PROFESSUR "WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, INSBESONDERE KÜNSTLICHE INTELLIGENZ UND ERKLÄRBARKEIT" (W2/W3)

The School of Management and Technology at Leuphana University of Lüneburg invites applications for the following junior professorship: information systems, in particular artificial intelligence and explainability (w2/w3)

Frist: 25.09.2022

DEAR APPLICANTS, WELCOME TO LEUPHANA UNIVERSITY! 

Leuphana is a young university that emphasizes innovation, rather than tradition. It aspires to create a stimulating space for the collective search for knowledge and sustainable solutions. Our success is based on the creativity and energy of our professors and academic staff. We encourage researchers to cross disciplinary boundaries, take responsibility and impact on society. We convey this understanding to our students in teaching, research projects and campus life. At Leuphana, every course of study is built on a holistic approach. The emphasis is on socially relevant issues instead of subjects. For our students, this means engaging in different scientific approaches from day one. We promote in particular female students in their scientific and technical interests and education. 

The School of Management and Technology at Leuphana University covers a broad spectrum of disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills. The school's mission is to combine disciplinary and interdisciplinary strengths in research and teaching to advance knowledge, entrepreneurial thinking, and responsible action and management for business and society. The school has signed the UN Principles of Responsible (Management) Education and is a member of the Global Business School Network (GBSN). GBSN is a non-profit organisation harnessing the strength of a network of institutions to address the critical need for skilled managers, entrepreneurs and leaders in the developing world by increasing access to high-quality, locally relevant education. The school has established broad connections to regional business and government which result in development and transfer projects, bring practitioners into the classroom, and allow students to meet potential employers during their studies. 

We are looking for an outstanding personality from the research area of Artificial Intelligence. Among others, your main focus lies on explainability in data-driven models, predominantly artificial (deep) neural networks. 

With a strong background in core Al, the professorship in Al & Explainability will help to sharpen and complement the Institute's data-driven expertise, especially at the technical and methodological levels. In teaching you will contribute and shape our Master's program in Management & Data Science as well as our Bachelor's program in Information Systems and the PhD program. You have a passion and interest in opening up the topics of Al & Explainability to interested students from all disciplines and building on data literacy programs such as datax. Through transfer activities, the Professorship for Al & Explainability will contribute to enabling companies in Lüneburg and the Metropolitan area of Hamburg in the development of trustworthy and explainable data-driven solutions. 

You have established a vibrant international network and accumulated international experience in research and teaching. This is demonstrated, for example, by your activities in leading national and international scientific associations, journals and conferences, a strong publication record in the highest-ranked journals and conferences, as well as an ability to attract competitive external funding for your research projects. You are also willing to actively contribute to deepening and extending international partnerships in research and teaching, and to participate in joint research proposals. 

The professorship will be assigned to the Institute of Information Systems (IIS). The IIS works on innovative topics in Information Systems and Data Science. The institute aims to develop and apply machine learning and Al methods for the modeling and solution of data driven decision problems. 

You share the idea of the university as an educational community and facilitate academic cooperation within the institute, the School of Management and Technology and the university as a whole. As a scholar, you will contribute to and advance one of the following profile areas “Digital Transformation, “Responsible and Sustainability Management” and “Entrepreneurship” according to the mission of the School of Management and Technology. Beyond research and teaching, you strive to inspire and educate students as well as non-academics to make a sustainable impact on people, organizations and society. 

For this position, we are seeking a committed researcher with an outstanding international research profile in combination with a track record of unique ideas put into action and the dedication to create impact in the academic field as well as in society. You have an excellent command of the English language. Ideally, you have spent a longer time of your career at a leading international institution, and you have a strong track record of teaching classes in English. If you do not speak German, you are ready and willing to learn it within a reasonable period. 

