Assistant Professor (tenure-track) and Associate Professor (tenured) Positions in Formal Methods

The Centre for Formal Methods and Future Computing (FORM) at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark (SDU, Campus Odense or Vejle) invites applications for both tenure-track Assistant Professors and Associate Professors in Computer Science, with emphasis on formal methods and theorem proving.

The targeted starting period is September 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

About FORM
FORM is a new initiative, created with the ambition to lead the formalisation of key areas of computing in a universal repository of knowledge and tools verified by proof assistants. Our vision is to unlock the combined potential of humans and artificial intelligence (AI) for the rapid and reliable construction of digital systems, guided by rigorous mathematical foundations. Our current main instrument to pursue this ambition is the Computer Science Library (CSlib) in the Lean programming technology. CSlib is a global effort carried out in collaboration with world-leading stakeholders, and FORM is a key founding player in CSlib’s steering and technical leadership.

Who we are looking for
We are looking for new colleagues who can strengthen our competences in formal methods and collaborate with us on ambitious formalisation projects.

An ideal candidate:

• holds a PhD degree in computer science, or a PhD degree in mathematics, or equivalent;
• has a research track record at a high international level, reflecting the academic age of the applicant;
• has experience in attracting and managing externally funded projects;
• can teach and advise students at all levels.

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Danish is not a requirement: more English than Danish is used when teaching in computer science, and more than half of the faculty members in computer science haveinternational backgrounds. Successful applicants will be offered Danish courses by the university.

For the tenure-track assistant professor positions, applications from promising early-career talents are highly encouraged. The Danish tenure-track employment is a focused assistant professorship with a guaranteed assessment for a position as tenured associate professor: before the end of the sixth year of employment and contingent on a positive academic assessment, the assistant professor will transit into a permanent (tenured) position as associate professor. A tenure-track assistant professor can request assessment for tenure earlier. If this assessment is negative, the assistant professor can request a second assessment within the final six months of employment. 

Questions? Curious to learn more about the position and environment? Please feel free to reach out to Professor and FORM Director Fabrizio Montesi (fmontesi@imada.sdu.dk) for more information.

Hosting environment
FORM is embedded in the Section of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Programming Languages (ACP), an elite cluster of research groups that fosters collaboration, research excellence, and quality education. FORM and ACP offer ample opportunities for collaboration, personal growth, and mentoring for starting independent research groups. The section’s current research covers a wide range of areas and topics that include symbolic AI and formal methods (logic, theorem provers, type systems, categories, etc.), concurrent programming languages (choreographic programming, session types, etc.), distributed computing (cloud computing, microservices, etc.), Dev(Sec)Ops, software engineering (software product lines), human factors in security and privacy, post-quantum and embedded cryptography, and quantum programming languages.

The section is part of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, and other research sections at the department are 

• Algorithms
• Computational Science
• Data Science and Statistics 
• Geometry, Topology and Algebra
• Learning Experience Design

Our department offers an inclusive and international working environment with state-of-the-art facilities and strong traditions for collaboration across rese