Assistant professor / lecturer with a PhD in movement, play and daycare pedagogy

Do you want to help shape the educators of the future through strong professional standards, practice-oriented teaching and new knowledge about children's well-being, development, play and movement? Are you passionate about developing teaching where theory and practice meet, and where the students train their professional judgment and action competence in working with children in day-care? Then perhaps you are the one we are looking for.

The Teacher Education in Odense seeks an associate professor/reader with a PhD for teaching and development within day-care pedagogy with a particular focus on movement, play, body and learning environments. The position is to be filled on 1 February 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a professionally strong and engaged colleague who can teach day-care pedagogy with a focus on children's play, movement, bodily learning, participation opportunities and the development of pedagogical learning environments.

You should be able to create teaching that helps students connect research-based knowledge, pedagogical theories and didactic methods with professional judgment and concrete actions in the day-care practice.

We expect that you can incorporate current societal agendas on well-being, communities and children's participation, and create a clear link between teaching, practice and the profession. You do this by working with practice-based problems, incorporating empirical data and experiences from the day-care sector, and supporting students' reflection on professional action and pedagogical choices.

As a teacher you are expected to be able to

• Plan and implement motivating, high-quality learning experiences where goals, content, activities and assessment are coherent.
• Create learning spaces where students are both academically challenged and confident enough to practice, test ideas and develop their professional competences.
• Teach in day-care pedagogical themes with a particular focus on movement, play, corporeality and learning environments for children.
• Integrate playful didactics and understanding of technology so that students gain experience with exploratory and participatory learning forms.
• Contribute to development and research projects where new knowledge is translated into education and profession.

We expect that you

• Have a relevant master's degree, a PhD, and professional experience.
• Have solid knowledge of day-care pedagogy and the development, learning and well-being of young children.
• Have documented knowledge of movement, play, bodily learning or health promotion in pedagogical practice.
• Have teaching experience, preferably from professional bachelor programs or higher education.
• Have familiarity with pedagogical practice and the target groups of teacher education.
• Can create a clear link between research, theory and practice.

What you can look forward to

You will become part of an engaged educational environment where students are the focal point. Together we develop study programs that connect theory and practice, strengthen study enjoyment and create clear progression in competencies. You will be responsible for teaching students, participate in project work and become an active contributor to the development of teacher education.

As an associate professor/reader at the Teacher Education in Odense and Svendborg you will become part of a large and vibrant educational environment with about 1,200 students and 40 educational staff members.

As a researcher we expect you can contribute to theoretically and methodologically solid development and research projects in the professional field. It is an advantage if you have experience with research communication, project management and fundraising.

Employment

You are appointed on 1 February 2027 and your average working time will be 37 hours per week.

Your primary place of employment will be Niels Bohrs Allé 1, Odense M but there may be activity at UCL’s other addresses in Odense C, Svendborg, Vejle or Jelling.

The appointment is made in accordance with the circular on the state academics collective agreement as well as the regulation on the position structure for teachers at business academies, professional bachelor’s colleges and the Danish School of Media and Journalism . The position is covered by the principles of New Pay.

If you are employed as an associate professor, you will join a lecturer qualification program, cf. Regulation on lecturer qualification, lecturer assessment and docent assessment of teachers at business academies, professional colleges, The Danish School of Media and Journalism and certain maritime educational institutions . An associate professor program lasts a maximum of 4 years.

If you are employed as a lecturer, we would like you to be lecturer-qualified according to the 2013 position structure.

If you are lecturer-qualified according to previous structures, you may, by agreement, choose that the appointment proceeds under previously centrally fixed pay and employment terms according to the 2003 position structure, which among other things can affect the size of your lecturer surcharge and the possibility to be named a member of the lecturer assessment committee.

Alternatively you can agree to a renewed lecturer assessment under the current position structure and according to the rules in chapter 5 of Regulation on lecturer qualification, lecturer assessment and docent assessment for teachers at business academies, professional colleges, The Danish School of Media and Journalism and certain maritime educational institutions . The assessment is based on a short 8-page lecturer request regarding competencies in research and development. The request must be submitted to UCL as part of the hiring process.

The assessment will be decided within 3-6 weeks by an external assessment committee appointed by UCL. In the event of a negative assessment, the appointment may be made under the previous position structure or as an associate professor.

UCL offers guidance in preparing the request

More information

If you have questions about the position, you are welcome to contact the education and research leader Agnete Lyngbye Kramme at telephone 29 38 60 62.

Application deadline

Submit your application, CV, relevant examinations and possibly a list of publications via ucl.dk/job no later than 22 November 2026. Interviews will be held on 30 November 2026.