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Assistant professorship (non-tenure-track) in Assyriology at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH)

The Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), invites applications for an assistant professorship (non-tenure-track) in Assyriology starting on January 1st, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The assistant professorship is a fixed-term position for three years from January 2027 to December 2029.

Introduction

The Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies (https://ccrs.ku.dk) covers the study of culture, religion, ethics, language and society around the world historically and today. The department hosts both language-based regional studies outside Western Europe and thematically oriented studies including comparative cultural studies, minority studies and the study of religions. The assistant professor will work in the interdisciplinary Ancient Culture Studies section, which consists of Assyriology, Middle Eastern Archaeology, Egyptology, and Mesoamerican Studies (https://ccrs.ku.dk/research/ancientcultures/).

The section focuses on the world’s earliest complex societies in the Middle East and Mesoamerica and the lasting legacies of their ideas. Our research and teaching span combines ancient languages and archaeology to understand some of the most significant transformations in our collective past, including the rise of villages and cities, the emergence of writing and religion, and the development of technology, craftsmanship, political power, and social inequality. Our researchers study both ancient texts and material culture, as well as the context of these past legacies in the present.

The Ancient Culture Studies section at UCPH maintains the only full-degree program in Assyriology in the Nordic countries, from BA and MA, to PhD degrees. Assyriology at UCPH builds on a long-standing and internationally recognized research tradition, characterized by philological expertise, high academic standards, and active participation in global scholarly networks. The field has contributed significantly to the study of the ancient Near East and continues to foster international collaboration and excellence in both research and teaching. Applicants are invited to familiarize themselves with the Faculty’s strategic landmarks: Strategic landmarks – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Job Description

The assistant professor (non-tenure-track) position is a fixed-term three-year academic position. The successful candidate is expected to conduct philologically founded research in Assyriology at a high international standard and to contribute to knowledge exchange with international scholarly communities, relevant stakeholders, and the wider public. The candidate will be expected to conduct research-based lectures and seminars, supervision, and examination of undergraduate and graduate students in Assyriology, as well as in courses taught in collaboration with Middle Eastern Archaeology, Egyptology, and Mesoamerican Studies. The teaching load equates up to seven contact hours per week over the course of a 14-week semester, in addition to examining and supervising students. The position includes the mandatory completion of a university teacher-training course for assistant professors. In addition, the assistant professor will participate in outreach activities and share in the administrative responsibilities of the Ancient Culture Studies section, including convening courses, attending meetings, and participating in shared academic governance.

The assistant professor will have a background in Assyriology, and a track record of conducting innovative and impactful research in one or more areas of cuneiform studies that complements existing expertise in Assyriology and the section for Ancient Culture Studies. In addition to relevant language/dialect and period specialization, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate knowledge and expertise in one or more Assyriological fields of research, such as – but by no means limited to – religion and ritual practices; political, social and economic history; literature and intellectual history; law and administration; linguistics and philology; as well as writing, epigraphy, and palaeography.

The assistant professor will effectively deliver or contribute to core modules in Assyriology at both BA and MA level, as well as to shared courses. Furthermore, the applicant will have the opportunity to actively contribute to the upcoming revision of our current MA program in Assyriology, and to participate in various initiatives designed to attract students to Assyriology. The candidate is encouraged to propose ideas for attracting new students to study Assyriology.

Since the work will be divided equally between teaching and research (including administration and communication), applicants must document competencies in both of these areas.

Further information on careers for faculty and academic staff at UCPH.

Qualification Requirements

The appointment as a non-tenure-track assistant professor requires research qualifications corresponding at least to what can be achieved through a satisfactorily completed PhD degree within the subject area, and we expect the successful applicant to have completed a PhD in Assyriology. We seek someone with strong expertise in Assyriology and experience of working with Akkadian and Sumerian cuneiform sources, including text editing, philological analysis, interpretation, and contextualization. Furthermore, the candidate should have significant knowledge of cuneiform studies and advanced competences in Akkadian and/or Sumerian, including the ability to edit cuneiform tablets in the original and to conduct rigorous philological and historical analyses.

The position requires documented research experience in Assyriology. Documented experience with editing original cuneiform tablets and strong philological analytical skills are an advantage. The applicant should be qualified to teach potentially most of the courses offered in Assyriology at UCPH, including the language courses in Akkadian and Sumerian, and must be willing to contribute to the co-taught courses with Ancient Middle Eastern Archaeology, Egyptology, and Mesoamerican Studies that are part of the study program. Experience in supervising BA and MA students is desirable. The successful applicant must be capable of independently undertaking research, teaching, supervision, communication, and administration in relation to the subject, and, when necessary, provide academic input to our study program. As part of the application, the applicant should submit a research plan, outlining the envisioned research that the candidate would work on and develop during the assistant professorship.

