Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Music Analysis

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of tenure-track assistant professor of music analysis affiliated with the musicology programme within the Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology.

The tenure-track assistant professorship begins with a full-time, fixed-term, five-year appointment as an assistant professor with a view to permanent employment as a tenured associate professor, typically within three to five years. For information about attaining tenure, see ‘Tenure review and the tenure-track assistant professorship’ below.

The appointment begins on 1 August 2025 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 musicology programme at Aarhus University combines cultural-sociological, anthropological and historical research into a wide array of topics with a primary focus on Western and Danish music and music cultures. Complemented by practical music teaching, it offers a comprehensive course of study at both the BA and MA levels.

To strengthen the disciplinary dialogue between music analysis and the department’s ongoing research, as well as related research programmes within the School of Communication and Culture, we seek a candidate whose work in music analysis is deeply informed by interdisciplinary and contextual perspectives and dialogues with broader developments in historical musicology. These may include key issues such as aesthetics, politics or identity, incorporating feminist, decolonial, anti-racist and other critical frameworks to foster an inclusive and dynamic exploration of music in both historical and contemporary contexts.

We are particularly interested in applicants whose specialisation lies in European music of the long 20th century (spanning from the late 19th to the early 21st century). The successful candidate should bring an innovative analytical approach that extends beyond the study of traditional notated forms. We seek scholars who incorporate a broader range of media and technologies into their research, including audio, audio-visual and digital formats, as well as instruments and the technologies of music production and reproduction.

In sum, we are looking for an innovative and committed applicant who will strengthen the department’s research and teaching profiles both nationally and internationally, while contributing to Aarhus University’s core activities in research, teaching, supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange.

Research

As outlined above, the musicology programme at Aarhus University spans a variety of topics, engaging in cultural-sociological, anthropological and historical research. Beyond its active participation in several interdisciplinary research programmes at the School of Communication and Culture, the programme boasts a strong international presence and a well-established research network. This pronounced global profile significantly enhances its scholarly impact and collaborative opportunities.

The successful applicant will be expected to play a role in developing research in the field of music analysis in the broadest sense within the departmental context. The successful applicant will be expected to publish original peer-reviewed research internationally and to make scholarly contributions to developments within the field. The successful applicant will also be expected to contribute to research initiatives in relation to the research community at the department, both in terms of new collaborative research projects with internal and external partners and in terms of external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant will be expected to participate in the department’s teaching and supervision activities on the department’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, particularly the degree programme in musicology:

• Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Musicology (2018)
• Master’s Degree Programme in Musicology (2021)
• Bachelor’s Supplementary Subject in Musicology (2019)
• Master’s Supplementary Subject in Musicology (2021)

Please indicate in your application which courses you could teach. The successful applicant will also be expected to apply innovative teaching methods.

Given the international focus of the degree programmes, the successful applicant will be expected to teach in English as well as in Danish. The successful applicant may also be asked to teach academically relevant courses at other departments within the school.

The person appointed to the position of tenure-track assistant professor must complete Aarhus University’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors, which is designed for university teaching.

Knowledge exchange

It is expected that the successful applicant will engage in knowledge exchange, for instance through research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society and public dissemination of knowledge.

The successful applicant will have excellent opportunities to engage in relevant collaborative initiatives with partners inside and outside Aarhus University.

Qualifications

Applicants for the position of assistant professor must have a PhD degree or must document equivalent qualifications in musicology as well as teaching and research experience equivalent to that attained through a PhD degree. Applicants for the position of assistant professor must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• an internationally oriented research profile within music analysis in a broad sense as documented by a PhD dissertation and/or research publications, preferably targeting both a specialised audience of peers and a wider public
• 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

• experience of participation in national and international research networks
• previous experience with knowledge exchange

Finally, all applicants are asked to provide a research plan for the next three years and to state how they see themselves and the department contributing to future research developments within the field, including plans for publication, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the application process can be completed on the Aarhus University system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum five) as well as 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, please do not include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Tenure review and the tenure-track assistant professorship

To become tenured, the tenure-track assistant professor must be assessed as qualified as an associate professor during the last six months of the final year of employment at the latest or, if the tenure-track assistant professor requests it, at an earlier time within the first four years of employment. The assessment is based on the tenure-track assistant professor’s fulfilment of the qualification requirements that apply to associate professorships and the criteria stated in the original advertisement. If the assessment is positive, the tenure-track assistant professor will be offered a tenured position as an associate professor at Aarhus University.

At the time of tenure review for the position of associate professor, the tenure-track assistant professor is expected to have developed a strong research profile at a high international level and published the equivalent of at least two peer-reviewed scholarly articles per year. The tenure-track assistant professor is further expected to have contributed actively to collaborative research and research initiatives with other local, national and/or international researchers in the field. This includes having participated in attracting research funding from external funding bodies and having spent a period of research at one or more recognised research institutions.

At the time of tenure review for the position of associate professor, the tenure-track assistant professor must document the ability to undertake teaching tasks independently at all levels within their own core subject area and document the breadth of their teaching competences at all levels including supervision: they must have taught three to four courses a year, depending on the nature of the specific courses; they must have engaged in supervision activities such as thesis supervision at Bachelor’s and/or Master’s level; and they must have conducted exams. The tenure-track assistant professor is also expected to have participated in curriculum development and to have contributed actively to the academic and research environment of the department. Lastly, the tenure-track assistant professor must have completed the university’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors prior to tenure review.

Work environment

Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. To maintain and 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 in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to read 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 variety 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 Danish to manage 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 commencing the appointment. These include, but are not limited to, reading work-related texts and taking part in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish as well as teaching and examining students.

The department

The place of employment is the Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology, Langelandsgade 139, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

Prospective applicants are invited to view the department’s website as well as the website for musicology.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is a part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments and diverse activities on its website.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Steen Kaargaard Nielsen, Head of the Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology, by tel.: +45 8716 3095 or by email: musskn@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

Formalities

• 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 five 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/