Senior Researcher / Research Professor in Viking Age Studies

Motivated by a desire to strengthen the research field of Viking Age Studies, the National Museum of Denmark is seeking a candidate to fill the position of Senior Researcher or Research Professor in Viking Age Studies. Based on the National Museum’s archaeological collection of finds from the Viking Age, the successful applicant is expected to establish an interdisciplinary research environment in collaboration with colleagues at the Museum and from other Danish and international research institutions. It is the National Museum’s ambition to establish a new research centre focusing on Viking Age history and culture in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, the aim of which is to make significant contributions to research and to develop new ways of disseminating research-based knowledge to the general public.
 

The position is co-financed by the Krogager Foundation for the first five years. Annual reporting to this foundation is required.
 

Job description

The primary task for the Senior Researcher/Research Professor will be to develop and spearhead a large new interdisciplinary research program at the Museum and to make this research relevant to the general public through research dissemination in collaboration with audience initiatives and the department of experience designs. The successful applicant will be an archaeological or historical researcher at an internationally competitive level with a focus on the Viking Age – and possibly also the Germanic Iron Age – in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic.
 

The position is permanent. During the first three years the Senior Researcher/Research Professor will be allocated increased time for research (80%) in order to initiate and obtain external funding for a research centre. If the Museum appoints a Senior Researcher to the position, a temporary research professorship with special responsibilities (MSO) or a research professorship with a focus on inter­disci­plinary research and research dissemination will be posted after a three-year period, provided that a strong, inter­disciplina­ry research environment has been established at that time. If so, the professor will be employed according to the terms of employment applying to academic staff at, for example, museums.
 

Required qualifications                                              

We are looking for an internationally recognised researcher who:
 

• holds a PhD in archaeology or history or a related discipline
• has a proven record of high-profile international publications
• has a good track record in attracting external funding in a competitive environment
• has experience with research leadership
• has experience with inter-disciplinary research, including good collaboration skills
• has developed innovative theoretical and methodological approaches to research in areas such as cultural history and/or material culture
• has an ability to engage in wider academic and comparative discussions of cross-disciplinary relevance
• has a strong national and international research network
• has excellent communications skills and a willingness to develop new ways to communicate research to the general public
• is a good colleague and willing to collaborate with colleagues from across the Museum
   

The applicants are expected to have obtained their experience from previous employment at an institute of higher education, a sector research institution, a museum or the equivalent.
 

Since the primary working language at the National Museum is Danish, a non-Danish-speaking employee is expected to acquire the necessary Danish language skills within a short period of time (max. two years).

The employment is associated with regular travel activity.
 

Terms of salary and employment

The working hours are 37 hours a week. Terms of pay and employment are determined in accordance with the collective agreement for academics employed by the Danish state and executive order of 30 October 2015 on the job structure for academic staff with research responsibilities in archives, libraries, museums etc. under the Danish Ministry of Culture. The position as Professor is on remuneration in pay scale 37.

The position as Senior Researcher/Research Professor is expected to be filled on 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible hereafter.

The place of employment is the National Museum, Department of Prehistory, Middle Ages and Renaissance, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, 1220 Copenhagen.
 

Application procedure

The National Museum is actively working to promote equality among employees and encourages all qualified, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.

The application is to be submitted in English and must include the following:

• Letter with motivation for the application (max. one page). The position may be applied for at the senior researcher level or at the research professor level. The level for which you apply should be clearly indicated in the motivation letter. Please note, however, that it is also possible to apply at both levels. We encourage you to do so if in doubt
• Curriculum vitae, incl. education, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• Research plan with a description of current and future research plans (max. 3-5 pages), including planned dissemination of research to the public
• Individual copies of publications to be considered in the assessment. Applicants may choose a maximum of five scholarly works, of which a maximum of two may be monographs, and at least three of the works must have been published no more than five years before the application deadline. Full copies must be sent by post or uploaded as pdf (maximum size pr. file 2 mb) via the electronic recruitment system. Links to publications are not accepted
• Transcript of university exams into English, if not written in English, Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish

If a publication to be considered in the evaluation has more than one author, or is the result of a collective effort, it must be clearly specified which part of the publication the applicant is responsible for. In the absence of a specification, the Assessment Committee will disregard that publication(s).

Applications must be sent via the electronic recruitment system on our website www.natmus.dk/job and must be uploaded by June 14, 2024.

Any publications to be included in the assessment must be received by the National Museum on June 14, 2024. Publications can either be uploaded to the recruitment system or sent to Nationalmuseet, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, DK-1220 København K, Denmark, marking the envelope ‘Personale’. Publications sent to the Museum must be submitted in 3 copies. Only books or similar will be returned.

The Research Council of the Ministry of Culture will set up an expert Assessment Committee to evaluate the applications. When the Committee has completed its assessment, each applicant will receive the part of the overall assessment that specifically refers to her/him. Selected applicants will be invited for interviews in a panel set up by the National Museum.

For specific questions about the position, please contact Deputy Director Lars Højer, [email protected], phone +45 41 20 69 05 or Head of Research Michael Andersen, [email protected], phone +45 41 20 61 10.

Nationalmuseet er Danmarks kulturhistoriske hovedmuseum og et statsmuseum under Kulturministeriet. Nationalmuseet styrker historiebevidsthed og medborgerskab ved at belyse Danmarks og verdens kulturer og deres indbyrdes afhængighed. Ca. 655 medarbejdere er fordelt på 4 afdelinger: Forskning, Samling og Bevaring, Museer og Slotte, Nationalmuseet København samt Drift og Administration. Se mere om Nationalmuseet på www.natmus.dk