Would you like to help research why some SMEs succeed with the transition?

Application deadline 19 Oct 23:59 CEST

Expected start Jan 1

• Institute for Management, Universitetsbyen 61 8000 Aarhus C
• Fixed-term full-time position 1 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 ID: 167582

Apply for the position

Do you want to help create research-based knowledge about why some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) succeed in development and transformation – while others do not?

The Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Center for SME), Institute for Management, Aarhus BSS is seeking a postdoc for a 3-year research period focusing on the mechanisms of impact in SMEs. The position is tied to the center's practice-oriented research and development projects in SMEs. The projects include both action research and follow-up research. In the research, a mixed-methods approach is typically used.

The specific position is linked to the research project Innovationshub for Circular Plastics , where the focus is on understanding which organizational, managerial, and contextual mechanisms support successful execution and transformation in SMEs, as well as 1-2 upcoming projects.

We are seeking a postdoc who is passionate about contributing with new knowledge through research about what it takes for SMEs to succeed in development and transformation, and who can work with mixed methods, thrive close to the practice field, and be motivated to work in a research environment where we develop knowledge together.

About the position

As a postdoc you will be a central part of a strong and closely collaborative research environment, where we work long-term to understand what actually works in SMEs – and why.

You will not be hired for one isolated project, but will join a team that across several larger projects works with a comparable methodological approach and a common research design. This offers a special opportunity to systematically compare results across projects and build a cumulative knowledge base about the mechanisms, organizational conditions, and managerial interventions that support successful execution, development, and transformation in SMEs.

We place great emphasis on a work environment characterized by professionalism, community, and high trust. You will have responsibility and the opportunity to influence both research processes, analyses, and results, but you will not stand alone. We work closely together on research design, data collection, analysis, publications, and dissemination, and have a strong culture of sparring, knowledge sharing, and collective reflection.

You will be part of a center that works for and with small and medium-sized Danish companies, which are the core target group for our research. Our ambition is to create