing both local and global societal challenges.
• Creating an inclusive, diverse, and sustainable workplace and organization.

Read more about the school here School of Culture and Society - Aarhus University

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to check Family and work-life balance in Denmark (au.dk) and Attractive working conditions (au.dk) for further information about the 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 broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a Relocation and onboarding services for international AU staff and career counselling for expat partners. For information about taxation, see Taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

Qualification requirements
Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualifications.

Formalities

• Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).
• Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
• Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
• The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than two examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.

Aarhus University also offers a junior researcher development programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here: https://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/

If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. The application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts: Shortlisting

Terms of employment

• Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

Salary and terms of employment are governed by the Cirkulære om overenskomst for akademikere i staten (in Danish). You will be employed as postdoctoral at base pay level 4–8 with additional supplements in accordance with the Cirkulære om protokollat om visse ansættelsesvilkår for videnskabeligt personale ved universiteter (in Danish).

The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

About Arts
The Faculty of Arts is one of Northern Europe’s most significant faculties for research and higher education in the humanities, theology and education. Within this broad academic scope, the faculty comprises approximately 700 researchers, 200 PhD students, 9,000 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students, and 1,500 further and continuing education students. We believe that the best ideas arise when different perspectives meet – and that research, teaching and innovation are best developed in dialogue with the surrounding society.

You can find more information here: Faculty of Arts | Aarhus Universitet

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.