Senior Scientist Spatial Sustainability and Digital Transformation Hub

Universität Wien

Job description:

At the University of Vienna more than 10,000 personalities work together towards answering the big questions of the future. Around 2,900 of them contribute to enabling excellent research and teaching through their expertise and work in administration and organisation. They know how they can work best. Flexible, remote and with as much freedom as they need to develop their potential. You know, too? We are looking for a/an

Senior Scientist Spatial Sustainability and Digital Transformation Hub

Founded in 1885, the Department of Geography and Regional Research is the oldest and largest geography department in Austria. It is home to about 150 scientists in 10 working groups and 3,400 students. Since its inception, it has not only grown dynamically but also continuously broadened its focus. Since the beginning, it has accommodated both human and physical geography. The department also has been recognized for its contributions to geoinformatics and cartography. This interdisciplinary basis in computational, social, and natural sciences provides a dynamic and inspiring environment for researchers to address the grand challenges of our time. The department manages four interlinked Master’s programs.

To maximize the departments synergies in research and teaching, we are establishing a “Spatial Sustainability and Digital Transformations Hub”. This hub will be in the lead by a senior scientist position responsible for ensuring that the hub’s designated tasks are carried out. The senior scientist will have the opportunity to develop a work plan together with the department leadership and coordinate regularly with the department management to implement the vision of the hub over the next years.

The position is initially limited to one year. It may be converted into unlimited employment upon mutual agreement.

Your personal sphere of play:

The hub is anchored within the department as a “shared services” facility, modeled after a Center for Spatial Studies. It thus serves as a central service unit whose services are equally accessible to researchers, lecturers, and students across all working groups of the department. The senior scientists will be supervised directly by the department leadership, i.e., the head and vice-head.

Overall, the hub provides services in four areas: Strategy • Research • Teaching • Outreach

Strategy
The senior scientist is responsible for the continuous development of an interdisciplinary research strategy that integrates the department’s expertise in the social sciences, natural sciences, and data sciences into the key themes of spatial sustainability transformations and spatial digital transformations, with particular emphasis on the intersections of these two fields. Strategy development takes place in close coordination with the heads of the department’s working groups. Through regular strategy workshops, organized and moderated by the senior scientist, the expertise of all researchers at the department is mobilized for the further development and implementation of the strategy.

Research
The senior scientist coordinates cross-group research activities on the key themes of spatial sustainability transformations and spatial digital transformations as well as on the interface between the two areas within the department and beyond, while also contributing their own research to interdisciplinary projects in this forward-looking field.

A particular emphasis lies in the coordination and management of large interdisciplinary research proposals led by the department (e.g., FWF doc.funds, SFB, Horizon Europe).

Teaching
Existing and newly developed interdisciplinary bachelor’s and especially master’s programs at the department (which are also to include other working groups within the faculty) on the key themes of spatial sustainability and digital transformations require more effective integration of teaching across the individual courses offered. Here, the senior scientist will play a coordinating role, thereby supporting the responsible program directors.

Outreach
The senior scientist proactively carries out professional outreach activities on the key themes of spatial sustainability and digital transformations, serving as a central point of contact both internally and externally. Following the example of other Centers for Spatial Studies, this also includes outreach activities on spatial thinking in an interdisciplinary context (across subject areas), for example in the form of workshops. For this purpose, the senior scientist develops and implements a science communication strategy in coordination with all working groups of the department.

Your future tasks:

The responsibilities for the senior scientist position include, among others:

• Continuous development of an interdisciplinary research agenda and strategy on the topics of spatial sustainability and digital transformations, in close coordination with the department’s working groups and department leadership.
• Coordination of cross-disciplinary spatial research activities at the institute and beyond.
• Coordination and management of large interdisciplinary research proposals led by the institute (e.g., FWF doc.funds, SFB, Horizon Europe).
• Conducting own research and/or contributing to interdisciplinary research projects at the intersection of spatial sustainability and digital transformations.
• Coordination of science communication activities in the mentioned fields of transformation.
• Improved integration of teaching across the different courses offered and especially the department’s new Master’s programs.
• Teaching as required by the university’s collective bargaining agreement

This is part of your personality:

•    Completed doctoral/PhD studies in Geography (social, natural or data science)

•    Research competence and initiative proven through international publications in peer-reviewed top-tier academic journals (and conferences)

•    Experience in research management and in leading project staff

•    Track record of acquired third party funding (on Austria, international, and/or European level)

•    Didactic skills and experience teaching classes on the Master’s and ideally also Bachelor’s level

•    Excellent knowledge of English; German skills are a plus

•    Team player and high social/communicative skills

What we offer:

Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours, part-time work (upon agreement) and/or working from an domicile in Austria (up to a certain extent + upon agreement).

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the center of beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 4,932,90 (14 times a year for senior scientists postdoctoral; amount as of 1 Feb. 2025) increases, if we can credit professional experience.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!

It is that easy to apply:

• With your scientific curriculum vitae incl. a list of publications and funding
• With your summary of research interests (max. 1 page)
• With your letter of intent and vision for the hub (max. 2 page)
• Doctoral/PhD degree 
• Contact details of persons who could provide reference letters
• Via our job portal/ Apply now -  button

If you have any content questions, please contact:

Krzysztof Janowicz  

krzysztof.janowicz@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

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 Application deadline: 01/23/2026 

Apply now