Professor in Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation, IRS, MVH (combined position)

Professor in Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation (combined position)

The Department of Regional Health Research(IRS)University of Southern Denmark(SDU; 20%) andCentral and West Zealand Hospital(80%) invite applications for a fulltime fiveyear position as Professor in Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation. The professorship is a key part of a strategic initiative to position Central and West Zealand Hospital as a national and international flagship in Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation fostering a clinical culture in which Illness Mastery support is integrated across services and aligned with PROgrezs mission of promoting physical activity and life in movement.

Illness Mastery shall explore how people develop competencies to live well meaningfully and in alignment with personal values while living with chronic illness. The field draws on mastery theory phenomenological perspectives on health within illness practiceoriented rehabilitation patient involvement preventive care and personcentered approaches to physical activity and behavior change. The professor will advance Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation as a coherent research and implementation program and provide an evidencebased contribution to operationalizing disease management in the Danish healthcare system with a specific emphasis on movement physical activity and everydaylife health.

Research Profile:

We seek an internationally recognized researcher with a strong scholarly profile in one or more of the following areas:

• Illness Mastery lived experience existential development and formation processes in chronic illness
• Rehabilitation science and practice: chronic illness trajectories recoveryoriented models community and homebased rehabilitation
• Physical activity research movement-based interventions rehabilitation and preventive models for people living with chronic conditions
• Cocreation and crosssector collaboration: development and evaluation of complex interdisciplinary and crosssectoral rehabilitation interventions with active involvement of patients and clinical staff throughout the design and implementation process
• Digital health: integration of esolutions (eHealth/mHealth remote/telerehabilitation digital behaviorchange tools) in rehabilitation pathways
• Everyday life embodiment and movement in chronic illness
• Integration of somatic mental behavioral and existential dimensions in healthcare
• Patient- and family-centered care co-creation and partnership approaches
• Phenomenological hermeneutic qualitative and mixed-methods research
• Candidates with demonstrated ability to link physical activity and movement with Illness Mastery and rehabilitation outcomes are especially encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities -research and scientific leadership
The appointed professor will be expected to:

• Secure external research funding and lead large interdisciplinary research consortia
• Develop and lead an internationally recognized research program in Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation
• Advance the conceptual foundations of Illness Mastery including its relation to movement physical activity and embodied health practices
• Develop new clinical and interdisciplinary rehabilitation interventions with Illness Mastery as a central component including movement-based and physical activitysupporting interventions
• Integrate esolutions into Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation interventions where appropriate
• Design and validate Illness Mastery measurement instruments; produce practice guidance for Illness Mastery support in clinical settings
• Publish in high-impact international peer-reviewed journals

Clinical and Societal Impact - the appointed professor will be expected to:

• Contribute to transforming clinical culture so Illness Mastery - including movement and activity as core elements of adaptation and well-being - becomes a guiding principle at Central and West Zealand Hospital
• Strengthening collaboration across hospital departments municipalities general practice and civil society with a focus on movement-supporting environments and cross-sectoral physical activity pathways
• Translate research into practice through implementation dissemination capacity building and evaluation of patient impact and clinician experience
• Position Central and West Zealand Hospital and SDU as international reference environments for Illness Mastery-oriented rehabilitation and activitybased health promotion

Teaching and Academic Duties -the appointed professor will be expected to:

• Teach and supervise at bachelors masters and PhD levels
• Supervise PhD students postdocs and junior researchers
• Contribute to curriculum development in rehabilitation chronic illness movement-based health promotion and person-centered practice
• Participate in academic leadership committees and strategic initiatives

Qualifications -applicants must demonstrate:

• A PhD in health sciences or a related field
• Qualifications at professor level with a strong coherent research profile
• A substantial internationally recognized publication record
• Documented experience in research leadership and acquisition of external funding
• Proven experience with codesigning crossdisciplinary and crosssector rehabilitation interventions with patients and clinical staff
• Experience integrating esolutions in rehabilitation interventions (e.g. telerehabilitation digital tools)
• Competence in developing interventions that simultaneously support physical activity and Illness Mastery
• Strong competencies in qualitative and/or mixed-methods research
• Experience with intervention development and/or measurement development
• Documented teaching and supervision experience
• Ability to collaborate across professions and sectors; commitment to a humanistic valuedriven approach to health research and practice
• Knowledge of phenomenology hermeneutics or existential approaches is advantageous but not required.

Research Environment:
The professor will be affiliated with the Research and Implementation Unit PROgrez a leading environment dedicated to physical activity prevention and life in movement. The successful candidate will help strengthen SDUs and Central and West Zealand Hospitals shared research profile in practice-oriented cross-sectoral and socially responsible health research.

We Offer:

• A fiveyear professorship in a dynamic interdisciplinary academic and clinical environment.
• Strategic support for developing Illness Mastery and Rehabilitation - with movementbased health as a flagship area.
• A unique opportunity to shape clinical culture and rehabilitation practice at hospital level.
• Collaboration with experienced research clinical and innovation environments (PROgrez and partners).
• Excellent opportunities for international partnerships.
• Competitive salary and employment conditions according to the applicable collective agreement.

Application deadline

May 3 2026 at 23.59 hrs. (CET)

Location: Slagelse

Further Information:
More information about the professorship can be obtained by contacting:

• Research director Head of PROgrez and Professor at SDU Søren T. Skou/
• Professor & Head of Department at IRS SDU Jakob Grauslund/ .

Application

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link Apply now - see below.

We strongly recommend that you readHow to apply for a position at SDUbefore you apply.

Only applications written in English will be accepted for evaluation.

The application must include (as PDF files) (please note that the application (the motivation letter) and CV must not exceed 10 MB in total):

• a motivation letter
• a detailed CV
• degree certificates (inclusive of Ph.D.-diploma)
• a complete and numbered list of publications
• 10 scientific peer-reviewed publications considered by the candidate as most important for this note that a copy of each publication must be attached as a pdf file.
  • It is permitted to merge copies of the selected publications into a single PDF file.
• a teaching portfoliodetailing the candidates prior teaching experience teaching skills and teaching philosophy
• A track record of obtained research funding
• Documentation of national and international research collaboration
• A five-year research plan including a vision for integrating Illness Mastery and movement-based health promotion at SDU and Central and West Zealand Hospital

For technical issues please contact:

Applications received after the deadline and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Assessment

Shortlisting may be used as part of the initial selection process.

Assessment of shortlisted applications will be done under the existing Appointment Order for universities. Shortlisted applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information and if so it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.

When the assessment committee has submitted its report the applicants will receive part of the evaluation that concerns themselves.

References will be obtained for the preferred candidate from their current and previous employers. Applicants invited for interview should expect to complete a work-related personality assessment.

Salary and terms of employment

The successful applicant for the professor position will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

Living and working in Denmark

Foreign applicants will be offeredDanish language trainingas part of the employment.

TheInternational Staff Office(ISO) at SDU provides a variety of services for new employees guests and people who consider applying for a job at the University of Southern Denmark.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.