Postdoctoral Researcher In Critical Data Studies

The Center for Organizational Datafication and its Ethics in Society (CODES) at the Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark, invites applications for a 2-year position as Postdoctoral Researcher within the area of critical data studies and data ethics. The start date is as soon as possible in 2026 and will be agreed with the successful candidate.

The position is embedded in a research initiative within the ADD – Algorithms, Data, and Democracy consortium (VILLUM and VELUX Foundations), focused on the negative epistemology of data: the systematic study of what is not captured as data, what is excluded or rendered invisible in datafication processes, and what follows from those omissions. Key concerns include data ontology, synthetic data, inferential proxies, data inequality, and the politics of data – examined across organizations, regions, groups and economies. The project pursues both conceptual and empirical work and is expected to produce journal articles and publicly accessible materials on datafication.

The postdoctoral researcher will have substantial freedom to define their own research agenda within this broad scope, and to connect their work to the wider intellectual territory of the ADD consortium and CODES. The center’s remit spans datafication, algorithmic governance, AI ethics, AI and society, and the critical study of digital transformation, offering a broad and stimulating environment for ambitious independent research. The position is anchored at CODES/SDU; collaboration with all ADD consortium partners is actively encouraged.

The postdoctoral researcher will lead a program of original research within the framework described above. The position carries significant autonomy: the successful candidate is expected to develop and pursue a specific research agenda in close dialogue with the project leader and the CODES research community. Specifically, the postdoc will:

• Conduct original empirical and conceptual research on data ontology, negative epistemologies of data, data inequality, and the societal and ethical consequences of digital transformation
• Produce peer-reviewed journal articles of high international quality
• Contribute to publicly accessible materials on datafication for general audiences
• Participate in ADD consortium workshops and cross-disciplinary activities
• Engage with relevant societal actors, including policy-makers, civil society organizations, and commercial entities
• Contribute to grant acquisition and impact activities at CODES
• Collaborate with researchers at the Department of Technology and Innovation and across the ADD network

The position is characterized by an expectation of intellectual independence. The successful candidate brings their own theoretical and methodological sensibility to the project and develops it in active, ongoing collaboration with the team.

Appointment to the position requires a PhD degree or equivalent. We are seeking candidates with:

• A strong research background in fields such as critical data studies, organizational studies, sociology, data science with a critical or interpretive orientation, or science and technology studies (STS)
• Demonstrable interest in the philosophical, political, economic, or ethical dimensions of datafication, data ontology, or data governance
• Experience with qualitative research methodologies; experience with interview-based research, discourse analysis, ethnography, or interpretive case study methodology is a particular advantage
• A track record of, or clear potential for, high-quality scholarly publication
• The ability to work independently and as an active member of an interdisciplinary team

The project is transdisciplinary in orientation. Candidates whose primary training is in an interpretive or critical tradition, and who can demonstrate the relevance of their scholarly background to the project themes, are strongly encouraged to apply. CODES is actively building a diverse research community and welcomes applications from researchers with a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, career trajectories, and personal perspectives.

Employment as a Postdoctoral Researcher will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations for academics in the Danish state, with the associated Circular on the Protocol on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities and the provisions for postdoc as described therein. The appointment is for 2 years. The place of employment is the Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark, Campus Odense. Persons employed in the position may, based on a specific individual managerial assessment, be exempted from time registration, also known as a “self-organizer”.

Salary will be in accordance with the collective agreement and the associated salary protocol. The salary includes a pension contribution. Employees are entitled to negotiate their salary when taking up employment with SDU and once annually thereafter.

Applications must be submitted electronically via SDU’s recruitment system. The application must include:

• A motivated cover letter (max. 2 pages) describing the applicant’s research background, scholarly interests, and their relevance to the project
• A detailed curriculum vitae, including month/year specifics for all education and employment
• Certified copies of relevant degree certificates (minimum master’s and PhD), including examination results (incl. an official English translation)
• A complete list of publications, indicating which are most relevant to the position
• A brief research outline (max. 1 page) describing how the candidate would approach a first study within the project framework
• A statement/documentation of other qualifications relevant to the position may also be included.

Applications that are incomplete with regard to the above requirements may be rejected without substantive evaluation.

All documents must be in English and PDF format. CPR number (civil registration number) must be crossed out. All PDF-files must be unlocked, allow binding and may not be password protected.

SUBMISSION GUIDE: Motivated application must be uploaded under ‘Cover letter’ (max. 5 MB), Curriculum Vitae must be uploaded under ‘Resume’ (max 5 MB). All other documents must be uploaded under ‘Miscellaneous documents’ (max 10 files with a maximum 50 MB per file).

If you experience technical problems, please contact our email support .

The application deadline is April 19, 2026, at 11:59 PM/23:59 (CET/CEST

For further information about the position and the project, please contact:

Professor Alf Rehn , Director, CODES

Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark

aamr@iti.sdu.dk

Further information about CODES is available at www.sdu.dk/forskning/codes.

Further information about the ADD project is available at www.algorithms-democracy.dk .

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark. You may also visit WorkinDenmark for additional information.

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.

The University of Southern Denmark wishes its staff to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position. SDU conducts research in critical technologies, which, due to the risk of unwanted knowledge transfer, is subject to a number of security measures. Therefore, based on information from open sources, background checks may be conducted on candidates for the position(s).

SDU is committed to the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and has been awarded the HR Excellence in Research badge in recognition of its commitment to fair and transparent recruitment and appraisal procedures.