Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity with a Focus on Human Practices, Values and Behaviours

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of assistant professor in cybersecurity, based at the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies at the Faculty of Arts.

The assistant professorship is a full-time, three-year fixed-term position. Subject to the availability of funding, there will be an opportunity to apply for a subsequent associate professorship. The department aims to strengthen its research and teaching in the field of cybersecurity, and this position represents an important step towards that goal. The appointment will begin on 1 January 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

The position

The risks and vulnerabilities of digital systems and infrastructures, as well as the integrity, confidentiality and availability of information, are not solely technical issues. They are deeply embedded in human behaviour, work practices, organisational culture and (inter)national politics. These risks and vulnerabilities make it essential to consider the human factor when addressing cybersecurity and information security. Such considerations apply to the design of IT products and services, the integration of precautionary measures into work practices and workflows, and the management of organisational change in response to security threats, strategic development and regulatory requirements. Therefore, we are seeking an applicant with a strong background in cybersecurity. Applicants should demonstrate a research profile grounded in one or more of the following areas:

• Human factors in cybersecurity, with a focus on people’s personal practices, understandings and experiences of cybersecurity across varied contexts, as well as design research into the perceived usability and accessibility of security solutions or interventions.
• Cybersecurity in organisations, with a focus on organisational cultures and structures, employee competencies, behaviour, training, leadership, risk mitigation and management, and the operationalisation and effectiveness of compliance instruments.
• Cybersecurity governance, with a focus on geopolitical developments such as cyberwarfare, cybercrime and control instruments; legislation and standards; tensions between social values in governance approaches; and (inter)national strategies and their imaginaries.

The Department of Digital Design and Information Studies has a strong international profile and a well-established research network. The successful applicant will join an interdisciplinary faculty with thriving research in interaction design, participatory design, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, critical data studies, science, technology and society studies (STS), and digital aesthetics.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant will contribute to the department’s teaching and supervision across both Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, with a particular focus on the information studies programme.

As the successful applicant is expected to play a key role in developing cybersecurity as a strategic research area within the department’s curriculum, applicants should outline in their application how cybersecurity might be integrated into existing courses or introduced as new, standalone courses at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. The successful applicant will also be expected to expand and consolidate one or more of these areas within the department through teaching and research at the highest international level.

For alignment with the department’s research profile, the ideal applicant should demonstrate strong research competencies in the study of human practices, values and behaviours. The successful applicant will be expected to develop research projects that lead to publications in top-tier academic outlets, to participate actively in the department’s research community – including initiating collaborative research projects with internal and external partners – and to contribute to applications for external research funding.

In sum, we are seeking an innovative and dedicated applicant who will help strengthen the department’s research and teaching profiles both nationally and internationally, and who will contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in research, teaching, supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange with internal and external stakeholders.

The department

The Department of Digital Design and Information Studies offers a broad range of humanistic approaches to exploring the relationship between humans and information technology, spanning from granular analyses of the agency of code to expansive studies of how information technology challenges and transforms the social, political, economic and cultural dimensions of modern society. The department represents and promotes diverse and innovative research methodologies. As the department aims to strengthen its expertise in cybersecurity and information security, the successful applicant will have the opportunity to help develop and incorporate these themes into the existing teaching portfolio and, in all likelihood, to develop new courses.

Courses in the department’s degree programmes are taught in either English or Danish. Applicants are expected to demonstrate proficiency in both oral and written English. Non-Danish-speaking applicants will be expected to acquire proficiency in Danish within approximately three years of taking up the appointment. Further information on language requirements is provided below.

The successful applicant may also be required to teach academically relevant courses in other departments at the School of Communication and Culture.

The successful applicant must complete Aarhus University’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors, which is designed to develop competencies in university teaching.

Knowledge exchange

Given the highly relevant nature of cybersecurity, the successful applicant is expected to engage in knowledge exchange – for instance, through research collaborations with private companies, government consultancy, collaborations with civil society and public dissemination of knowledge through various media.

The successful applicant will also have excellent opportunities to participate in collaborative initiatives with partners both inside and outside Aarhus University.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree or be able to document equivalent qualifications in a field relevant to cybersecurity, and demonstrate teaching and research experience equivalent to that acquired through a PhD. Applicants must further be able to document the following, as relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile within cybersecurity, documented through a PhD dissertation and/or research publications
• relevant teaching experience at university level, including innovative teaching methods, documented through a teaching portfolio.

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

• a track record of research publications of a high international standard, commensurate with the length of the applicant’s academic career
• a track record of successful knowledge exchange
• an outstanding and innovative PhD dissertation in an area relevant to the position
• participation in national and international research networks
• periods spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions
• supplementary personal experience – from industry, for instance – relevant to the position.

Finally, applicants are asked to provide a research plan for the next three years, along with their strategy or vision for contributing to future developments in the field, including plans for publication, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the Aarhus University application system allows submission without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (a maximum of two) and a teaching portfolio, or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications, will not be considered.

Although the Aarhus University application system includes an option to upload letters of recommendation, applicants should not include letters of recommendation or references with their application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references at that stage.

Work environment

Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority. It includes maintaining good working relationships with both colleagues and our students. To sustain and further develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department daily.

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment that supports that balance. For reference, applicants can familiarise themselves with family and work-life balance in Denmark.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to learn about the attractive working conditions and other 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 wide range of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

An appointee who does not speak Danish will be required to acquire sufficient proficiency in the language to undertake 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 taking up the appointment. These activities include, but are not limited to, reading work-related texts and participating in meetings and collegial gatherings conducted in Danish.

The department

The place of employment is the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies, Helsingforsgade 14, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
Prospective applicants are invited to view the department’s website.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is part of the Faculty of Arts. Further information about the school and its research programmes, departments and activities can be found on its website.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Morten Breinbjerg, Head of the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies, by tel.: +4587161997 or by email: mbrein@cc.au.dk.

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: hsi@au.dk.

Qualification requirements

• Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).
• Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
• 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.

Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society, the Danish School of Education, and the Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.

The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

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

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/