Assistant Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Digitalisation

The Center for Supply Chain Digitalisation (CSD), at the Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Digitalization with special focus on simulation and/or artificial intelligence applied to operations and supply chains.

The targeted start date is February 2027.

The successful candidate will be responsible for collaboratively building up the area of operations and supply chain digitalisation with a primary focus on quantitative methods such as discrete-event and agent-based simulation, process automation, data science, and machine learning.

Successful candidates will drive internationally recognized and competitive research, work closely with industry, and are expected to attract external research funding. The position has a strong focus on experimental and applied research in production systems and supply chain fields. The candidate will play a key role in providing outstanding education, supervising bachelor's and master’s students, and developing junior research staff.

SDU CSD is a highly international group of faculty members, embedded in a region with a strong network of companies, including some of Denmark's largest global industrial players (i.e. Danfoss, Linak, Siemens) and many manufacturing SMEs. Projects currently run by the group cover a range of topics within the field of operations and supply chain digitalization.

The successful candidate must have a background in engineering. PhD degree preferably in industrial engineering, supply chain, operations management, operations research, or the like.

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

We expect

A highly motivated, collaborative person, who can work in an international, interdisciplinary team, with documented research skills in the field of operations and supply chain. The candidate needs to be a team player and, at the same time, be able to work independently. The successful candidate is active in publishing in engineering journals.

The ideal candidate can connect research with practical technology application and has demonstrated skills and competencies in one or more of the following areas:

• Discrete-event and/or agent-based simulation
• Artificial intelligence, machine/deep learning applied to operations and supply chain (AI-applications in other fields are not relevant for this position) 
• Agentic AI applied to operations and supply chain
• Business and intelligent process automation

Further information is available from Associate Professor Elias Ribeiro da Silva elias@iti.sdu.dk.

We offer

• A professional workplace culture that values equality, mutual respect, and is designed to accommodate and encourage work-life balance
• A vibrant social environment with structured activities and informal routines that promote cross-disciplinary interaction and cultivate an inclusive, supportive atmosphere.
• An engaging, dynamic, and international interdisciplinary environment with extensive collaboration opportunities across national, international, and industrial partners
• Opportunities for continued professional development and education for all staff members.
• Access to a well-developed research infrastructure
• A strong institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the workplace

About the workplace

The position is within the SDU Center for Supply Chain Digitalisation (CSD) at the Faculty of Engineering on the international campus Sønderborg. The center conducts research at the intersection of supply chain management, data science, and digital technologies. Our work applies quantitative, data-driven methods to analyse, design, and optimise complex supply chains.

In close collaboration with industry partners, the center focuses on the full data journey across the supply chain, developing tools and methods based on advanced analytics, simulation, and artificial intelligence to enable stronger coordination, end-to-end transparency, and more sustainable and efficient supply chain operations.

SDU CSD is situated in a region with a robust network of companies, including some of Denmark’s largest global industrial players as well as numerous SMEs. The group’s current projects mainly focus on building quantitative models and methods to support better decisions or on turning data-driven optimisation, simulation, and digital tools into practical use in operations. 

The SDU CSD is a highly international and interdisciplinary group of faculty members, with international students. The campus is in Sønderborg, an attractive coastal town with an open Scandinavian culture, and affordable housing and living costs.

Special benefits when working in Denmark

• The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week
• 30 days of paid holiday per year
• The yearly salary for a full-time assistant professor is between DKK 502.905 and DKK 566.647 depending on the years of working experience. Postdoc experience may place you on a higher salary step. The salary includes a base salary, a position-related supplement and pension (18.07 %). Additional supplement(s) for special qualifications can be negotiated. Authorisation supplement(s) will be granted, if relevant for the position. Your local eligible trade union representative at SDU negotiates your salary on your behalf.
• Subsidized preschool childcare and a free education system from primary school up to university level
• Universal health insurance as a resident of Denmark, including family members officially residing in Denmark
• In relation to childbirth, employees are entitled to a combined total of 52 weeks of parental leave, shared between parents, with full or partial salary depending on circumstances.
• Researchers recruited from abroad are offered a special researcher tax scheme with a lower tax rate. 
• Travel and moving expenses may be partially covered.

Living in Denmark

The International Staff Office (ISO) at SDU provides a variety of services for new employees, guests and people who consider applying for a job at the University of Southern Denmark. Among other things, the staff answers questions concerning salary, taxation, housing and accompanying family.

We recommend that international applicants also take the time to visit Work in Denmark.

The University of Southern Denmark wishes to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.

Application and assessment

Applications will be assessed by an expert committee. When the expert committee issues its assessment, applicants will receive the portion of the assessment pertaining to them personally.

The committee assesses candidates only based on the application materials. Please include the following documents in English: 

• Brief motivation letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Full list of publications
• Copies of the three publications on which the applicant wishes to be evaluated. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication
• Diplomas/Certificates (Master and PhD degree)
• Summary and documentation of teaching experience. You may attach a Teaching Portfolio.
• Documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position

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 password protected. 

SUBMISSION GUIDE: 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). 

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

Shortlisting may be used in the assessment process. Read about shortlisting at SDU.  An interview may be included as part of the overall evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications. If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support. Applicants are advised to read the SDU information on how to apply and specific faculty information for application at the Faculty of Engineering.

Employment terms

Appointment as an assistant professor is temporary and for an initial 3-year period. The preferred start date is from February 2027.

During employment, the assistant professor will complete the Lecturer Training Programme. 

Employment as an assistant professor requires academic qualifications at a minimum of PhD level at the time of employment. Employment will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state including the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for assistant professor as described therein. 

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements. As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process. SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary. Further information on salary and taxation. 

Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, is subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position(s).

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.

The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.
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