READVERTISEMENT - Associate Professor in Control Theory

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applications for a position as Associate Professor in Control Theory with emphasis on drone technology and applications.

The targeted starting date of the position is April 1st, 2020, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The position is located within the SDU Unmanned Aerial Systems Center (SDU UAS Center) at the Faculty of Engineering on the international campus in Odense, Denmark. The SDU UAS Center unites research, education, and innovation to create inter- and multi-disciplinary teams focused on numerous key sectors including agriculture, health, maritime, and energy. SDU UAS Center focuses on the ethical research, design, prototyping, development, and test of cyber-physical systems while ensuring practical application in real world environments.

SDU UAS Center is embedded in the Odense Robotics and Drones cluster with a strong network of companies, including some of Denmark's largest global industrial players (Universal Robots, Mobile Industrial Robots, Siemens, Vestas Energinet) and many drone start-up SMEs. Projects currently run by the Center focus on lowering the barriers to integrating drones into society. Free the Drones (FreeD) addresses key enablers for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for maritime environmental monitoring. Drone4Energy addresses the use of drones in harsh environments for energy infrastructure inspection. And HealthDrones seeks to improve health outcomes by connecting remote locations with the new Odense University Hospital under construction.

The SDU UAS Center is a highly international and interdisciplinary group of 20 faculty members, with international students. The campus is in Odense, a world-renown robotics cluster anchored by Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots. Odense is a fast-growing international community with an open Scandinavian culture, affordable housing and living costs. For more information on the SDU UAS Center, please visit https://www.sdu.dk/UAS.

Job description
A successful candidate will drive internationally competitive research, collaborate in and across disciplines, work closely with industry and attract competitive external research funding. The candidate is expected to contribute significantly to SDU UAS Center’s research and teaching environment and to the overall strategy of SDU’s Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute. The candidate is expected to provide outstanding education, supervise bachelor’s, master’s and PhD level students, as well as to contribute to the development of junior faculty research to high international standards.

The candidate will get the opportunity to shape this development together with the team and implement research-project ideas with national and international impact. Topics of interest are: Linear and non-linear systems, programmable logic design, stability theory, signals and systems, and fault tolerant control.

We offer
We offer an inspirational international research environment with excellent facilities (including the SDU UAS Test Center at Hans Christian Andersen Airport) and strong collaborations with research organizations, industry, and regulatory stakeholders. We offer the possibility to contribute to the development of a technology innovation multidisciplinary platform (including innovation spaces and labs) that connects advanced research activities with an active industrial network of partners in the region. We also offer the opportunity to shape our educational programmes to benefit from new developments in pedagogical approaches and content.

We expect
The candidate must possess research qualifications and teaching skills corresponding to those obtained after a successful completion of a period of employment as an assistant professor (or equivalent academic qualifications).

The candidate must have a PhD degree in engineering, control theory or a closely related field, an emerging research track in the field, evidence of excellent teaching at undergraduate and graduate level (e.g. teaching evaluations, awards, having completed pedagogical and supervision courses), evidence of project/s participation with competitive research funding (at national and/or international level). In addition, candidates with practical experience in a company will be preferred.

We are seeking for a highly motivated and outgoing candidate, who works and communicates in an international and interdisciplinary team. The candidate must be a team player and at the same time be able to carry out independent and rigorous work.

We are looking for candidates with experience and competences in several of the following items:

• Mentoring and coaching students in industry collaboration projects, internships, and thesis.
• Ability to work in national and international projects across a variety of industries: agriculture, health, energy, maritime, or critical infrastructure.
• Research method background in both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
• A relevant international network for research and collaboration activities.
• Experience in performing research management activities, editorial experience, planning and running conferences or workshops, etc.
• Experience in attracting and managing externally funded projects with multiple partners (e.g. EU projects).

Contact information
Further information is available from the Head of the Center, Brad Beach at email: [email protected].

Requirements for the position
Employment as an associate professor requires scientific qualifications at PhD level in engineering, control theory or a closely related field.

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material. Applicants will be informed of their assessment by the Faculty.

Shortlisting may be used. Shortlisted applicants will be assessed by an assessment panel.

As part of the overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, the applicant may be called for interview.

Conditions of employment
The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

Application
Your application including the required attachments must be uploaded through the link “Apply Online”. The Faculty expects applicants to read the SDU guidelines for applicants.

Attached files must be in Adobe pdfformat. All pdf-files must be unlocked and allow binding and may not be password protected. In case you have more than one file per field you need to combine the pdf-files into a single file, as each field handles only one file. Each box can only contain a single file of max. 10 Mb.

The application including the required attachments must be in English.

The applications must include:

• A motivational statement that specifically addresses the postition and the SDU UAS Center and highlights your strategy as an associate professor.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• Certificates/Diplomas (MSc and PhD) - Danish or English translation.
• Information on previous teaching experience, please attach as Teaching portfolio.
• List of publications indicating the publications attached.
• Maximum 3 examples of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication, a possible co-author statement must be a part of this pdf-fil.
• Other relevant qualifications.

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.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.