Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity with a focus on Human Practices, Values and Behaviours at Aarhus University

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of assistant professor in cybersecurity, based at the Department of Digital Design and Information Studies at the Faculty of Arts.

The assistant professorship is a full-time, three-year fixed-term position. Subject to the availability of funding, there will be an opportunity to apply for a subsequent associate professorship. The department aims to strengthen its research and teaching in the field of cybersecurity, and this position represents an important step towards that goal. The appointment will begin on 1 January 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

The position

The risks and vulnerabilities of digital systems and infrastructures, as well as the integrity, confidentiality and availability of information, are not solely technical issues. They are deeply embedded in human behaviour, work practices, organisational culture and (inter)national politics. These risks and vulnerabilities make it essential to consider the human factor when addressing cybersecurity and information security. Such considerations apply to the design of IT products and services, the integration of precautionary measures into work practices and workflows, and the management of organisational change in response to security threats, strategic development and regulatory requirements. Therefore, we are seeking an applicant with a strong background in cybersecurity. Applicants should demonstrate a research profile grounded in one or more of the following areas:

• Human factors in cybersecurity, with a focus on people’s personal practices, understandings and experiences of cybersecurity across varied contexts, as well as design research into the perceived usability and accessibility of security solutions or interventions.
• Cybersecurity in organisations, with a focus on organisational cultures and structures, employee competencies, behaviour, training, leadership, risk mitigation and management, and the operationalisation and effectiveness of compliance instruments.
• Cybersecurity governance, with a focus on geopolitical developments such as cyberwarfare, cybercrime and control instruments; legislation and standards; tensions between social values in governance approaches; and (inter)national strategies and their imaginaries.

The Department of Digital Design and Information Studies has a strong international profile and a well-established research network. The successful applicant will join an interdisciplinary faculty with thriving research in interaction design, participatory design, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, critical data studies, science, technology and society studies (STS), and digital aesthetics.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant will contribute to the department’s teaching and supervision across both Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, with a particular focus on the information studies programme.

As the successful applicant is expected to play a key role in developing cybersecurity as a strategic research area within the department’s curriculum, applicants should outline in their application how cybersecurity might be integrated into existing courses or introduced as new, standalone courses at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. The successful applicant will also be expected to expand and consolidate one or more of these areas within the department through teaching and research at the highest international level. 

Deadline
09 October 2025