Neurologist Group Leader in Clinical Parkinson’s Disease Research

PACE – The Lundbeck Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University invites applications for one to two positions as Associate Professors in the field of Parkinson’s disease and related Lewy body disorders as per January 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The positions are 5-year, full-time positions.

Your role as a clinical group leader will be to bolster the clinical research, conduct exploratory clinical trials in collaboration with the clinical trials unit at the Department of Neurology, and participate in the translational research environment across all scientific disciplines at PACE.

PACE – Lundbeck Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Research Center

You will be part of PACE, the newly established Lundbeck Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Research Center, which is a translational research center focused on studies of Lewy body diseases. PACE consists of a close-knit community of world-leading research groups in basic and clinical Parkinson’s disease research, wherein a number of novel group leaders will be embedded. The center comprises research programs in clinical research and trials, longitudinal cohort building, multi-modal imaging, biobanks, epidemiology, neuropathology, wearables and biotech, experimental disease models including animal and cell models, and basic science programs in alpha-synuclein patho-mechanisms, neuroimmunology, and biomarker discovery. In two years, we expect to comprise 8-10 group leaders totaling 70+ researchers, students, and support staff. PACE is part of and collaborate closely with both Aarhus University, which is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top 100 universities, and Aarhus University Hospital, which in 2024 was elected Denmark’s best hospital for the 15th time.

PACE’s mission is to take research in Parkinson’s disease to the highest level possible and to improve life for people with Parkinson’s disease or other neurodegenerative disorders. We focus on discovering and validating novel innovative tools, biomarkers and disease-modifying mechanisms, which within a 10-year time frame will be applied in clinical trials. You can read more about PACE here. 

Department of Clinical Medicine

As an associate professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, AU, you will also be part of what is probably the largest health science research department in Denmark. Our clinical research covers all medical specialties and takes place in close collaboration with the university hospital and the regional hospitals in the Central Denmark Region. We have approx. 30,000 square metres of modern research facilities for experimental surgery and medicine, animal facilities and advanced scanners at our disposal. The department has overall responsibility for the Master's degree programs in medicine and in molecular medicine. At the department we are approx. 670 academic employees, 500 PhD students and 160 technical/administrative employees who are cooperating across disciplines. As an associate professor, you will be working at PACE – Lundbeck Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Research Center, Aarhus University Hospital. You can read more about the department here and about the faculty here.

Your job responsibilities

As Associate Professor in clinical Parkinson’s disease research, you will contribute to the department’s research and teaching environment and to the faculty’s overall research strategy. You will contribute to the development of the department both individually and in collaboration with others via your research of high international quality. You ensure that your teaching maintains a high academic and didactic standard. You possess professional collaborative skills and a broad academic network which you are able to bring into play in your contribution to the academic development of Aarhus University and its profile both nationally and internationally.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Research of high international quality, including publications in top international journals and communicating your research in national and international academic networks.
• Research focus on clinical trials (smaller academic clinical trials conducted within PACE and participation in multi-centre clinical trials).
• Translational research in collaboration with other scientific disciplines at PACE aiming to improve clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease and other Lewy body disorders.
• Teaching and supervision of Bachelor’s and Master's degree students and contribution to the development of new teaching activities.
• To contribute to the funding of your own research group with the help of external research funding.
• Supervision of PhD students and contributing to the development of the faculty's PhD courses.
• Involvement in assessment and committee work at Aarhus University.

We offer an attractive start package of €2.8 million, covering your own salary and other running expenses including PhD students. Additional funding for running costs, equipment and research nurse salary expenses will be negotiated with the director of PACE. A tailored mentoring program will be offered as part of the position.

This position is initially a 100% academic research position. During the first year you will establish your research group in collaboration with PACE group leaders and the Department of Neurology. International applicants are required to learn Danish to work as a clinical neurologist at Aarhus University Hospital. Intensive language training is offered at Aarhus University. We envision that during your second year, you will begin the transition into the role of a clinical neurologist, with the aim of working independently in this capacity at the Department of Neurology by your third year.

Furthermore, it is within scope that you can be promoted to full professor at Aarhus University once you have attained the required level of competences, experience, and research impact and have been evaluated by a competent board of assessors.

During your employment at Aarhus University, on matters of clinical work at the Department of Neurology, you will report to Clinical Professor and Chair, Henning Andersen, and on matters of PACE-related research you will report to the Director of PACE, professor Per Borghammer.  

Your competences

You are a medical doctor and a qualified neurologist with specialization in movement disorders. You have established yourself as a prominent clinical researcher within Parkinson’s disease, and you possess documented solid research and teaching qualifications at a high international level. You have broad international cooperative partnerships and experience in research partnerships with private and public-sector stakeholders, and you have potential of becoming a skilled group leader. At the same time, you have experience of attracting significant research funding from national and international funding bodies. An extended stay or employment at one or more internationally recognised research institutions will be considered qualifying for this position.

As a person, you are dedicated and a skilled communicator. You are able to build relationships based on trust with students, colleagues and partners. As a lecturer you communicate the newest and relevant knowledge in a committed, clear and comprehensible manner. As a supervisor you are professional, inspiring and inclusive.

You are ready to take co-responsibility for the development of the research environment at PACE and at the Department of Neurology at the highest international level and for ensuring that we maintain a good work environment. You naturally involve yourself in interdisciplinary collaboration at departmental, faculty and university level as well as nationally and internationally.

We expect you to be fluent in oral and written English. International applicants are required to learn Danish to work as a clinical neurologist at Aarhus University Hospital, and Aarhus University arranges Danish teaching.

In order to be assessed as qualified for an Associate Professor position, you must meet these academic criteria.

Shortlisting will be used.

Questions about the position

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Karin Ørbæk Kristensen: +45 93521506. 

Your place of work will be PACE – the Lundbeck Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Research Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 82, DK-8200 Aarhus N and the Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, DK-8200 Aarhus N.

We expect to conduct interviews during weeks 47-49.

Terms of employment

• Appointment as an associate professor requires research and teaching qualifications at the level that can be achieved through the satisfactory completion of a period of appointment as an assistant professor, but may also be obtained in other ways.
• The applicant is required to have completed a university pedagogical programme or an equivalent programme.
• Further information on the appointment procedure can be found in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
• The appointment is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• Remuneration is in accordance with the above, and the Salary agreement catalogue for staff at Health.
• The yearly base salary for a fulltime associate professor is DKK 650.004,18 (including a position related supplement, a pre-agreed associate professor supplememt and pension (17.1%)). Additional supplement(s) can be negotiated dependent on experience, special qualifications and performance of special functions. Authorisation supplement(s) will be granted, if relevant for the position. Your local eligible trade union representative at Aarhus University negotiates your salary on your behalf.
• Researchers recruited from abroad are offered a special researcher tax scheme with a lower tax rate.
• Travel and moving expenses may be covered according to the employee in question and, to a limited extent, the accompanying family.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job description can be found in the Ministerial order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.

Your application must include the following:

• Motivated application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diploma
• Template for applicant - associate professor
• A list of publications
• A teaching portfolio. We refer to Guideline on the use of teaching portfolios
• The five publications stated as the most important in the 'Template for applicant - associate professor' must be submitted
• Research plan, which is part of the 'Template to applicant - associate professor' can be uploaded separately (optional)
• Coauthor statement(s) can be uploaded (optional)
• References/recommendations can be uploaded separately in the e-recruitment system (optional)

We refer to the faculty’s Guidelines for applicants.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including assistance with relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about the International Staff Office and the range of services here.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/