W2 professorship for "Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the agri-food-environment nexus - Co-Development of business models"

Universität Kassel

The University of Kassel is a modern and growing University with round about 22.000 students. The university’s wide range of expertise covers subjects in the natural, applied, cultural and social sciences.

In the Faculty “Organic Agricultural Sciences”, the following position is to be filled as of January 1, 2026 as part of a joint appointment with the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) based on the Jülich model:

funded by the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research.

The professorship is associated with a working group leadership at the ZALF within the newly established "Innovation Centre for Agricultural System Transformation (IAT)". The IAT is a permanent expansion of the ZALF with five living labs in Germany. The professorship is organizationally located at the ZALF. Within the University of Kassel, the professorship is assigned to the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences and is located at the new ZALF location in Witzenhausen. For further information, please see https://www.zalf.de/en/struktur/iat/Pages/default.aspx.

We are looking for a person with an outstanding scientific profile to conduct research on and for the co-development of innovations as a contribution to sustainability transformation in the agri-food-environment nexus.

The professorship focuses on new forms of public, private, and social entrepreneurship and innovative business models, regardless of whether entrepreneurial activities are primarily profit-oriented or more strongly oriented toward the common good. The scientific focus is on structures and processes in the agri-food sector. Of particular interest is the sustainable, integrated provision of agricultural products, their processing, transport, and marketing in combination with public goods. This is achieved through innovative and collaborative business and cooperation models involving public, private, and civil society actors.

Entrepreneurial attitude, entrepreneurial knowledge and methods of entrepreneurial problem solving are central future skills that are strengthened by the work of the professorship.

At least two of the following subject areas are expected to be demonstrated by internationally peer-reviewed publications:

• Open innovation approaches for collaboration and co-development with various stakeholders
• Sustainable entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship (profit or non-profit) in various company phases
• Business models along new value chains from primary production to processing and trade
• Intra- and inter-organizational communication
• Organizational and cooperation development in co-development processes
• Start-up practice and theories with reference to innovative sustainable business models and products, processes and services and their embedding in value creation networks
• Development, implementation and evaluation of financing and remuneration models

Research of above-mentioned verified topics in living labs is a prerequisite. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research designs should be applied and further developed in this process.

The teaching commitment is two hours per semester week as part of the Bachelor's and Master's degree programs of the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences at the University of Kassel.

Applicants must have a completed doctorate and habilitation or equivalent academic achievements with a focus on business research and relevant previous work in the fields of agri-entrepreneurship, innovation research, sustainability, or business models in the agri-food-environment nexus. A scientific interest in the co-development approach based on own expertise and an inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation with other working groups of the IAT are required. Relevant, international peer-reviewed publications in leading, also application-oriented, journals on at least two of the above-mentioned topics as well as experience in the independent acquisition and implementation of third-party funded projects are expected. Didactic competence, teaching experience and the willingness to teach in German and English are required as well as the willingness to participate in university self-administration, in particular for the organization of the cooperation between IAT and the University of Kassel. Previous activities should demonstrate the ability to methodically design and manage inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation and co-development processes. A documented interest in research questions in the context of organic agriculture is an advantage.

Applicants are requested to submit the following documents: CV, list of publications, proof of teaching experience and teaching evaluations as well as acquisition and implementation of third-party funded projects (with identification of the respective own contribution), evidence of third mission activities, research concept (max. 3 pages), copies of certificates and documents.

The prerequisites for employment and performance requirements are determined by §§ 67, 68 of the Higher Education Act of the Federal State of Hesse (HessHG).

The application documents will also be made available to the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees of the ZALF in the sense of a joint call for applications and appointment, and in addition to university representatives, ZALF representatives will take part in the interviews and lectures in the selection process.

If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Detlev Möller (d.moeller(at)uni-kassel.de; +49 5542 98-1330) or Prof. Dr. Bettina Matzdorf (bettina.matzdorf(at)zalf.de).

In the event of any differences between the German and English versions of this call for application, the German wording is legally binding.

Please send your application with the usual informative documents, stating the reference number the subject line, via the online form. We have complied further information for you in our FAQ. The protection of your personal information is very important to us, so we will handle your personal information with care. By your application, you allow us the storage and use in the sense of the Hessian Data Protection and Freedom of Information Act. You can object to this at any time. Your personal data will be deleted.

Information according to Art. 13 DSGVO for the application process at the University of Kassel can be found at:
https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/datenschutz/

Information and FAQ about applying for a job offer:

https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/universitaet/stellenangebote/hinweise-und-faq-zur-bewerbung-auf-ein-stellenangebot

Online application