Assistant Professor (Tenure Track, Qualification Agreement)

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

You want to understand how things are connected and make a fundamental impact? We offer an environment where you can realize your full potential. At one of Europe’s largest and most modern business and economics universities. On a campus where quality of work is also quality of life. We are looking for support at the

Department of Business Communication
Fulltime, 40 hours/week
Starting December 01, 2026, and limited for 6 years

A qualification agreement will be concluded at the start of the employment (§ 27 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement). Pursuant to WU’s Personnel Development Plan, this position can only be fixed-term for up to six years. Once all objectives agreed upon in the qualification agreement have been fulfilled, the employment relationship can be made permanent. Employees who have successfully completed a qualification agreement are classified as associate professors. From an organizational regulation perspective they belong to the group of professors. Three years after successful completion of the qualification agreement, they are entitled to apply for promotion to full professor according to the By-Laws of WU § 43a.

Strategic communication as the communication that is substantial for the survival and sustained success of social entities is an indispensable organizational function in the 21st century. The study of strategic communication is a key field of research and teaching at the Institute for Strategic Organizational Communication. We are therefore looking for excellent applicants with a focus on research and teaching in the field of strategic communication in general.

The new tenure track position will have a special focus on strategic financial communication and influencer communication. Since both fields of research have only developed in recent years, we don’t expect applicants to already have a fully established research or teaching record in financial communication or influencer communication. However, the successful candidate is expected to develop the field at the intersection of strategic financial communication and influencer communication as part of his/her qualification agreement.

Are you interested? Then apply and become a member of our creative, international, and inspiring team at the Institute for Strategic Organizational Communication at the Department of Business Communication at WU Vienna.

What to expect

• Development of research and professional network: Develop and maintain a network with the world’s leading researchers in financial communication and build a professional network of financial communicators in Vienna and beyond.
• Independent research work: You will be independently gathering data, working with cooperation partners and companies to conduct research with practical relevance, and publishing your findings in top journals as well as presenting them at conferences.
• Building bridges: You will be building bridges to other relevant departments at WU, e.g. the department of finance, accounting, and statistics, the marketing department, or the department of international trade to establish research and teaching collaborations.
• Teaching: You will be planning and teaching courses (4 hrs. per week / 2 courses each semester), with a focus on developing new master’s courses with a focus on financial communication.
• Student support: You will be available to answer students’ questions and act as an advisor for bachelor’s and master’s theses.
• Organizational and administrative support: You will be organizing and evaluating teaching activities and supporting the master’s program especially in the student selection process.
• Learning from top researchers: You will be working together with renowned researchers in your field and learning from them.
• Teamwork: At the institute, you’ll be working to advance research in your field, which also includes (collaborative) funding applications and acquisition of third-party funds.
• Building up a personal network: You will be using the qualification period to establish yourself as a researcher and expand your own professional network, keeping the WU’s third mission and societal engagement in mind.

What you have to offer

• Doctoral Degree / PhD in communication studies or a related field (e.g., economics, sociology, linguistics, psychology).
• Subject-specific competences in the fields of strategic communication (e.g., advertising, marketing communication, corporate communication, public relations), a focus on financial and/or influencer communication (green, sustainability, political and/or financial) is highly desirable; further expertise in sustainability, greenwashing and CSR communication, or mobile communication is an advantage.
• Methodological knowledge: in-depth knowledge and proven experience of quantitative social science research methods, especially experimental and survey designs, are a must; a focus on media effects research is advantageous.
• Research funding: commitment to and potential experience in attracting research funding.
• Teaching experience in the broader area of strategic communication and communication science/studies; experience in supervising BA and MA theses is advantageous.
• Language skills: fluent command of English at C1 level, and willingness to learn German (if not already a proficient German speaker).
• IT Skills: MS Office, SPSS (or another comparable program for quantitative data analysis, e.g., R) is necessary.
• Publications and outreach: experience in publishing and presenting research internationally.
• Organizational knowledge of university processes and structures and willingness to organize collaborations with internal and external partner organizations.
• Proven academic mobility: All applicants for a QV position must either have completed their PhD or doctoral studies at a university other than WU, or provide evidence of at least two years of continuous employment as a postdoc (on a tenure or non-tenure track) at another university or a renowned non-university research institution, working a minimum of 20 hours per week.
• International academic experience demonstrated by presentations at international conferences, longer stays abroad, or international work experience outside of Austria, is advantageous.
• Research program: interest in developing your own research focus and pursuing your habilitation project.
• Team spirit: flexibility, commitment, creativity.

Do you want to join the team at the Institute of Strategic Organizational Communication at the Department of Business Communication? Then please submit your application in English including:

• Curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter
• Research statement
• Teaching statement
• If applicable: references for additional skills, such as research papers, certificates, recommendation letters from academic references

Please direct any questions to Prof. Dr. Jens Seiffert-Brockmann
Phone: +43 676 8213 6590
E-Mail: jens.seiffert-brockmann@wu.ac.at
Web: https://www.wu.ac.at/bizcomm/sok

What we offer you

• Six weeks of vacation/Extra vacation time
• Flexible working hours
• Training opportunities
• A wide range of benefits, from an in-house medical officer to athletic activities and a meal allowance to a variety of employee discounts
• Meaningful work in an open-minded, inclusive, and family-friendly environment
• A modern campus with spectacular architecture in the heart of Vienna
• Inspiring campus life with over 2,400 employees in research, teaching, and administration and approximately 21,500 students
• Excellent accessibility by public transportation

Curious? Visit our website and find out more at www.wu.ac.at/benefits.

The minimum monthly gross salary amounts to €5,904.00 (14 times per year). In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive social benefits.

Do you want to join the WU team?
Then please submit your application by July 08, 2026 under www.wu.ac.at/jobs (ID 2816).
We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Where to apply

Website: https://jobs.wu.ac.at/assistant-professor-tenure-track-qualification-agreement-eng-f2816.html?agid=5230

Requirements

Research Field: Communication sciences » Business communication

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: Department of Business Communication

Country: Austria

Contact

City: Vienna

Website: http://www.wu.ac.at/

Street: Welthandelsplatz 1

Postal Code: 1020