Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in English and Conference Interpreting

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in English and conference interpreting, based at the Department of English.

The position is a full-time, fixed-term appointment as an assistant professor, with a view to permanent appointment (tenure) as an associate professor, subject to a satisfactory tenure review. Further information on the tenure review process is provided below.

The position will begin on 1 December 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 Department of English has a strong international research and teaching profile in English language, literature and culture as well as in international business communication and translation studies across academic and professional contexts. We seek an applicant who will contribute to and strengthen the department’s research and teaching environment in English-language communication and conference interpreting.

The successful applicant will be expected to teach on the Master in Conference Interpreting programme as well as on the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in International Business Communication in English and the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in English. The successful applicant may also contribute to the Master’s degree programme in Intercultural Studies or related programmes. Within the Master in Conference Interpreting programme, the teaching will focus on consecutive and simultaneous interpreting (primarily English–Danish, but also vice versa) in the context of international conferences and meetings, particularly within the institutions of the European Union. Additional teaching duties may include professional presentation and argumentation skills in English, the role of English as a professional language in international and intercultural contexts, academic or creative writing in English, and interculturality in organisational and professional settings.

Overall, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated applicant who will strengthen the department’s research and teaching profiles nationally and internationally, and contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in the areas of research, teaching and supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange.

Research

The Department of English at Aarhus University has a strong international profile and a dynamic research environment.

The successful applicant will conduct research within English-language communication and/or (conference) interpreting. Research interests may include, but are not limited to, conference interpreting, translation and interpreting studies, spoken interaction, professional and institutional communication, international business communication, negotiation and dialogue, mediation, oral discourse, language use in international and intercultural contexts, AI and large language models or related areas.

Research that integrates theoretical, empirical and applied perspectives, including didactic approaches relevant to interpreter training and communication studies, will be particularly welcome.

The successful applicant will be expected to develop research projects that lead to peer-reviewed publications and to engage actively in the department’s research community, including collaboration with internal and external partners and contributions to applications for external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute actively to the department’s teaching and supervision activities at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels.

Teaching responsibilities will include courses on the Master in Conference Interpreting programme as well as on the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in International Business Communication in English, the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in English or the Master’s degree programme in Intercultural Studies, with a focus on conference interpreting and on oral and written communication in English across academic, professional and creative contexts.

We are looking for a colleague who combines native-speaker competence in English with strong pedagogical skills and a clear interest in oral communication in its many forms, including interpreting, presentation and argumentation.

The successful applicant will be expected to employ innovative, student-centred teaching methods and to contribute to the continued development of interdisciplinary degree programmes in language, communication and culture. The successful applicant will also be expected to develop supervision competences at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels.
Given the international focus of the degree programmes, teaching is conducted primarily in English. Within the Master in Conference Interpreting programme, teaching is conducted in both English and Danish. Therefore, we are looking for a colleague with native-speaker competence in English as well as knowledge of Danish or a willingness to learn it. The successful applicant may also be required to teach academically relevant courses at other departments within the School of Communication and Culture.

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

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange – for instance through collaboration with public and private organisations, professional networks and conference interpreting institutions – and the public dissemination of knowledge related to language, communication and interpreting. Applicants are therefore encouraged to outline how they intend to generate and demonstrate research impact in these or related areas.

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

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree or document equivalent qualifications in a relevant field related to English-language communication and/or (conference) interpreting, and must have teaching and research experience commensurate with that attained through a PhD.
In addition, applicants must be able to document the following competences relevant to the position:

• native-speaker competence in English
• teaching experience at university level, including interpreter training and/or communication-focused teaching, documented in a teaching portfolio
• strong oral communication skills in English across academic and professional contexts.

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

• an MA degree in conference interpreting
• knowledge of Danish, particularly spoken Danish
• knowledge of the European Union and its institutions, values and policies
• a research profile with peer-reviewed publications of a high international standard
• experience of knowledge exchange and collaboration with external stakeholders
• participation in national and international research networks
• participation in international research activities and conferences
• time spent abroad working or studying at one or more internationally recognised research institutions.

Applicants are asked to provide a research plan for the next three years, outlining their contribution to future developments within the field, including plans for publications, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the application process can be completed via Aarhus University’s application system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum 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 are asked not to 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 be granted tenure, the tenure-track assistant professor must be assessed as qualified for an associate professorship no later than during the final six months of employment, or, if the tenure-track assistant professor requests it, at an earlier point within the first four years of employment. The assessment is based on the tenure-track assistant professor’s fulfilment of the qualification requirements for associate professorships and the criteria set out in the original advertisement. A positive assessment will result in an offer of a tenured associate professorship at Aarhus University. The tenure-track assistant professor must have contributed actively to the department’s academic and research environment.

At the time of the tenure review, the tenure-track assistant professor is expected to have developed a strong research profile at a high international level. The tenure-track assistant professor is further expected to have contributed actively to collaborative research and research initiatives with local, national and/or international researchers in the field. This includes participation in securing external research funding and having spent a period conducting research at one or more recognised research institutions.

At the time of the tenure review, the tenure-track assistant professor must demonstrate the ability to undertake teaching independently at all levels within their core subject area and to demonstrate the breadth of their teaching competences, including supervision. They must have taught three to four courses per year, depending on the nature of the courses; engaged in supervision activities, such as thesis supervision at Bachelor’s and/or Master’s level; and conducted examinations. The tenure-track assistant professor is also expected to have contributed to curriculum development. Finally, the tenure-track assistant professor must have completed the university’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors prior to the tenure review.

Work environment

Active participation in the life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of strong working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. To contribute to and support the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to maintain a regular and active presence in the department.

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 proficiency in Danish sufficient 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.

The department

The place of employment is the Department of English, Jens Chr. Skous Vej 4, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

The Department of English offers degree programmes in International Business Communication and in Language, Literature and Culture, and contributes to the Master’s degree programme in Intercultural Studies in collaboration with the Department of German and Romance Languages, as well as to the Master in Conference Interpreting programme, which is formally anchored in the Department of German and Romance Languages. Research at the department covers language, communication, literature, culture, translation and interpreting studies. The department has a strong international profile and a well-established research network. It is one of the largest and most international departments in the Faculty of Arts, with staff members from the UK, the USA, Canada, Ireland, India, the Czech Republic, Germany, South Africa, Tanzania and Denmark.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Department Peter Mortensen, Department of English, Aarhus University, by email: engpm@cc.au.dk.
If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by e-mail: hsi@au.dk.

• 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 Finance 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, a research plan, 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.

About Arts

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 37,000 students (FTEs) and 8.700 employees and has an annual revenue of EUR 1.106 billion. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/