W2 Professorship “Sustainable Freight Transport Systems and Transport Logistics"

W2 Professorship “Sustainable Freight Transport Systems and Transport Logistics"

Application deadline:

30.12.2026

Date of hire:

as soon as possible

Vacancy number:

39565

We are seeking an academically outstanding individual (m/f/d) who will make an independent inter- and transdisciplinary contribution to research in the field of sustainable freight transport systems and logistics. The content focus is at the intersection of value chains, freight transport, and sustainable production systems. The professorship shall connect and strengthen the sustainability-related systems analytical topics at the Kassel Institute for Sustainability and the transportation science topics in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Moreover, there is an aim to foster networking in the fields of supply chains and intralogistics with the relevant departments of Economics and Mechanical Engineering. This is intended to further the interdisciplinary interaction between technical and societal research approaches and to advance the research focus on sustainable transformation at the University of Kassel.

The professorship should focus on at least one of the following topics:

1. Systemic analysis of the interdependencies between freight transport systems, trade, and economic development: Origin of freight transport, economic and ecological evaluation of interregional division of labor, interactions between infrastructure (e.g., rail), regional production clusters and division of labor, as well as sustainable design of these relationships.
2. Modeling of the freight transport system: Development and application of scenarios and models for the origin, development, and management of freight transport, infrastructure development and the associated policy instruments, as well as the advancement of corresponding methods.
3. Development and application of comprehensive approaches for sustainability evaluation of the ecological, social, and economic effects of strategies and interventions in freight transport, as well as, based on these, the design of a sustainable freight transport system.

Experience in the collection, analysis, and management of data in the context of the transformation towards a sustainable freight transport system is also desirable, including the consideration of AI methods: development of data collection procedures and methods of data analysis and data-driven forecasts based on statistical and AI methods, issues regarding the (public) availability and use of data.

In teaching, the professorship should supplement and enhance existing degree programs in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and to develop new or emerging study programs with a focus on sustainability. Teaching responsibilities are to be divided, with 50% in sustainability-related degree programs and 50% in offerings within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Some courses must be taught in English. It is expected that the appointee, especially regarding official duties in teaching and academic self-administration, will acquire sufficient proficiency in the German language in due course, if not already possessed.

The main location for the professorship will be at the Kassel Institute for Sustainability.

Special notes: The department aims to increase the proportion of female professors and expressly encourages female scientists to apply.

The requirements for appointment and performance are in accordance with §§ 67, 68 HessHG. Specifically, a completed, qualified doctorate as well as a habilitation or equivalent additional academic achievements, as evidenced by scientific publications, are required. You should also possess pedagogical aptitude and commitment to academic teaching, as well as a pronounced willingness for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Please submit a curriculum vitae, certificates, diplomas, a list of scientific works, three selected publications, a research and teaching concept (maximum three pages each), as well as a list of previous courses taught, existing teaching evaluations, and any higher education didactic trainings with your application. Additionally, please submit a brief concept (maximum three pages) outlining your ideas for a professional and institutional connection to the Kassel Institute for Sustainability.

For questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Angela Francke, Tel.: +49 561 804-7703, Email: angela.francke(at)uni-kassel.de. We kindly ask you to submit the complete application documents as a single PDF document via the University of Kassel's application portal.