Postdoc in Academic Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems - DTU Entrepreneurship

DTU - Technical University of Denmark; Kongens Lyngby; On-site; DKK 450,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

DTU Entrepreneurship, part of DTU, invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to work on a Horizon Europe project spanning 24 months. The focus is on evaluating knowledge valorisation and spin-off creation within academic and industry collaboration, across multiple European ecosystems.

You will collaborate with international partners, develop transferable frameworks, collect comparative evidence, and contribute to policy briefs and dissemination activities to influence innovation policy.

Qualifications

• PhD in entrepreneurship, innovation studies, management, economics, public policy, or a related field.
• Experience designing and conducting empirical research using qualitative and/or quantitative methods.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English.
• The ability to work independently and collaborate with international research and practitioner partners.

Responsibilities

• Develop conceptual and analytical frameworks for studying knowledge valorisation, academic entrepreneurship, and innovation ecosystems.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of a common monitoring and evaluation framework across project activities.
• Collect and analyse comparative evidence, including successful and unsuccessful pilot cases across European ecosystem contexts.
• Conduct interviews, qualitative case studies, and, where appropriate, quantitative analyses of project monitoring data.
• Prepare research articles for publication in international peer-reviewed journals and present findings at academic conferences.
• Contribute to the development and validation of a transferable European Challenge-Driven Valorisation Framework.
• Collaborate with international project partners and contribute to policy briefs, reports, and knowledge exchange activities.

Skills

Communication skills

Independent work

Empirical research

Qualitative methods

Quantitative methods

Education

PhD in a relevant field

Job description

Job Description

Are you interested in exploring the following questions?

• How can universities, industry partners, and investors collaborate earlier to support the creation and development of academic spin-offs?
• Which challenge-driven approaches to knowledge valorisation work, for whom, and under what ecosystem conditions?
• How can evidence from European innovation initiatives be translated into transferable frameworks and effective policy recommendations?

DTU Entrepreneurship invites applications for a postdoctoral position linked to EUIT "Empowering Universities and Industry Together to Scale a Challenge-Driven Model for Academic Spin-Off Creation", a 24-month Horizon Europe project bringing together universities, innovation intermediaries, and industry-facing partners across Europe.

The project explores how early engagement with industrial and societal challenges can strengthen academic spin-off creation, technology validation, and pathways to market. The research will draw on evidence generated through project pilots, systematic evaluation, and comparative analysis to identify what works across different innovation ecosystems.

You will work with researchers at DTU Entrepreneurship and collaborate with international project partners across Europe. The position offers an opportunity to contribute to research with direct implications for universities, technology transfer organisations, and innovation policy.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

Your primary responsibility will be to conduct rigorous research and evaluation on academic spin-off creation and challenge-driven knowledge valorisation, with scope to develop scholarly research questions within the project's objectives.

• Developing conceptual and analytical frameworks for studying knowledge valorisation, academic entrepreneurship, and innovation ecosystems.
• Contributing to the design and implementation of a common monitoring and evaluation framework across project activities.
• Collecting and analysing comparative evidence, including successful and unsuccessful pilot cases across European ecosystem contexts.
• Conducting interviews, qualitative case studies, and, where appropriate, quantitative analyses of project monitoring data.
• Preparing research articles for publication in international peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at academic conferences.
• Contributing to the development and validation of a transferable European Challenge-Driven Valorisation Framework.
• Collaborating with international project partners and contributing to policy briefs, reports, and knowledge exchange activities.

We are looking for a motivated researcher with a strong interest in academic entrepreneurship, knowledge transfer, and innovation policy.

• A PhD in entrepreneurship, innovation studies, management, economics, public policy, or a related field.
• Experience designing and conducting empirical research using qualitative and/or quantitative methods.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English.
• The ability to work independently and collaborate with international research and practitioner partners.

The following would be an advantage, but are not required:

• Experience with qualitative or mixed-methods research, comparative case studies, or programme evaluation.
• Knowledge of academic spin-offs, university-industry collaboration, technology transfer, or entrepreneurial ecosystems.
• Experience working with policymakers, technology transfer offices, or other innovation intermediaries.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

We offer

DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. In addition, supplements can be negotiated in accordance with DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures.

The period of employment is 1.5 years.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Argyro (Iro) Nikiforou ([e-mail]) and Associate Professor Maria-Theresa Norn ([e-mail]).

You can read more about DTU Entrepreneurship at www.entrepreneurship.dtu.dk.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU - Moving to Denmark.

Equal Opportunity and Background Checks

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.