Project Description

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (IMADA) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applicants for several positions as Assistant Professor in University Science Education Research, with a particular focus on learning environments, experience and design. All positions contribute to research on how learning environments and experience shape student engagement, learning and study trajectories in STEM education. We invite applications from candidates with disciplinary backgrounds in Mathematics, Computer Science, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Pharmacy or related fields, as well as Education, Pedagogy, Psychology, Design or Learning Sciences, who wish to develop a strong research profile in STEM education. 

Applicants are not expected to cover all areas described in this posting; depth in one profile area is valued. 

The Assistant Professors will be members of the Section for Learning, Experience and Design (LxD) at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (IMADA). The positions are embedded in a research environment that includes, among others, the cross-institutional Novo Nordisk Center for University Science Education (USE), anchored in the STEM Education Research Center FNUG. Depending on profile and project alignment, successful candidates may contribute to research within USE, section-based research in learning, experience and design, or related externally funded projects. 

IMADA is one of four departments at the Faculty of Science, SDU and located in Odense, and is organisationally divided into six sections. The LxD section conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of learning, experience and design, focusing on creating environments, processes and systems that inspire creativity, nurture engagement and foster meaningful interactions in education, professional life and beyond. 

Our research explores how environments – physical, digital, nature-based and hybrid – shape human and more-than-human interactions, cognition, aesthetics and learning across scales and modalities. In this spirit, we also work from the orientation that the whole world can be understood as a nature-based learning environment; an eco-mental system. 

The department wishes to strengthen its research profile in University Science Education broadly, with a particular emphasis on: 

• science programmes and learning environments (e.g. laboratories, makerspaces, studios, hybrid, digital and nature-based environments), 

• science teachers and teaching (including faculty development and pedagogical competence), and 

• science students’ experience, engagement and study paths, including student wellbeing in higher education STEM

The department hosts several major externally funded research initiatives, including the cross-institutional University Science Education (USE) Programme, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and conducted in collaboration with Aarhus University and University of Copenhagen. Successful candidates will be expected to contribute to one or more of these research environments in alignment with their profile and expertise. 

The successful candidates will contribute to discipline-based, interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary education research while engaging in cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration. 

The Assistant Professors will be expected to: 

• Conduct independent and collaborative research in university science education, learning environments, experience research and design, within one or more of the department’s and section’s research areas. 

• Design and study learning environments that support high-quality science learning and student experience (e.g. laboratories, field sites, studios, problem-based and project-based environments, digital, hybrid and nature-based learning environments). 

• Engage with educational technologies (e.g. digital platforms, hybrid learning systems or AI-enhanced tools). 

• Contribute to innovative or inventive methodologies in science education research (e.g. design-based, participatory, arts-based or multimodal approaches) and/or robust evaluation methodologies, including quantitative and mixed methods approaches. 

• Contribute to research on student wellbeing and thriving in higher education STEM (e.g. stress trajectories, identity and belonging, psychosocial learning environments, evidence-based interventions, assessment and evaluation). 

• Contribute to faculty development and organisational change initiatives, for example through workshops, collegial sparring, training-of-trainers activities and design-based research projects. 

• Collaborate with USE Faculty colleagues and partner institutions to translate research findings into concrete educational change at SDU and across partner institutions. 

• Participate in and co-organise USE and section activities such as seminars, conferences, symposia and research & development projects. 

• Contribute to teaching and supervision across the Faculty of Science, including supervision of student projects. 

• Engage in external collaboration and outreach related to university science education and learning environment, experience and design research. 

To be qualified at the level of Assistant Professor, it is expected that the candidate holds a MSc degree in a relevant discipline and a PhD degree in science education, learning environment research, design research, psychology, user experience research, art-science-technology studies or a closely related field, and has a developing publication record in peer-reviewed outlets. Demonstrated experience in externally funded projects, potential to attract external funding, experience with collaborative research and high-quality teaching evaluations will be considered an advantage. For applicants focusing on student wellbeing and intervention research, experience with statistics, evidence synthesis, intervention development or evaluation studies will be considered an advantage. 

We are seeking outstanding candidates with strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills and strong written and oral communication skills. Fluency in English is required; willingness to acquire Danish within two years is an advantage. 

Applicants should have knowledge of, or an interest in developing knowledge of, the Danish higher education system and university science programmes. Documented experience with teaching, outreach and/or collaboration with university teachers, students and educational developers and/or wellbeing professionals will be considered an advantage. Documented experience with learning environment research, experience research, design-based research and user experience, research & development projects, action learning or practice-oriented research is also an advantage. Experience from multiple educational levels—such as primary,  secondary, or vocational education—will also be considered an advantage, especially where it informs understanding of learning pathways into university science programmes. 

The competence profile of successful candidates bridges deep expertise in a science or related discipline with a strong interest in university science education research, learning environments, interdisciplinary collaboration, learning design, student experience and assessment, and faculty development and organisational change. Documented experience with DBER, science education research or closely related areas will be considered an advantage. 

Applicants are expected to contribute to teaching and supervision; the concrete balance between teaching and research may vary by profile and will be clarified during the recruitment process.  

We offer:  

• Several Assistant Professor positions in University Science Education Research: Learning Environments, Experience and Design 

• A stimulating, collaborative, and international research environment  

• Relevant university pedagogical training 

Application deadline: 23rd of April 2026 at 23:59 hours local Danish time

Please see the full call, including how to apply, on https://fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/da/sites/CX_1001/job/3593/?utm_medium=jobshare