Job Description

The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) and the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Instituteat the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) seek an outstanding candidate to fill a tenure track Fellow (Assistant Professor level) position in the field of Robotics. The candidate is expected to start on January 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The application deadline is September 15, 2026, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)

We are looking for a researcher with clear potential for research excellence who thrives in and is inspired by interdisciplinary collaboration. The ideal candidate will be expected to contribute to high-quality research in their field while embracing DIAS’s mission of curiosity-driven inquiry and interdisciplinary dialogue. The successful candidate should have a strong and promising research profile, with potential for attracting external research funding, and a demonstrated ability to work across disciplines. The candidate will be attached to both the Department and DIAS and should be prepared to engage in multiple and diverse research environments at SDU.

Who are we looking for

We seek a researcher with expertise in the field of Robotics, who is eager to develop their research career within the DIAS framework. The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• A commitment to engaging in boundary-crossing interdisciplinary research and dialogue.
• A strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to research that bridges multiple fields.
• Strong interest in driving internationally competitive research activities at the highest level of ambition.
• Engagement in various forms of research dissemination, including interdisciplinary research and dialogue.

Qualifications

Successful applicants must:

• Have research experience in computer vision fields related to laboratory automation. This could include (but is not limited to) methods for:
  • vision-based handling of laboratory equipment, in particular glassware and fluids
  • segmentation and vision-based handling of medical specimens and fluids
• Hold a PhD or similar qualifications within relevant fields of Robotics, such as robotics control, modelling, computer vision, medical/industrial robotics and artificial intelligence.
• Exhibit curiosity-driven research excellence, thinking beyond traditional boundaries.
• Be fluent in English.
• Show potential for attracting external research funding. Experience in applying for external funding and a strong international network, are considered comparative advantages.
• Have research publications that demonstrate their excellence and broad thinking.

The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS)

DIAS at SDU is a hub for interdisciplinary excellence at and beyond the frontier of knowledge, bringing together outstanding researchers from various disciplines to foster groundbreaking interdisciplinary research and bold innovation. DIAS nurtures a collaborative and curiosity-driven environment, encouraging scholars to think outside the box and challenge conventional boundaries. The institute values open-minded exploration and an ambitious yet collegial atmosphere with a strong sense of community. Researchers affiliated with DIAS are expected to contribute actively to DIAS activities, and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations across faculties and departments, both nationally and internationally.

The Department

MMMI

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute is an internationally recognized institute, which has maintained a leading position in robotics for more than three decades. The institute is the origin of robotics research in Denmark and has spawned the world-renowned cluster of robotics in Odense with more than 130 robotics companies including Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots. Building on our expertise in AI, robotics and software, we have raised strong research centres in related domains, such as Health Informatics and Energy Informatics, Drones and other relevant research areas.

SDU Robotics

SDU Robotics conducts research among others within the fields of robotics and computer vision. The unit focuses on research problems from real robotics applications within manufacturing industries, hospitals, elderly care, and other partners in society. The unit also focuses on Robot related vision technologies for facilitating industrial part feeding, automated product assembly, uncertainty aware quality inspection, and biomedical segmentation for diagnosis and robot control.

SDU Robotics’ research involves mathematical modeling and control of robots, robotic processes and robot systems, human-robot interactions, computer vision for reliable inspection and robot control, and simulation technologies for robotics and computer vision aimed at closing the Sim2Real gap. Artificial Intelligence is widely applied within all research fields.

Additional information

For further information about being a professor at DIAS, please contact DIAS director Sten Rynning at +45 6550 2193 or via email at director-dias@sdu.dk

For more questions about the position please contact Head of Unit, Professor Thiusius Rajeeth Savarimuthu at trs@mmmi.sdu.dk

Application, salary, and employment terms

The candidate will be attached to The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute in Odense and is also expected to participate in DIAS activities and interdisciplinary cooperation in Odense regularly.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state with the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for tenure track assistant professor as described herein. Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

Further information on salary and taxation.

The tenure track programme the Faculty of Engineering is aimed at the most talented scholars who have established a high level in their current research and other professional work, and those who possess exceptional potential to achieve the highest international level within their research area. Candidates enter the assistant professor level (for up to 6 years) and, upon successful completion, will be promoted to a permanent position of associate professor, subject to a positive assessment by an expert committee. Indicators of relevant scholarly merits include documented independent scholarly output, ground-breaking publications, achievement of excellence grants, and international research network.

Teaching obligations will be reduced compared to a standard professorship at SDU, allowing more time for research and leadership activities.

To qualify for the position, you must have obtained a PhD or similar degree by the application deadline.

Application requirements

The application must include the following:

• Letter of motivation that clearly explains the applicant's interest, qualifications, and motivation for the position.
• Detailed CV including documentation of experience, and contacts for possible references.
• An elaborate research and funding plan (max 4 pages) for the next three years including a description of synergy with the department's activities and the potential to benefit from DIAS’s interdisciplinary environment.
• Master’s and PhD degree certificates or equivalent (original and an official English translation).
• Complete list of publications, indicating which publications are most relevant for the position.
• Up to five of the most relevant research articles – if you submit a monograph, it counts as 3 articles. Please upload a pdf for each publication. For co-authored publications, briefly describe the extent of the co-authorship or your contribution to the publications (please do this for each co-authored publication). You can do so by using this form or by describing the co-authorship in such a way that the committee can assess the extent of your contribution.
• Teaching Portfolio as documentation for teaching and learning experience as well as supervision qualifications. Any format is acceptable, but you can find inspiration for structuring your teaching portfolio on the Faculty's teaching portfolio page

All application materials must be submitted in English, and only applications written in English will be considered.

We recommend that international applicants take the time to visit websites of Work in Denmark and the International Staff Office at SDU Here you can find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark.

Submission guidelines

• All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration number) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked, allow binding and may not be protected by password.
• Motivated application must be uploaded under ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae must be uploaded under ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents must be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files with a maximum 50 MB per file).

Assessment

Shortlisting may be used as part of the assessment process. Read about shortlisting at SDU.

Assessment of applications will be done under the existing Appointment Order for universities. Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information, and, if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.

When the assessment committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns them.

Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation and references may be obtained.

About SDU

SDU is committed to fostering a diverse staff that reflects society’s diversity. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of personal background.

SDU was founded in 1966 and now has over 27,000 students, nearly 20% of whom are international. SDU employs more than 3,800 staff and offers 115 study programmes across disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, and engineering. While SDU’s main campus is in Odense, it also has campuses in other locations.

Equal opportunity employment

The University of Southern Denmark is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected status.

The University of Southern Denmark wishes our staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, are subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted electronically via the "Apply online" link provided in the job posting.

If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support

The application deadline is September 15, 2026, at 11.59 PM/23.59 (CET/CEST)