The applicant is expected to provide a statement of his/her academic and pedagogical approaches to university teaching. Applicants should be able to document teaching qualifications, and they are encouraged to send teaching evaluations or student testimonies. Applicants are encouraged to read the university’s guidelines for job applications and for compiling teaching portfolios at Job application portfolio – University of Copenhagen

Documented experience with outreach activities, e.g. in regard to research dissemination or media experience is not a requirement but will be considered. Applicants are expected to be able to document academic production at a high international level and have the potential to make a significant impact in their field at an international level.

We expect the successful applicant to be highly motivated and team-oriented within the section.

For further details about the qualification requirements for assistant professorships, please read the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities: Ministerial_Order_no._1443_of_11_December_2019_on_Job_Structure_for_Academic_Staff_at_Universities.pdf (ku.dk)

Assessment criteria

To be assessed as qualified for an assistant professorship at the University of Copenhagen, the candidate must meet the University’s criteria of academic merit: Criteria for recognising merit – University of Copenhagen

General criteria apply to the appointment of professors at the University of Copenhagen. The criteria (research, teaching, Innovation & societal impact, organisational contribution and leadership) are considered as a framework for an overall assessment of the applicant. In addition, each applicant will be assessed according to the specific requirements listed in this advertisement.

Applicants are encouraged to read the University of Copenhagen's Guidance on the merit criterion Innovation and Societal Impact here: Guidance_on_the_merit_criterion_Innovation_and_Societal_Impact_for_applicants_and_assessors.pdf.

Assistant professors must be able to show an academic record demonstrating internationally competitive research, and/or have internationally recognized potential to make a future impact.

The assessment of applicants will primarily consider their level of documented, internationally competitive research. Teaching qualifications are not mandatory, but documented teaching qualifications and teaching experience will be taken into account. The applicant’s outreach qualifications, including the ability to attract external funding, will also be considered.

Applicants are asked to describe as precisely as possible how their competencies match the above criteria.

The duties of the position are evenly distributed between tasks related to research and teaching, which include administrative duties as well as knowledge-sharing and outreach. Documented competences in both areas, as well as the ability to reflect on them, will be evaluated in the assessment process.

Application

Applications must be submitted online. Click on the “Apply now” icon at the bottom of this advertisement to apply.

The application must be written in Danish or English, and include the following enclosures in Adobe PDF or Word format:

Cover letter

Curriculum Vitae (with the applicant’s email address, telephone number) Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates, PhD diploma, etc.) Publications: Applicants can submit a maximum of five publications for assessment, of which a minimum of two must have been published within the last five years prior to the deadline for applications in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals or in comparable high-ranking series. The publication dates must be clearly marked on the list with a star*. The selected publications must be uploaded as attachments and numbered 1 to 5. Should any material submitted consist of work with named co-authors, or work that is otherwise the result of collective academic endeavors, the extent of the applicant’s contribution to the work must be clearly specified. A signed statement from the co-authors specifying the extent and nature of everyone’s contribution must be included. Complete publication list (attached publications must be marked with a star*).

The list must be structured systematically and divided into the following categories:

Peer-reviewed publications

Monographs Articles in journals Book chapters/anthology contributions to proceedings, etc.

Non-peer-reviewed publications

Publications disseminating research findings, notes, etc. Research plan (max. three pages). Teaching portfolio. Please consult the UCPH guide: Job application portfolio – University of Copenhagen Only documentation in English, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish will be considered.

Salary and terms of employment

Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts for Assistant Professor at DKK 42,100 (EUR 5600) + a 18,07 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

Recruitment procedure

After the application deadline, the Head of Department selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointment Committee. All applicants are notified whether their application has been accepted for assessment. The Head of Department subsequently appoints an expert assessment committee tasked with carrying out an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee. Applicants are ultimately offered the opportunity of commenting on the part of the assessment relating to themselves before the appointment is finalized. You can find further information on the recruitment process at UCPH here: Recruitment process – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

An Equal Opportunity Workplace

University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their personal backgrounds.

For more information on the diverse working place environment at UCPH and our participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, please consult our website: HR Excellence in Research – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

International applicant?

UCPH offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners: Dual Career ~ Spouse Network – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Contact information

Information about the recruitment process is available from HR South, email: HR-SOENDRE@adm.ku.dk. Please refer to case number: 211-0583/26-2A #2.

Additional information about the position can be obtained from the Head of Department Annika Hvithamar, email: i-leder.tors@hum.ku.dk.

The deadline for applications is 6 September 2026 23:59 CEST.

Applications or enclosures received after the deadline will not be considered.

Applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

APPLY NOW

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.

Info

Application deadline: 06-09-2026

Employment start: 01-01-2027

Department/Location: Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies

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