Professorships in Psychology

The Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences invites applications for professorships in Psychology. The professorships are full-time and permanent positions, starting in August 2026 or as soon as possible subject to mutual agreement. The Department’s educational programme covers the subfields of Social and Personality Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Pedagogical Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Work and Organizational Psychology. In addition, the Department participates in the Flexible Master’s Programme in Public Leadership Education.

Applicants will be shortlisted for full assessment based on their qualifications and the Department’s need for broad recruitment across the subfields. Hence, applicants not shortlisted will not receive a full assessment. The Department expects to offer up to three professorships. The final number of positions to be filled will depend on the assessment of the applicants.

 Job description

The announced professorships are permanent positions with research and teaching obligations within the specified fields outlined above. The successful candidate is expected to take on responsibility for research leadership with regard to developing the dedicated field, publish in international peer-reviewed journals, attract external funding, develop courses and methods, participate in the Department's day-to-day activities (lecturing, seminars, workshops, etc.), undertake supervision of students, PhD students and junior researchers as well as participate in administrative and organizational tasks.

Your qualifications

To be considered for shortlisting, applicants must indicate which specific subfield (and potentially another supplemental subfield) they want to apply within.

Relevant candidates are expected to have published a substantial amount of research at a high international level, have succeeded in attracting external funding, have experience with high-quality research leadership and PhD supervision as well as substantial, high-quality teaching within the subfield specified by the applicants.

As the successful candidates must participate in all of the department's main activities, including teaching, examination and administration related to the subfield, non-Danish speaking candidates are required to acquire the necessary language skills within a short period of time (max. 2 years).

Permanent employment as professor at Aarhus BSS requires completion of, within a two year period, the supervision course and also the course Online and blended learning provided by Centre for Educational Development at Aarhus University.

The required qualifications are elaborated below:

1. Substantial research production at a high international level
To qualify for the position as full professor, a substantial and original research production is required. Excellent publication records can have different profiles and should be evaluated in the context of the relevant subfield(s) and the applicant’s overall academic profile. However, because publication statistics display important information regarding researchers' publication merits, applicants are encouraged to provide relevant publication statistics (e.g. number of peer reviewed publications, h-index, citations etc.)

2. ​​Didactical/pedagogical competences and experiences at a high level, including a positive, written evaluation of these competences
Teaching and supervising students at different levels is a main activity of a professor. At the professorial level, extensive expertise is expected in all aspects of teaching planning, delivery, supervision and assessment. Responsibility for educational programmes, as well as curriculum development and the advancement of teaching methods, is considered an essential competency. Applicants must submit a teaching portfolio that describes which teaching activities they have been involved in, explains how and why these activities have been planned and implemented in the way they have and presents the results of their teaching activities (e.g., by way of student comments and evaluations, letters of recommendation etc.).

A written evaluation of the candidate´s teaching abilities should be enclosed. Applicants should specify which of the subfields mentioned above (one, or alternatively two), they consider the most relevant areas for teaching activities. Note further that applicants for applied fields (i.e., Clinical, Pedagogical, and Work and Organizational psychology) are encouraged to document concrete contact and experience with the relevant societal profession.

3. Experiences with organizational management, external funding, and knowledge sharing with the public
Professors at the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences are expected to be responsible, inspiring, and leading figures within their research fields, in their teaching activities and as a colleague at the department. In the shortlisting and assessment of candidates, it will – besides a substantial publication and teaching record – be evaluated to what extent they have:

• Succeeded in attracting external funding as PI

• Experience in leadership and management (larger research projects, departmental services etc.)

• Experience with supervising, and assessing junior researchers (PhD and/or postdoc supervision)

• Experience with societal collaboration and knowledge dissemination   

Who we are

The Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences is part of Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University – a top 100 university. Aarhus BSS has achieved the triple-crown AASCB, AMBA and EQUIS accreditations.

At the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, we teach and conduct research into the most significant subject areas of psychology. The department employs around 55-60 academic staff members and 40 PhD students. Our researchers have a strong tradition for collaborating with Danish as well as international researchers from many different academic fields such as health and psychiatry, education, pedagogic, linguistics, philosophy, religious studies, organizational development and management, economics and neuroscience.
For more information about the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, please visit: http://psy.au.dk/en/

Place of work

Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Bartholins Allé 11, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

Further information

For further information about the position, please contact: Head of department, professor, Jan Tønnesvang, e-mail: jan@psy.au.dk

If you need help uploading your application or have any questions about the
recruitment process, please contact HR supporter Sara Lyng Hansson, tel.: +45
93521402, email: salh@au.dk

International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information here:
https://internationalstaff.au.dk/relocationservice/

Please find more information about research opportunities at Aarhus University here: http://international.au.dk/research/

Terms of employment

The appointment is made in accordance with the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities as well as the circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State (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.

Application procedure

When you apply for this position it is mandatory to attach the following:

• Application

• Curriculum Vitae. You are encouraged to declare any periods of leave without research activity, including, for example, maternity leave, since your research activities are assessed in relation to your actual research time

• Education (diploma for master's, PhD and possibly higher doctoral degree)

• List of publications (the enclosed publications must be clearly marked on the list of publications)
  Publications. Up to 10 publications can be included in the application. In the event of several authors the publications must be accompanied by a co-author statement concerning the applicant's share of the collaborative work with the consent of the co-authors. This template may be used for the purpose

• Teaching portfolio. The specific requirements regarding the documentation can be found here

Materials which cannot be uploaded together with the application may be submitted in five copies to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 16, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

Read more about how to apply for an academic post at Aarhus BSS here

The evaluation process

Shortlisting is applied. This means that an appointment committee (assisted by the chair of the assessment committee) advises the head of department on which applicants are the best overall match for the department’s and the faculty’s recruitment needs and which possess the qualifications, competencies, experience and potential described above and in the faculty’s criteria for evaluating candidates to permanent positions here.

Through the shortlisting process, the head of department selects the applicants who are to receive a thorough assessment of their professional qualifications. The assessment committee will then assess these applicants. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been shortlisted and sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee.

Please note that the assessment of applicants is based solely on the material received prior to the application deadline. For further information, see Guidelines for Assessment Committee, Aarhus BSS.

Read more about Aarhus BSS' professorship policy here.

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.

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