Assistant Professor at The Royal Danish Defence College

Job title: Assistant Professor at The Royal Danish Defence College

Company: Svanemollens Kaserne


Job description: The Section for Strategic Studies and Great Power Competition at the Royal Danish Defence College (RDDC) invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Military Strategy.About the Section for Strategic Studies and Great Power Competition
Successful applicants will be joining the Section for Strategic Studies and Great Power Competition, a group of approximately 15 military analysts and civilian scholars (with backgrounds in Political Science, International Relations, and War Studies, among other fields), which makes up one of three sections within the Institute for Strategy and War Studies.We focus on teaching courses and producing practice-oriented research and analyses about the ongoing great power competition between China, Russia, and the United States, and its military-strategic implications for the Kingdom of Denmark and Danish Defence. Our military analysts and civilian scholars cover a broad palette of issues related to great power competition, including deterrence and coercive diplomacy, Danish defense and security policy, cyber conflict, hybrid warfare, and international alliances and defense cooperation with a special emphasis on NATO and Nordic cooperation. We also have extensive area studies expertise that emphasizes China, Russia, the United States, Indo-Pacific, the Baltic Sea region, and the Arctic.Copenhagen is regularly ranked among the most livable cities in the world. The Royal Danish Defence College is located at Svanemøllen Barracks in the Østerbro district of Copenhagen, a fifteen-minute commute by public transport from the city center.About the position
Assistant professor is a temporary position for up to four years that may lead to a permanent position as associate professor.Our coming assistant professor is generally expected to divide his or her time between four core duties: education, research, support of public agencies under the Danish Ministry of Defence, and public dissemination of research results, where the former two tasks are the main priorities.Our new assistant professor will specifically contribute to the development and execution of an executive education program on military affairs directed at non-military policymakers from Greenland.Our new assistant professor will also be part of the team that teaches practice-oriented courses about military strategy and military affairs on the master’s and bachelor’s level, as well as the intermediate diploma level, using innovative pedagogical methods tailored to a diverse student population. Our students at the bachelor’s and diploma levels are young cadets who are working towards becoming junior officers and who typically either come directly from another bachelor’s program or who may have a few years of professional experience. In our master’s program, the student body mainly consists of mid-career officers who come with substantial military experience.We are especially interested in candidates who can help further strengthen our existing expertise within the study of NATO, Russian military strategy, and/or Arctic security affairs. All researchers at RDDC enjoy academic freedom and we value research with a clear practical application, either because it produces publications that can be used directly in our courses or because the research is useful for agencies under the Danish Ministry of Defence.Our assistant professor will also be expected to advise and support agencies under the Danish Ministry of Defence. Dissemination of relevant research results to the broader public may also be part of the role.It is expected, but not guaranteed, that a permanent position as associate professor will be created as a continuation of this assistant professorship. An upgrade to associate professor will follow RDDC regulations and typically involves an evaluation of the merits of the candidate, including a completed teaching certificate (universitetspædagogikum), as well as an open competition for the position against external candidates. We will work with our new assistant professor to develop a realistic teaching and research plan that will enable the assistant professor to compete for the position as associate professor.We hope that our new assistant professor will be able to start in October 2025 or soon thereafter.The RDDC will advise foreign applicants (if hired) in moving to Denmark and setting up their household here. This includes assisting in getting a work and residential permit, advice in finding temporary accommodation, as well as offering advice on how best to move to Denmark with a family if relevant.Salary (before tax, exclusive 17.1% pension): Approximately 41,500 DKK per monthNote: Foreign applicants may be eligible for the Special Tax Scheme for Researchers.The ideal applicant
You hold a terminal degree (PhD or equivalent, JD, etc) in Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, History, War Studies, or a closely related field and you have prior experience with research and teaching related to strategic studies and military affairs. The position is also open to you, if you are a PhD candidate who will be defending your thesis within six months of starting the position. In that case, you may be hired as a research assistant for up to six months or until you have successfully defended your thesis (after which you will assume the position as assistant professor).You have relevant teaching experience and you have demonstrated good pedagogical skills. Ideally, you have previously taught courses on military affairs, strategic studies, and/or international relations. Our classes are specifically designed to provide analytical tools for understanding the concrete military-strategic challenges facing the Kingdom of Denmark and Danish Defence. We therefore expect you to have an interest in military practice and the ability to convey complex theoretical and doctrinal concepts using military cases and examples from the real world.You have an emerging research track record and a clear research agenda in a relevant field, which entails an interest in publishing research in high-quality international peer-reviewed journals and volumes and/or applying for external funding. You are a team-player who goes the extra mile to support your colleagues and you want to contribute to the institutional and intellectual development of the section, the institute, and RDDC broadly speaking. A research background related to NATO, Russian military strategy, and/or Arctic security affairs will be viewed as an advantage, but you can still apply without experience with these subject matters, if you demonstrate a keen interest in directing your research in at least one of these directions.It is an advantage, but not a necessity, if you have prior advisory experience, experience as a civil servant as well as experience with public dissemination.Professional English proficiency is a requirement, while proficiency in Danish, a related Scandinavian language, Faroese, or Greenlandic will be viewed as an advantage, but not a requirement. If you do not speak Danish, you will be expected to present a plan for how you will learn Danish within a realistic time frame. Relevant language training may be offered after prior agreement with the RDDC.For further information, please contact section leader Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen, email: , phone: +45 5090 9607ApplicationApplication deadline: 12th of august 2025Applications should contain:– Cover letter– CV including an overview of language proficiency– Publication list that provides an overview of the candidate’s peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications– Research Plan for the coming four years– Teaching Portfolio outlining the candidate’s teaching experience– PhD certificate and other relevant documents and credentials– Electronic copies of up to five relevant publications, including co-author statements where relevant– A list of up to three professional references, including contact information. The RDDC may contact these references if relevant.If you are a non-Danish speaking applicant, you should still apply through the electronic application procedure and attached all relevant material.Interviews are expected to be carried out with shortlisted candidates shortly after the deadline.As an employee at the Ministry of Defence, you must be able to obtain a security clearance and you are obliged to participate in peace-making and peace-keeping operations if required.In the Ministry of Defence’s organization, we believe that diversity optimizes task performance. Therefore, we encourage all interested individuals, regardless of background, to apply for the position.About The Royal Danish Defence College
We educate and train Danish Defence forces to solve the unique tasks of the Danish Defence. We achieve this through contemporary, relevant, and flexible education and training.We translate demands in the field to education and training and ensure a constant connection to practice. Our education and training rests on a solid foundation of professional expertise with research within the three core fields of military studies: military operations, military strategy, and military leadership. Through our education and training, we ensure learning and growth for service members at all levels throughout their entire career.We contribute to the public debate through qualified research and development. We advise on Danish defence and security policy and on the practical challenges our society faces – today and in the future.

Expected salary:

Location: København

Job date: Wed, 30 Jul 2025 22:16:47 GMT

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