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Search committees at ECE

Search committee purpose and task

It has been decided that search committee must be used for the following positions (mandatory): Tenure track assistant professor, associate professor, senior researcher and professor.

The goal of using search committees is to ensure excellent, diverse and qualified applicants for our positions.

At ECE, the head of department appoints the search committee in collaboration with the hiring manager. At ECE, it has been decided that the hiring committee will initially act as the search committee.

The search committee should be involved in the preparation of the final advertisement and be established before the position is advertised.

The committee's main focus is to help ensure a sufficiently large field of applicants with quality and diversity (external applicants, international applicants and applicants of both genders).
Search work can take place prior to and in parallel with the job posting.
 

Members of the search committee

The search committee must:

  • consist of at least 3 employees, of which at least one member must be employed at at least the same position level as the advertised position
  • aim for an equal gender distribution
  • like to include a recently hired, externally recruited employee
  • be informed about the institute's strategy for diversity and equality
  • be administratively supported by the secretariat
  • ensure that candidates receive relevant material about Aarhus/Roskilde/Viborg, international center, etc.
  • contact 6 potential candidates

Confidentiality in the committee is mandatory and also essential to ensure an honest discussion as well as respect the input and participation of all those involved in every phase of the committee's work.

Search committee activities

  • Think creatively and engage proactively in outreach activities to attract applicants.
  • The search committee should work via their professional network to increase the number of qualified candidates.
  • Exceptional candidates typically do not respond to ads and need be contacted directly by a hiring university.

  • ​Outreach activities include:

  • suggesting additional advertising outlets relevant to the research field (HR is responsible for advertising)
  • sharing the LinkedIn job post through personal social media profiles (Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook)
  • generating a coordinated list of promising candidates by making personal calls or emailing colleagues to identify potential applicants
  • identifying top candidates in the literature and at professional meetings or conferences
  • identify networks/mailing lists for the search
  • making personal calls or personalized emails to the promising candidates on the coordinated list, inviting an application
  • expanding the usual list of contact departments and schools to a broader range of institutions and contact those institutions by email.

Process for initiating the search committee's work

  1. When it is decided to post a position as Tenure track, associate professor, senior researcher and professor, the Head of Department (or Head of Section if delegated) needs to decide on a search committee.
  2. The names of the members of the search committee are sent to Pernille Mønster Leth, pml@ece.au.dk.
  3. The search committee decides on a search strategy.
  4. Pernille will share the link to the LinkedIn post with the search committee.
  5. The template regarding the search committee's activities is sent to Pernille at the closing date of the job advertisement.
  6. Once a year the Secretariat will summarize the search committee's work in order to be discussed with the Faculty Management.

10 norms for recruiting permanent VIP at AU

At Aarhus University, we have 10 norms for the recruitment of permanent academic staff.

The 10 norms have been determined by the Senior Management Team on the basis of discussions in the academic councils and several hearings in the professional environments. These must contribute to a strengthened recruitment practice at Aarhus University.

The standards indicate a common direction, which includes, for example, the use of search committees, re-posting, assessment committees, stays abroad and employment committees, and they must be implemented at institutes and centers where the local management is given responsibility for adapting to the current local guidelines.

Revised 16.01.2024
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Pernille Mønster Leth