Tenure-Track Assistant Professor / Associate Professor in AI-Driven SW Specification, Development, Verification and Validation

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Southern Denmark (Campus Vejle) invites applications for tenure-track Assistant Professor or Associate Professor positions in Computer Science, with a focus on AI-Driven SW Specification, Development, Verification and Validation .

The targeted starting period is Spring 2027, with room for flexibility.

The successful candidate will join the SustainAI – Sustainable and AI-Driven Software Engineering Group at the SDU Centre for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in Campus Vejle. SustainAI is part of the Section of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Programming Languages (ACP) and conducts internationally recognized research in software development, software architecture, software quality, technical debt management, cloud and edge computing, sustainable software systems, and AI-assisted software development.

More information about the SustainAI research group is available at: https://sustainai.sdu.dk/

We encourage applications from researchers that can complement or strengthen the competences of the group. Examples of interesting research areas include, but are not limited to:

Software Specification and Formalization

• Requirements refinement and traceability
• Requirements-to-code transformation
• Requirements-to-architecture transformation
• Requirements-to-test transformation
• Autoformalization of software requirements
• Formal methods for software systems and software architectures

AI-Driven Software Development and Assurance

• AI-driven software development processes
• Verification of AI systems
• Validation of AI agents
• Evaluation frameworks for AI systems
• Assurance cases for AI-enabled systems
• Runtime assurance
• Dependability of AI-native systems
• AI system certification

Software Intelligence and Modernization

• Software observability
• Architecture reconstruction and recovery
• AI-driven software modernization
• Legacy system transformation
• Continuous software evolution and maintenance

Research Environment

The successful candidate will become an integral member of the SustainAI research group and is expected to contribute actively to its scientific growth and international visibility. We particularly welcome applicants whose research vision complements and strengthens the group’s strategic focus on AI-driven software development, software architecture, sustainable software systems, software quality, and intelligent software development processes.

The successful candidate is expected to establish a research profile that complements and strengthens SustainAI’s strategic research directions and to contribute actively to the development of collaborative research initiatives within the group.

The candidate will have the opportunity to develop a distinctive and internationally recognized research profile while collaborating closely with researchers across the group’s areas of expertise. We seek researchers who are excited by the opportunity to shape emerging directions in AI-driven software development and contribute to high-impact scientific outcomes.

The position provides an excellent environment for pursuing research excellence, building long-term research initiatives, supervising PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and developing collaborations with academic and industrial partners. Successful candidates will be supported in establishing independent research activities and pursuing competitive national and international research opportunities.

About the Section and Department

The Section of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Programming Languages (ACP) is an ambitious and rapidly growing research environment that fosters collaboration, research excellence, and high-quality education.

Its research activities span a broad range of topics including artificial intelligence, programming languages, software development, software architecture, distributed systems, cloud computing, cybersecurity, formal methods, cryptography, and quantum programming languages.

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science offers an inclusive and international working environment with strong traditions for interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with industry and society.

More information can be found at:

• ACP: https://acp.sdu.dk/
• SustainAI: https://sustainai.sdu.dk/
• Department of Mathematics and Computer Science: https://imada.sdu.dk/

Who We Are Looking For

Applicants are expected to hold a PhD degree in Computer Science or a related discipline and to have acquired at least one year of additional research experience following the completion of their doctoral studies, either in academia, research institutes, or industry. Applicants are expected to have completed their PhD before the submission deadline.

An ideal candidate:

• Has demonstrated excellence in research, reflected by publications in leading international venues appropriate to their career stage.
• Shows clear potential to develop an internationally recognized research programme.
• Demonstrates the ability to contribute to the acquisition of competitive research funding.
• Is interested in collaborating across research disciplines and contributing to the strategic development of the SustainAI research group.
• Has the ability and motivation to supervise students and junior researchers.
• Can teach and advise in computer science at all levels.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates with strong publication records in leading venues such as RE, ICSE, FSE, ASE, ESEM, EMSE, TSE, TOSEM, IST, SANER, ICSME, MODELS, CAiSE, BPM, and related conferences and journals.

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Danish is not a requirement. Successful applicants will be offered Danish language courses.

The Tenure-Track Position

The Danish tenure-track system provides a focused pathway toward a permanent academic position. Before the end of the sixth year of employment, and contingent upon a positive academic assessment, the Assistant Professor will transition to a tenured Associate Professor position. Read more about SDU’s tenure-track program here .

The evaluation is based on an overall assessment of the candidate's academic achievements and potential. A particular emphasis will be placed on the ability to develop an independent and internationally recognised research profile, deliver high-quality teaching and supervision, contribute actively to the academic community, and demonstrate the potential to secure competitive external research funding and build an ambitious research programme.

As part of the tenure-track programme, the Assistant Professor is expected to complete SDU's Lecturer Training Programme before the tenure evaluation, unless an equivalent university-level programme has already been completed at another institution.

The evaluation will also take into account the candidate's contributions to the strategic and organisational development of the department, including a willingness to engage in academic leadership and administrative responsibilities.

Questions about the position, the research environment, group may be directed to: Professor Davide Taibi taibi@imada.sdu.dk

Application, salary etc.

Appointment to the position will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please check links for more information on salary (only available in Danish) and taxation .

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.

As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process.

SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary.

Applications will be assessed by an expert committee. When the expert committee issues its assessment, the applicants will be sent the portion of the assessment pertaining to them personally.

The application must include:

• A curriculum vitae
• A full list of publications
• Copy of PhD diploma
• Copies of all publications on which the applicant wishes to be evaluated
• A brief survey of the applicant's most important research results and research plans for the next three years
• A teaching portfolio Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.

Shortlisting may be used as part of the assessment process, and an interview may be included in the overall evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications.

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link “Apply now” . Attached files must be in Adobe PDF format. We strongly recommend that you read How to apply for a position at SDU before you apply.

Since not all members of the appointment committee are Danish-speaking, it is recommended that your application is submitted in English.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark can be found on the University’s website.