Postdoc in Environmental Epidemiology and Parkinson’s Disease

PACE - The Lundbeck Foundation Parkinson’s Disease Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for a position as Postdoc in the field of Parkinson’s disease and environmental epidemiology as per 1 March or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a fixed-term, full-time position for 4 years.

Your role as a Postdoc will be to conduct high-level epidemiological research to study environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease, and to participate in the translational research environment across the 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

PACE is part of the Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, which 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. You can read more about the department here and about the faculty here.

Department of Public Health

In this Postdoc position, you will work closely with the Department of Public Health, where you will be part of an ambitious and internationally recognized department, working together to promote public health through research into areas that can prevent, treat, and alleviate disease. The department is involved in broad collaboration both internally and externally, aiming to create and share knowledge with citizens, decision-makers, business and industry, practitioners, and other researchers – in municipalities, in the regions, and both nationally and internationally. The department either contributes to or is responsible for teaching in medicine, public health science, sport science, optometry, and nursing. At the Department of Public Health, you will have approx. 200 colleagues, including ninety academic staff members and a corresponding number of PhD students. We work closely with one another across different fields of study and prioritize a healthy work environment. The general tone among colleagues is informal. You can read more about the department here and about the faculty here.

About the research project

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological disorder, and environmental exposures have been suspected as being causative of this negative development. This research project is a register-based project centered around the influence of various environmental exposures (pesticides, air pollution, toxicants etc.) and the subsequent risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

The research project will be carried out in a tight collaboration between the Parkinson researchers at PACE and the epidemiologists at the Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, specialising in environmental epidemiology. The applicant will carry out and complete various epidemiological studies based on health registers and environmental parameter registers in collaboration with relevant partners. The applicant will use several databases and Danish national registries containing data on exposures at a geographically granular level, health data, diagnoses, medications, and more. The applicant will carry out epidemiological analyses by applying appropriate biostatistical methods.

The applicant is expected to publish the research results in international peer-reviewed journals and disseminate them at national and international conferences.

Your job responsibilities

As a Postdoc in environmental epidemiology and Parkinson’s disease, your position is primarily research-based but may also involve teaching assignments and project management. You will contribute to the development of PACE through research of high international quality. In your daily work, you will work closely with colleagues on your project, where you will receive supervision and guidance.

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.
• Health registry and environmental parameter registry-based studies.
• To contribute to the funding of your own research group with the help of external research funding.
• Communication of results – oral and in writing.
• Teaching in medicine and public health science.
• Supervising students (BA, MA, and PhD students).

The position is a 4-year (non-tenured), full-time position as Postdoc and includes your salary and running costs for project-related costs (computers, registry access fees, pre-graduate research student salary etc.). A tailored mentoring program will be offered as part of the position.

This position is a close collaboration between Department of Clinical Medicine and Department of Public Health, and the employment will therefore be divided equally between the two departments.

You will report to Professor Per Borghammer, Director of PACE, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Professor Cecilia Ramlau-Hansen, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University.

Your competences

You have academic qualifications at the PhD level, preferably with a focus on one or more of the following areas: environmental epidemiology, Parkinson’s disease, and environmental health.  You are expected to have the following competencies.

• Expert user of statistical software (e.g., R or SAS, or Stata).
• Experience with study design and statistical analysis of epidemiological data.
• Experience with management of register data and/or big data in connection with scientific studies and publications.
• Experience with monitoring environmental exposures and epidemiological analyses of these data.
• Experience in designing and conducting research on Parkinson’s disease and environmental health.
• Experience in research project management.
• Good cooperative and communication skills.

As a person, you are ambitious, take ownership and possess good communication and interpersonal skills. We expect you to be fluent in oral and written English.

In order to be assessed as qualified for a Postdoc 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 Per Borghammer, borghammer@clin.au.dk.

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 Department of Public Health, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

We expect to conduct interviews during weeks 50-51.

Terms of employment

• Appointment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level.
• 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 postdoc is between DKK 484.214,84 and DKK 538.720,20 depending on the years of working experience after achieved MSc degree. The base salary includes a position related supplement and pension (17.1 %). Additional supplement(s) for special qualifications can be negotiated. Authorisation supplemement(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.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job description can be found in the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff

Application

Your application must include the following:

• Motivated application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diploma
• Template for applicant - postdoc
• A list of publications
• A teaching portfolio. We refer to Guideline on the use of teaching portfolios
• A maximum of five of the publications of greatest relevance to the job may be submitted (optional)
• Research plan can be uploaded (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. Aarhus University also has a Junior Researcher Association and offers career development support. You can read more about these resources 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/