W3-Professorship for General Linguistics with a Focus on Semantics (Heisenberg-Professorship)

### (Fulltime, Salary level W 3)

Kennziffer 2026/141. The W3-professorship at the Department of Linguistics, Humanities Section, is to be filled by April 1, 2027 (or at earliest opportunity), subject to the approval of the University Council and the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of the State of Baden-Württemberg.

The University of Konstanz is a dynamic and internationally successful research university with approximately 10,000 students. The campus university’s architecture promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and a sense of community among researchers, lecturers and students. The University of Konstanz has been continuously funded by the German Excellence Strategy since 2006.

This vacancy is connected to the planned establishment of a Heisenberg Professorship in General Linguistics with a focus on semantics. The prerequisite for the establishment of the professorship and the appointment of the candidate is an approved funding application submitted by the candidate to the German Research Foundation (DFG). If the application for the Heisenberg professorship is successful with the DFG, the candidate will initially be appointed to the Heisenberg professorship (W3) for a fixed term of three years. After a three-year funding period in the Heisenberg program, an interim evaluation will be carried out by the DFG. If the evaluation is successful, a W3 professorship with the same denomination will be filled thereafter. The W3 professorship does not need to be advertised if the holder of the Heisenberg professorship is appointed.

A prerequisite for application is a draft proposal for the Heisenberg Professorship, which must be enclosed with the application. Further information on the conditions for applying for Heisenberg Professorships can be found at:

To strengthen existing research foci, a strong willingness to cooperate with colleagues within and outside of the Department of Linguistics at the University of Konstanz is expected. Specifically, we are looking for an internationally recognized and outstanding researcher in the field of formal semantics, who can work on a variety of object languages (preferably including African languages), and who works with experimental methods and/or methods of linguistic field research. Participation in the Collaborative Research Centre 1760 Silence, Noise and Signal in Language is desired.

Teaching and examination duties cover both general linguistics courses and individual language courses (in particular in the teacher training programme) at all levels of education, including doctoral studies. Teaching is in the field of Germanic Linguistics is also expected.

A German Habilitation or equivalent qualifications are required.

The requirements for appointment to professorships are set out in Section 47 (1) and (2) of the State Higher Education Act.

For further information or for questions related to formalities, please contact , and the Head of Department, for content-related questions.

Applications must be submitted via our by 6 July, 2026, and should include the usual documents (cover letter, CV, list of publications, list of courses taught, copies of academic transcripts) as well as a project outline (in German or English) for participation in SFB 1760, limited to a maximum of two pages.

The University of Konstanz is committed to ensuring an environment that provides equal opportunities and promotes diversity as well as a good balance between university and family life. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to increase the number of women working in the field advertised (). Persons with disabilities are explicitly encouraged to apply. They will be given preference if appropriately qualified (, +49 7531 88-4016).