The requirements for employment (paygrade W2/W3) are based on $ 25 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG), and include a university degree in a discipline relevant to the open position; your aptitude for teaching; and your ability to engage in independent academic research as demonstrated by the outstanding quality of your dissertation; and other academic achievements obtained, i.e., in the course of being an assistant professor, during your postdoctoral lecture qualification (German: Habilitation) or other achievements recognized as being equivalent to a postdoctoral qualification. 

At Leuphana, you will find an academic community that is open to changes in perspective and cultivates the dialogue among the different disciplines as well as between research and practice. With spirit and initiative, we address the challenges of civil society in the 21st century. Pursuing our idea of liberal education, we enable our students to think, reflect and act upon it. Our professors foster the awareness of gender and diversity aspects in teaching and research. 

Please contact the Dean of the School of Management and Technology, Prof. Dr. Paul Drews (paul.drews@leuphana.de) for further information. 

Leuphana University is an equal opportunities employer. The university aims to increase its number of female professors. Qualified women are especially invited to apply. 

Please submit your application (without submission of an application photo) consisting of the following materials in two separate PDF files: a) motivation letter, CV, copies of academic degrees and b) three relevant publications. Please enclose the completed application form with your documents. Guidance on the required application materials can be found here

Applications should be sent preferably by email using the keyword Artificial Intelligence (W2/W3) to beko@leuphana.de or to the President of Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Post Box 2440, 21314 Lüneburg, Germany, by September 25, 2022. Please be aware that we cannot return application documents sent physically. 

By submitting your application, you consent to your data being stored and processed for the purpose of the recruitment process. Please note our Data Protection Notice for Applicants (in English or in German). 

BECOMING A PROFESSOR AT LEUPHANA UNIVERSITY LÜNEBURG 

YOUR APPLICATION

When applying for a professorship at Leuphana, please be aware that the formal requirements are prescribed by law and cannot be overruled by the selection committee. Your documents should provide concise insight into your unique scientific profile and how you and your achievements will contribute to Leuphana University. The selection committee will review the three publications you hand in to identify their versatility and suitability for the position. These publications should be indicative of the scientific aptitude, quality and scope of your work. When studying the CV, the committee will take into account any circumstances that impede academic advancement, such as childbirth or care. Please do not include an application photo in your CV. 

WE ARE SELECTING CAREFULLY

The appointment of a professor in Germany is a formal process that typically takes between 6 to 12 months and involves a number of steps. A selection committee (Berufungskommission) is established specifically for the purpose of selecting the most promising candidates, it consists of professors, students, and scientific and administrative staff. The committee takes the time to review the applications and publications thoroughly, and to invite the most suitable candidates to Leuphana. The meeting will include a personal interview, a scientific presentation and a test lecture. At that stage, the committee may also ask you to provide futher details such as research or teaching concepts. Usually, the best three candidates are then assessed by peers from other universities on the basis of the submitted application documents. Considering these assessments, the committee ranks the candidates according to suitability and recommends them for appointment. The list needs approval from the university boards: the Department Council, University's Senate, Presidential Committee and Board of Trustees. Once the list has been approved, the first candidate will be invited to take up negotiations with regard to ressources and remuneration, receiving a letter of appointment. Should the offer be turned down by one candidate, the following person on the list will be contacted. 

BEING A PROFESSOR IN GERMANY

As a professor in Germany, you will be elevated to civil servant status if you meet the personal requirements (i.e. pass an official medical examination, provide a certificate of good conduct). This status is beneficial in terms of salary, pension, health insurance and employment security when compared to other academic employment. If the position you are applying for is not designated as temporary, appointment for life is intended after a probation period. The salary follows a state pay scheme (W-Besoldung), for full professors it allows for individual bonuses depending on their performance. The civil service status is established not by an employment contract, but by a “certificate of appointment". If appointment as a civil servant is not possible, your will be employed under contract. A separate agreement between you and Leuphana, which is subject of the negotiation preceding your appointment, will define the resources and services provided by the university as well as the contribution you will make to research, teaching and the development of Leuphana University.