Postdoctoral position in structural studies of human lipid transporters at Aarhus University, Denmark

Applications are invited for a 1-year postdoctoral position in the field of structural biology and membrane protein research at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark. The position starts on 15 September 2026.

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is a fixed-term, full-time (100%) position for 1 year, starting 15 September 2026 or as soon possible.

Job description

The successful candidate will join the Lyons Lab and contribute to ongoing research on the structure–function relationships of human lipid transporters.
The postdoctoral researcher will primarily work on:

• Structural investigation of human transmembrane lipid transporters using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy
• Mammalian expression, purification, and biochemical/biophysical characterization of membrane proteins
• Functional characterization using cell-based and biochemical assays
• Data collection, processing, analysis, and interpretation of cryo-EM datasets
• Preparation of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Close collaboration within the research group and with national and international collaborators

Your profile

Applicants should hold a PhD degree (or be close to completion) in structural biology, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or a related field.

Essential qualifications:

• Documented experience with membrane protein biochemistry
• Strong interest in structure–function studies of membrane proteins
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

Desirable qualifications:

• Experience with cryo-electron microscopy
• Experience with mammalian expression systems (transient transfection or viral transduction)
• Experience in biochemical or cellular functional assays (in particular Flow cytometry)

Applicants should be highly motivated, scientifically ambitious, and able to take initiative and responsibility within the research environment.

Who we are

The Lyons Lab is part of the Section of Protein Science at Aarhus University and is jointly affiliated with iNANO and the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of transmembrane transport processes, with a particular focus on lipid transport systems.
The group has access to facilities for mammalian protein production, purification, biochemical and biophysical characterization, and state-of-the-art cryo-EM infrastructure at the iNANO Cryo-EM Facility.
 

Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments.

Contact information

For further information, please contact: Tenure track Assistant Prof, Joseph Lyons, +45 871 504 46, lyons@inano.au.dk.
 

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than 29 May 2026
 

Application procedure

Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self.

Letter of reference

If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.

If you wish to add a referee after you have submitted your application, you must send this person’s details (name, job title, place of work, and email address) as well as the name of the position you have applied for to: HR.Nattech@au.dk

Formalities and salary range

Natural Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.

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.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

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 37,000 students (FTEs) and 8.700 employees and has an annual revenue of EUR 1.106 billion. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/