SDU CREATE invites highly motivated candidates who wish to make an impact in the sustainable built environment to apply for available Postdoc positions.  One or more job positions are to be filled as soon as possible, with a preferred start date in April 2026. 

The application deadline is February 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST) 

Scope of the work

The successful candidate(s) will engage in advanced research addressing contemporary challenges in the built environment through computational, experimental, and fabrication-driven approaches. Research activities will be carried out within the Centre’s strategic research areas and objectives, contributing to ongoing projects within one or more of the thematic areas (listed below), with a focus on the development of high-quality and impactful research outcomes.

The appointed candidate(s) will contribute substantively to ongoing and emerging research projects, including the conceptual development of research directions, the definition of appropriate methodologies, and the delivery of research outputs in collaboration with project teams. Research work will be conducted within a team-based structure formed around the Centre´s projects.  

In addition to research, the candidate(s) will contribute to teaching activities within the MSc CREATE programme and the BSc in Civil and Architectural Engineering, with an emphasis on research-informed teaching and the integration of research activities into educational contexts.

The appointed candidate(s) will contribute actively to the Centre’s collaborative research culture, support the visibility of its activities, and participate in the strategic and organisational development of the Centre. We seek highly qualified individuals with a strong commitment to academic excellence and a clear motivation to produce sustained and impactful research.

Thematic Research Areas
Within the Centre’s overall research framework, the selected applicants will develop original research in one or more of the following thematic areas:

• AREA 1: Machine learning and AI-driven methods for design, simulation, and optimisation in architectural and construction engineering.
• AREA 2: Robotic and additive manufacturing processes for construction, including data-driven, sensing, and behaviour-informed robotic workflows.
• AREA 3: Low-carbon 3D concrete printing, including computational design, process optimisation, and experimental validation at construction scale.

About SDU CREATE: Research Environment and Vision

The Centre for Computational Research in Emergent Architectural Technology and Engineering (SDU CREATE), led by Associate Professor Roberto Naboni, investigates advanced concepts in architectural engineering with a focus on computational design, construction robotics, and material innovation. The Centre brings together an international research team working across computer science, robotic systems, material science, and biology and ecology to develop sustainable and adaptive approaches to the built environment.

Located within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark, SDU CREATE benefits from laboratory facilities that include robotic fabrication systems, additive manufacturing technologies, mixed reality design and construction platforms, and advanced structural and mechanical testing equipment. This environment supports collaboration with a wide range of scientific disciplines and strong partnerships with academic and industrial institutions.

SDU CREATE is a core partner in a ten-year national research initiative funded by the Villum Foundation that aims to advance the sustainability of the built environment. Within this programme, the Centre leads the research field on Digitalisation and Automation, where robotics and artificial intelligence are applied to low-carbon and circular construction practices in collaboration with DTU, and contributes to Design for Regeneration, Circularity, and Longevity. The initiative provides an integrated framework for Danish universities to advance research in sustainable, digital, and circular construction.

Responsibilities

The postdoctoral researcher will carry out the following activities under the overall scientific coordination of the Head of Centre:

• Conduct original research within the Centre’s strategic research areas, goals, and projects, operating within a team-based research structure.

• Execute and develop in autonomy work packages and research tasks within research frameworks defined at project and centre level.

• Design, develop, and implement computational tools, robotic workflows, and experimental methodologies in support of the Centre’s research objectives.

• Take an active role in the dissemination of research outcomes through high-impact peer-reviewed publications, international conferences, exhibitions, and curated digital outputs.

• Contribute to teaching activities at master’s and bachelor’s levels, including seminars, studios, and workshops, and co-supervise BSc and MSc theses.

• Collaborate with PhD candidates, research assistants, technical staff, interns, and visiting researchers in shared research and project development activities.

• Share technical, methodological, and scientific expertise across the Centre, providing methodological guidance and contributing to collective research knowledge and exchange.

• Support the Centre´s research coordination across projects by facilitating alignment of methods, workflows, and day-to-day research activities.

• Contribute to the preparation of external research funding applications and the acquisition of grants to sustain and expand the Centre’s research capabilities.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of laboratory, experimental, and digital infrastructures, and to their integration into research and teaching activities.

• Contribute to service, institutional and organisational activities within the Centre.

The candidate's engagement in these activities will advance according to their growing experience, aiming to uphold the Centre's excellence and cultivate distinguished academic profiles for subsequent career advancement.

Candidate Requirements

Applications are invited from exceptional candidates who hold, or are close to completing, a PhD degree in a discipline relevant to the specified research areas. Candidates must demonstrate:

• Internationally recognised peer-reviewed research publications.

• Proficiency in advanced research projects within computational design and engineering, robotic and digital fabrication, and innovative material development and testing.

• Advanced proficiency in Grasshopper, with demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas, as relevant to the specific research area: Python or C#, robotics, additive manufacturing, finite element analysis, or computational fluid dynamics.

• Experience in teaching and co-supervising thesis students at university level

• Experience in planning, running and coordinating laboratory activities, including hands-on experimental and fabrication processes.

• High proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

• Strong communication and coordination skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary research teams.

• A proven track record in contributing to the preparation or acquisition of external research funding, while not mandatory, is considered an advantage.

• Demonstrated engagement with academic and industrial partners at the national or international level is highly valued.

Contact information

For further information about this position and SDU CREATE's activities, please contact the Head of Centre, Associate Professor Roberto Naboni, at ron@iti.sdu.dk. 

For additional information on the Centre´s work, visit the website: www.create-sdu.com. 

If you experience technical problems, please contact hcm-support@sdu.dk. 

Application procedure

Please ensure you have read the SDU information on how to apply before submitting your application. Your application should be submitted in English and include the following documents, uploaded in the specified sequence and PDF format:

1. Curriculum Vitae, including academic and professional employment, descriptions of research projects, teaching and supervision experience, funding experience, awards, exhibitions, keynote and invited lectures, and computational skills.

2. List of Publications, including attached articles that you wish to be assessed by the committee.

3. Verified Copies of Master's and Doctoral Diplomas in English. If you are currently enrolled in a PhD programme, include a brief statement indicating the expected date of thesis completion and defence.

4. Motivation Letter & Research Statement (maximum of 5 pages). Outline your research area, qualifications for the position, research interests specific to the position and your goals 

5. Portfolio of Works (up to 15 pages) showcasing research, teaching, or professional projects.

6. Reference List: Include at least two references, providing names and email addresses. These references may be contacted during the selection process.

SUBMISSION GUIDE: The Motivation Letter shall be uploaded in the box ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae shall be uploaded in the box ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents shall be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files of max 50 MB per file). 

CPR number (civil registration no.) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected.

The application deadline is February 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST) 

Assessment and selection process

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. Shortlisting may be applied, and only shortlisted candidates will receive a written assessment. Read about shortlisting at SDU.  Interviews and tests may be part of the overall evaluation.

Read about the Assessment and selection process.  

Conditions of employment
The advertised position(s) last for 12 or 24 months. The ideal commencement date for the role is April 1, 2026, or as soon as possible. While this position has a fixed contractual term, there are concrete opportunities for further career development within the Centre. The workplace is at SDU Odense in Denmark. Successful candidates will be employed in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the state with the associated circular on the protocol for the job structure for academic staff at Danish universities and the provisions for postdoc as described herein. For additional details regarding salary and taxation, please visit: https://www.sdu.dk/en/om-sdu/job-sdu/international-staff/working-in-denmark. 

Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial evaluation, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

Employment as a postdoc requires scientific qualifications at PhD level at the time of employment.

The University of Southern Denmark wishes our staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, are subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position.

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.