Helmut Schmidt Distinguished Visiting Chair; Associate or Full Professor

Overview

The Helmut Schmidt Distinguished Visiting Chair at the Henry

A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at SAIS was established in 2018 with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office. The Chair commemorates the friendship between Kissinger and Schmidt and constitutes the core of a Germany Initiative that bridges Germany and the US to address global challenges.

The distinguished scholar selected for the chair will partner with faculty within the Kissinger Center and other programs  visitor may establish a research group comprising post-doctoral students. The scholar will collaborate with other SAIS faculty (1) to build a research program harnessing transatlantic cooperation to tackle geostrategic global challenges; (2) to devise a curriculum to educate and train future generations of world leaders;

and (3) to conduct an active program to engage U.S., European and global policy professionals in this work. Together with Kissinger Center staff the chair will actively support two DAAD post-doctoral fellows whose research will focus on the roles of the United States and Germany at a crucial moment in world history. Together with the postdocs the chair will work on initiatives such as an annual high-level German-US conference in Berlin and a regular summer workshop for early career academics and high-level policymakers in Washington, D.C.

A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today s critical issues. For more than 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy.

Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations:
Bologna, Italy;
Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school s interdisciplinary curriculum is rooted in international economics, international relations, and regional studies. For more information, visit sais.jhu.edu.
Since its founding in 1925, DAAD has funded millions of scholars and supports international collaboration in German higher education and research. DAAD promotes German studies and language abroad and advises decision makers in cultural, educational, and developmental policy. For more information, visit

To occupy the Helmut Schmidt Chair, SAIS seeks a distinguished scholar who can impact understanding of contemporary global challenges with innovative, policy-relevant research. Fields aligned with Kissinger s broad approach, including strategic studies and diplomatic history, are encouraged. It is preferred that the scholar be well grounded in historical approaches to global statecraft and able to communicate with a broad audience.

Individuals with a research agenda touching on transnational issues such as climate change, migration and immigration, regional integration and globalization, and international/transatlantic security policy will receive special consideration. Candidates should have a research focus on Germany and proven expertise concerning Germany s international relations with Europe and the world, particularly transatlantic relations, to forge strategic links with international policy making circles.

Candidates should be affiliated with a German university or research institution to build a bridge between Germany and the U.S. Prior experience within a U.S. academic and policy environment is a plus.

The contract is flexible, comprising an initial one-year term with the possibility of renewal. The scholar will be expected to fulfill a teaching role in the Kissinger Center curriculum and seminars. The preference is for a scholar at the full-professor level, but promising candidates at the associate professor level will also be considered.

Applications will only be accepted through Interfolio. A letter of application and motivation, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact points of three references should be included. Applications for the  academic year will be accepted up until January 31, 2026.

Johns Hopkins University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to recruiting, supporting and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students. All applicants who share this goal are encouraged to apply.

To apply for this position, visit:

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University s good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will depend on multiple factors including location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market…