Assistant Professor, tenure track (qualification agreement)

  • Vienna University of Economics and Business
  • Research, development, teaching
  • Fulltime
  • published till: 2025-04-23
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

Institute for Family Business
Fulltime, 40 hours/week
Starting July 01, 2025, and limited for 6 years

A qualification agreement can be concluded after a contract duration of two years (§ 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.
 
The Department of Management is seeking applications for an Assistant Professor (tenure track) position in the area of Family Business Management. The successful candidate should have a management background (preferably family business management) and will be expected to cultivate a strong research profile on family business management considering its contextual embeddedness (e.g., business families, communities). Solid knowledge of core theoretical perspectives of family business management (e.g., SEW, familiness, family business systems theory) is preferred. As research on the management of family businesses and business families benefits from multiple disciplinary perspectives, openness to and experience with interdisciplinary cooperation is of advantage. Empirically, the candidates should focus on various dynamics and challenges in the context of family businesses and business families. Methodologically, the position is open to candidates with a variety of approaches that are compatible with the research at the department. This strong research profile includes experience with and a research pipeline towards publishing in top-tier management and family business journals. 
As a member of the Department of Management, the successful candidate will participate in high-quality teaching in core management and family business management topics at bachelor and master level (including thesis supervision) mainly in German language. Upon tenure, it is foreseen that the successful candidate will also expand teaching activities at PhD and Executive teaching levels. 
A central element of this position consists of taking an active lead within the Department of Management to act as a hub in creating and validating opportunities in terms of research projects and third-party funding in the field of family business management. 
While it is planned that the candidate will be a valued member within the Institute of Family Business, active collaboration on various topics with the other Institutes of the Department of Management will take place.

What to expect

  • Conducting of and collaborating in research studies with colleagues at the Institute and the Department
  • Publishing research studies that the candidate has started before the appointment
  • Providing guidance for junior faculty members at the Institute and the Department
  • Teaching four semester hours at bachelor and/or master level (after fulfillment of the qualification criteria towards Associate Professor, the number of hours increases)
  • Contributing actively to the build-up phase of the Institute (e.g., development of specialized teaching programs, extracurricular activities, networking)
  • Contributing actively to third-mission activities at the Institute and Department 
  • Initiating of and collaborating in applications for third-party funding in the field of family business management.

What you have to offer

  • a PhD degree (or equivalent) in management or business studies, or closely related to those fields;
  • a strong track record in management and/or family business research;
  • a strong portfolio in high quality academic journals, ideally with a focus on family business research – combined with a strong engagement to contribute to the development of the field (and appropriate for the academic age). Note that the ability to publish also independently, i.e., a single-authored peer-reviewed publication, is of advantage;
  • a pipeline (i.e., articles under preparation and/or under review) that demonstrates potential for continued publication in leading academic journals in the field of management (cfr. WU Star List and Department of Management A and A+ List, https://www.wu.ac.at/management/journal-rating), ideally also in top journals in the interdisciplinary field of family business;
  • active involvement in the international academic community, including e.g. collaborations with international faculty, serving on editorial boards, visiting positions at universities abroad, and presentations at international academic conferences and universities;
  • knowledge of and/or openness to a variety of methods beyond the quant/qual divide, as well as openness to work with a diverse set of methods 
  • ideally some experience with the acquisition of research funds
  • a strong commitment to, and record of, teaching excellence at both the Master’s and Bachelor’s levels (international teaching experience in English is an advantage);
  • a strong commitment to collegiality and service (e.g. organizing and participating in Department-related activities and events, helping to cultivate international research networks, and enhancing the international visibility of the Department/University);
  • proven international academic experience (i.e., a PhD from a non-Austrian university or at least one year of working experience on the postdoc level at a non-Austrian academic institution abroad);
  • German and English language skills at the level to teach fluently at bachelor and master level.
 
Submission: In addition to your CV and motivation letter (please structure your letter based on the eleven points above ‘What you have to offer’), also submit three of your publications or working papers that you consider most representative of your work. Please choose, among the three, also a working paper (in R&R or not) that you consider particularly promising as a future publication. For further questions on your application, please contact Prof. Dr. Renate Meyer (Head of Department) renate.meyer@wu.ac.at or Prof. Dr. Reinhard Prügl reinhard.pruegl@wu.ac.at.
Interviews will take place in April/May. Expected start date is in July 2025, or soon after that. The PhD degree needs to be awarded before starting the position. 

What we offer you

  • Inspiring campus life with over 2,400 employees in research, teaching, and administration and approximately 21,500 students
  • A modern campus with spectacular architecture in the heart of Vienna
  • Excellent accessibility by public transportation
  • Meaningful work in an open-minded, inclusive, and family-friendly environment
  • Flexible working hours
  • A wide range of benefits, from an in-house medical officer to athletic activities and a meal allowance to a variety of employee discounts
Curious? Visit our website and find out more at www.wu.ac.at/benefits.

The minimum monthly gross salary amounts to €4,932.90 (14 times per year). This salary may be adjusted based on equivalent prior work experience. 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 April 23, 2025 (ID 2357).
We are looking forward to hearing from you!