The Department of Biology at Aarhus University (AU), Denmark, invites applications for a tenure track full time position as assistant professor in the field of Comparative Animal Physiology. The tenure track assistant professorship leads to a tenured full time position as associate professor after 4-6 years, pending positive external evaluation. The position is to be filled by January 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter, pending negotiation. Applications are accepted until September 15th, 2025.
The position
We seek a highly motivated researcher to complement and expand our research and teaching activities within the field of comparative animal physiology. We particularly welcome applicants conducting ground-breaking research with focus on mechanisms at molecular and cellular levels and their integration into physiological responses in the whole animal.
The applicant must have earned a PhD degree in a relevant field, demonstrated ability to conduct research at the highest international level and to be successful in attracting external funding.
As an assistant professor in a tenure track position, you are expected to develop an independent and competitive research program, to contribute to teaching and supervision at all levels of education, and to collaborate broadly with the existing scientific staff. You will be offered local mentoring during the tenure track period.
You will be affiliated with the Section of Zoophysiology at the Department, with research strengths in sensory physiology, cardio-respiratory and metabolic physiology, as well as thermal physiology. As a researcher at the Department of Biology, AU, you will be part of a vibrant, collaborative and international research environment, with access to advanced instruments and core facilities at AU, including a modern animal housing facility. We aim to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for students and employees, recognizing equality and diversity as fundamental assets.
Job description
The candidate is expected to:
- Establish and lead an independent research team
- Actively foster a collaborative, engaging, and collegial environment within the section and the department.
- Define, conduct and deliver externally funded and competitive research programs at the highest international level
- Engage in national and international research collaborations
- Develop courses and undertake teaching for students at the Bachelor, Master and PhD levels
- Contribute to the supervision of undergraduate and graduate students at the Department
- Contribute to public dissemination of research
- Participate in academic community services and departmental committees
While English is the primary working language, the successful appointed candidate will be expected to communicate and teach in Danish within four years of joining. The acquisition of sufficient Danish skills is a condition for permanent employment. Aarhus University is committed to fostering an inclusinve and diverse research environment and therefore strongly encourages applicants from individuals of all backgrounds across gender, race, ethnicity, culture and sexual orientation.
About the Department of Biology
The Department of Biology (
www.bio.au.dk) hosts research programs and teaching curricula that cover all major biological sub-disciplines. The Department currently employs approximately 40 tenured academic staff, 60 postdocs, 40 PhD students, and 60 technical staff. The Department hosts BSc and MSc study programs in Biology with about 400 students enrolled, as well as a PhD program. The Department offers a vibrant and informal research environment with a long-standing tradition for collaboration with international university partners in the absolute elite. The working language is English, and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Working place
The place of employment is Aarhus University, Department of Biology, Building 1131, C.F. Møllers Alle 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. The assistant professor will be part of the research group at the Section of Zoophysiology.
Further information
For more information, please contact Head of Section of Zoophysiology Mark Bayley (mark.bayley@bio.au.dk) or Head of Department Jesper G. Sørensen (jesper.soerensen@bio.au.dk).
Natural Sciences Tenure Track
Aarhus University offers talented scientists from around the world attractive career perspectives via the Natural Sciences Tenure Track Programme. Highly qualified candidates are appointed as Assistant Professors for a period of six years with the prospect of performance- based advancement to a tenured Associate Professorship.
The aim of the Natural Sciences Tenure Track Programme is to:
- attract outstanding talented individuals that are competitive at an international level
- to promote the early development of independent research success early in the career of scientists
- to create transparency in the academic career path
As part of the tenure track position, the candidate is offered:
- access to research infrastructure
- capability development, including postgraduate teacher training
- a mentoring programme
- support to develop scientific networks and to secure interdisciplinary research at the highest level
As part of the Aarhus University Tenure Track Programme, the University carries out a mid-way evaluation to review the progress of the tenure track candidate after three years, according to the same criteria used in the final tenure review. The final tenure review is conducted after five and a half years. If the review is positive, the candidate will be offered a tenured position as Associate Professor at Aarhus University.
Please refer to the
tenure track guidelines for the tenure review criteria and for the tenure review process.
Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the assessment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. The selection is made on the basis of an assessment of who of the candidates are most relevant considering the requirements of the advertisement. All applicants will be notified within 6 weeks 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 will receive his/her assessment. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.
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, including funding strategy, 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.
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.
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.
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/