Job Opportunities
Professorship (W2 TT W3) in Decision Support and Business Analytics
is to be filled in at the earliest possible date.
The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration is one of 14 faculties at Bielefeld University. More than 130 staff members (including over 20 professors) are engaged here in research, teaching, knowledge transfer, and administration. In the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs, students can choose from several specializations, such as “Accounting, Taxes, Finance,” “Management, Innovation, Marketing,” and “Data Science.” The candidate will strengthen the faculty’s teaching and research in Business Administration - specifically in the area of Decision Support and Business Analytics - while also serving as a link to the cross-faculty research and teaching focus on Data Science. Collaboration within the faculty is characterized by curiosity, creativity, an open-minded approach to disciplines, and shared responsibility. We are therefore seeking a personality with an outstanding international academic track record and strong communication and collaborative skills who is already active at the intersection of classical Operations/Supply Chain Management or Operations Research and the fields of Data Science, Business Analytics, and Machine Learning.
- Research: The candidate is expected to focus on developing innovative quantitative methods and models for decision support in complex systems, with particular emphasis on planning under uncertainty within a business context, and to have experience in this field. The aim is to conduct both theoretical and application-oriented research at the intersection of operations research and modern artificial intelligence techniques, contributing to the solution of complex decision-making problems across various business domains. Participation in interdisciplinary projects and the acquisition of external funding are key components of the research activities and are therefore expected.
- Teaching: Teaching activities should adopt a practical and interactive approach designed to equip students with the business competencies needed to understand decision-making processes under uncertainty and to develop appropriate (AI-supported) solutions. The candidate will offer courses within Bachelor’s and Master’s programs as well as the doctoral program (Bielefeld Graduate School of Economics and Management – BiGSEM), imparting both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The curriculum will focus on Operations Research, Operations/Supply Chain Management, and Data Science.
- Transfer: Another key responsibility involves facilitating bi-directional knowledge transfer between academia and practice. This entails establishing collaborations with companies and institutions to translate research findings into practical applications and to gain insights that drive relevant business research. Furthermore, the candidate will engage in continuing education by offering workshops and seminars that help practitioners understand and apply current developments in decision support and artificial intelligence.
Bielefeld University is characterized by a genuine culture of interdisciplinarity. Consequently, the candidate is expected to initiate and maintain collaborations across faculty boundaries in the areas of research, teaching, and knowledge transfer. Regarding research, the university’s current process of profiling its research strengths is particularly noteworthy; in this context, participation by the candidate in the "Quantifying and Managing Uncertainty" (QUAMU) focus area would be desirable.
In accordance with § 36 HG NRW, the requirements for appointment are: a completed university degree in a relevant field; proven aptitude for academic work (demonstrated by the quality of the doctoral thesis); pedagogical aptitude (demonstrated by relevant prior training or, in exceptional cases, determined during the appointment process); and additional academic achievements, which are assessed exclusively and comprehensively during the appointment process. The initial appointment is for a fixed term of five years; a target agreement is drawn up following the appointment. Subject to a positive evaluation in the final year, the position is converted into a permanent W3 professorship. The tenure evaluations are governed by the regulations concerning W2 professorships with tenure track. At Bielefeld University, W2 tenure-track professorships are firmly established as an appointment option on equal footing with other professorships. Tenure-track professors are offered a staff development program tailored to their specific needs, providing support during the initial settling-in phase and in preparation for the tenure evaluation.
Applications from suitably qualified individuals with severe disabilities or those with equivalent status are expressly encouraged.
Bielefeld University has received multiple awards for its achievements in gender equality and is certified as a family-friendly university. Applications from women are welcome. This is particularly true in the academic field. Applications are processed in accordance with the State Equal Opportunities Act. Family times will be considered in the context of the selection decision.
Bielefeld University supports dual-career arrangement in establishing a joint professional and personal life.
Please submit your application, including the standard documents (CV, list of publications with identification of up to ten important publications, a two-page research and teaching statement, list of courses taught, and copies of academic certificates), online via Bielefeld University’s appointment portal by 31/07/2026:
https://berufungen.uni-bielefeld.de/
Contact:
Bielefeld University
Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics
Prof. Dr. Christian Stummer
P.O. Box 10 01 31
33501 Bielefeld
E-Mail: dekan.wiwi@uni-bielefeld.de
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