Design School Kolding invites applicants for a position as Assistant Professor in Universal Design.

At Design School Kolding, research activities are organized in the three laboratories: Lab for Sustainability and Design, Lab for Play and Design, and Lab for Social Design. Present position is linked to the Lab for Social Design.

Social Design and Universal Design are strategic focus areas at our school. Over the years we have developed extensive knowledge in social design through design research, artistic development work and our design educations. Since 2020, and with generous funding from the Bevica Foundation, Design School Kolding is implementing Universal Design and the SDG agenda of ‘Leaving no one behind’ (LNOB) in both teaching and research. The aim of this new position is to expand the team working with universal design and social design. We are especially looking for a candidate that have conducted research with children, young people or adults, and have experience with playful methods in this regard.

The overall aim for Lab for Social Design is to contribute to creating social and cultural change. In the Lab we explore social sustainable and inclusive futures within social design, social innovation and welfare design in close collaboration with external partners. We do this through democratic design experiments that uses material oriented- and visual approaches and methods. The design processes are based on collaborative design (co-design) / participatory design and Universal Design approaches which are empathic and performative. Our ambition is that all children and adults can unfold their full potential in all phases of life.

Design research, artistic development work and knowledge from practice jointly form the knowledge base for our educations including continuous education. Generating new knowledge by experimenting through doing and making is in the center of our work. We will therefore prioritize candidates who can document experiences with research through design / practice-based design research / experimental design research.

The position
The main tasks are to conduct research and teach in Social Design and Universal Design. Applicants with a strong passion and prior experience from design research environments resembling our labs are encouraged to apply. As Assistant Professor within Universal Design, you are expected to be responsible for and take active part in one or more research projects in Universal Design in Lab for Social Design. Furthermore, we expect that you will engage in various school activities in order to strengthen research, teaching, and communication.

As Assistant Professor you are expected to teach and supervise at both the MA and BA level. Perhaps you will also teach on continuing education courses. On the MA-level, it will most likely be on our international Design for People or Play Program. Teaching is often carried out in teams. Thus, you are expected to thrive in different roles and are willing to work in trans-disciplinary teams. The BA programs are mainly taught in Danish while the MA-programs are in English. If the candidate is not speaking Danish when employed it is expected that one will follow Danish classes and will be able to fully understand and speak Danish after three years of employment at the latest.

We are searching for a new colleague who

1. has contributed with research to the field of Universal Design / Social Design / Design for Play and Playfulness, and would like to continue developing this field combined with LNOB and Universal design further, and
2. can teach (and preferably has conducted research within) topics that are relevant on one or several of our BA-specializations (Communication Design, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Accessory Design, Industrial Design).

The position is a full-time position for 3 years. The salary is set according to the current collective agreement that regulates the Danish labour market.

Application and process
As a school we emphasize a strong synergy between research and teaching through research-based teaching and teaching-based research. All applicants must document that they hold a PhD degree and document both research and teaching experiences which are relevant for the position. In the application you shall describe how your research and teaching are relevant for the field of Universal Design / Social Design / Design for Play and Playfulness. Besides we would like you to also explain how you can contribute to one or more of the BA-specializations mentioned above. A both strong theoretical foundation and teaching portfolio will be valued.

The application must contain:

• A motivation letter.
• A detailed CV.
• Degree certificates (including PhD-diploma).
• A complete and numbered list of publications with clear indications of which of these have been peer reviewed.
• A portfolio of design research projects including research methodology (max 10 pages).
• A teaching portfolio detailing the candidate’s prior teaching experience, teaching skills, and teaching philosophy. In addition, a list with suggestions of courses or topics one could offer in relation to one or more of the BA-programs and the MA Design for People program.
• A research plan detailing the candidate’s ideas and plans for future research work including how it contributes to the research in Lab for Social Design.

Only applications written in Danish or English will be accepted. Please apply through Design School Kolding’s recruitment system which you find on the advertisement at the school’s website.

Design School Kolding values diversity and welcome both national and international applicants. We wish to reflect our surrounding community and encourages anyone who are qualified to apply for the position, irrespective of personal background.

The application deadline is November 1st, 2023 at 23.59 CEST

After the application deadline, a shortlist of the most promising applicants will be made, which will then be assessed. When the committee has finished its review procedure, each shortlisted applicant will receive an assessment of their application.

Interviews are expected to take place shortly after the hearing process has finished.

We expect the successful applicant to start as soon as possible and January 1st. at the latest.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance, Decleration on the position structure for artistic and scientific staff at the Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation, Aarhus School of Architecture and Designschool Kolding and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

For further information, please contact Project Director Lene Nyhus Friis, [email protected] or +45 20308126

Please read the Design School Kolding Research Strategy or pay a visit to the Design for People, Laboratory for Social Design website

Kilde: Jobnet.dk