About the opportunity
Aalborg University invites applications for two postdoctoral positions at the Department of Culture and Communications on the Copenhagen campus, starting March 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. These are full-time, fixed-term positions for 22.5 months. The postdocs will join the research project TIMED: How children and youth learn time sense in educational transitions, supported by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) through a Sapere Aude Research Leader grant and led by Jin Hui Li. TIMED investigates the social, sensory, and embodied learning processes through which children and youth navigate temporal expectations across educational transitions, such as from kindergarten to school or from compulsory school to vocational education. The project combines perspectives from sociology of education, sociology of time, sociology of the senses, and lived social class. Each postdoc will lead an independent sub-project involving multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork while collaborating closely with the project team on shared methodology, analysis, and international peer-reviewed publications.
Salary and benefits
- Full-time employment for a fixed term of 22.5 months.
- Salary and employment conditions in accordance with the agreement for academics in the state and the protocol on certain employment terms for academic staff at universities.
- Integration into the TIMED research environment and the Centre for Educational Research (CfU) research group.
- Opportunities to participate in international research stays, seminars, joint analysis, and academic publishing.
Who can apply?
- Must hold a PhD degree by the start of employment in a relevant humanities or social science discipline, such as education, educational science, sociology, anthropology, or related fields.
- Must have a PhD age of no more than four years as of October 7, 2025.
- Must have experience with qualitative and ethnographic research.
- Must be able to speak and understand Danish at a level that enables ethnographic fieldwork among Danish-speaking children, youth, and professionals.
- Must have documented experience publishing in international peer-reviewed journals and writing in academic English.
- Must possess strong collaboration, communication, and independent structuring skills.
Required documents
- Motivated application indicating whether applying for Postdoc 1, Postdoc 2, or both, along with qualifications, intentions, and visions for the position.
- Project description of approximately 3 pages excluding bibliography (two descriptions required if applying for both positions).
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Diplomas and certificates (Master's degree and PhD degree).
- Publication list indicating attached publications for assessment (maximum of five publications) along with a co-author statement if applicable.
- Documentation of teaching qualifications, if relevant.
- Documentation of dissemination qualifications, including participation in committees, boards, or associations.
- Other qualifications and references/recommendations.
When to apply
- Application deadline is December 11, 2026.
- Employment commences on March 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter.
How to apply
- Prepare all required application documents including the project proposal and publication list.
- Access Aalborg University's recruitment system through the official vacancy page.
- Submit the application online via the recruitment portal by the December 11, 2026 deadline.
Additional information
- Teaching tasks within the educational field may occur by agreement, which can extend the employment period accordingly.
- Postdoc 1 focuses on the transition from kindergarten to school through long-term ethnographic fieldwork.
- Postdoc 2 focuses on the transition from compulsory school to vocational education through long-term ethnographic fieldwork.
- The recruitment process includes a shortlisting process and may involve a risk assessment for workplace security, compliance, and integrity.
- A three-month mutual probationary period applies to the positions.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Early-career researchers with a completed PhD in education, sociology, anthropology, or related fields who meet the DFF four-year PhD age limit.
- Scholars with hands-on experience in qualitative and ethnographic fieldwork involving children, youth, or educational institutions.
- Candidates proficient in both Danish for fieldwork and academic English for international publishing.
What should you think carefully about?
- The positions are fixed-term for 22.5 months, requiring careful career planning post-project.
- Fluency in Danish is mandatory to conduct fieldwork with Danish participants, which may limit international applicants without Danish language skills.
- Relocation to Copenhagen, Denmark, is required for the duration of the project.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
These postdoctoral roles suit researchers seeking to establish an academic profile in the sociology of education, time studies, or ethnographic methodologies. They provide dedicated research time, funding support through a major national grant, and opportunities for high-impact international publishing and collaboration within an active university research center.
Our take
Early-career qualitative researchers with a background in education or social sciences and working proficiency in Danish should seriously consider applying. Those lacking ethnographic fieldwork experience or Danish language competency will find the roles unsuitable.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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