About the opportunity
The Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Vienna invites applications for a Tenure-Track Professorship in Security, Society and the Global East. The successful candidate will focus on the relationship between security, societal transformations, and governance, expertise, and everyday life in the Global East, utilizing strong competence in qualitative social science methods. The position is embedded within the Department of Sociology and the Research Network Democracy and Human Rights, offering a multidisciplinary environment with synergies in development studies, political theory, security and peace studies, and area studies.
Salary and benefits
- Opportunity to obtain a permanent position and eventual promotion to full professor.
- Initial contract as Assistant Professor limited to six years.
- Permanent contract as Associate Professor following a positive evaluation of a qualification agreement.
- Possibility of promotion to Full Professor through an internal competitive procedure.
- Attractive salary according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement for University Staff (level A2).
- Organisational retirement plan.
- Dynamic research environment and a wide range of research and teaching support services.
- High quality of life in Vienna.
Who can apply?
- Doctoral degree/PhD.
- Two years of international research experience during or after doctoral studies.
- Outstanding research achievements, excellent publication and funding record, and international reputation.
- Gender and diversity competence.
- Experience in designing and participating in research projects, with the ability to lead research groups and acquire third-party funding.
- Enthusiasm for excellent teaching and supervision at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.
- Requirement to acquire proficiency in German sufficient for teaching in bachelor's programmes and participating in university committees within three years.
Required documents
- Letter of motivation.
- Academic curriculum vitae including: education and training (PhD Certificate), positions held, career breaks, awards and honors, commissions of trust, cooperation partners, list of acquired third-party funding/inventions/patents, list of most important scientific talks (max 10), teaching and mentoring, and supervision experience.
- List of publications.
- Link to a publicly accessible ORCID record with a complete and current publication list.
- Three key publications as electronic full text versions (PDF, max 30 MB).
- Research statement including: most important research achievements (max 2 pages), planned future research activities (max 4 pages), synopsis of three key publications relevant to the position, and publication strategy.
- Teaching and supervision statement including: teaching and supervision concept (max 2 pages) and teaching evaluations (if available).
When to apply
- Application deadline: 09/15/2026
How to apply
- Submit the application exclusively through the "Apply now" link on the official job portal.
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…
- Sociologists or social scientists specializing in the Global East with a focus on security and governance.
- Researchers with deep expertise in qualitative social science methods.
- Scholars eager to collaborate within multidisciplinary networks like Democracy and Human Rights.
What should you think carefully about?
- Candidates must be willing to achieve German language proficiency within three years for university service.
- The position is on-site in Vienna, which may necessitate relocation.
- Success depends on meeting the requirements of a qualification agreement during the initial six-year assistant professorship.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This professorship offers a unique platform for a scholar to bridge the gap between security studies and societal transformation in the Global East. It is a perfect fit for someone looking to build a long-term research agenda within a collaborative faculty environment while contributing to the University of Vienna's established research networks.
Our take
An ideal opportunity for social scientists seeking a tenure-track path in a vibrant, interdisciplinary department with a focus on contemporary global challenges.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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