The Department of Ecoscience at Aarhus University invites applications for a two-year postdoctoral position, offering an exciting opportunity to contribute to a new research project on Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Genetics.
 

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is a 2–year position from 1 February 2026 or as soon possible.
 

Job description

The position will focus on developing and applying genetic and genomic approaches to biodiversity research. This includes integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) and molecular tools with ecological data to enhance our ability to assess biodiversity, detect changes, and inform conservation decisions. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in expanding the use of genetics and genomics within biodiversity research, bridging disciplines across molecular biology, ecology, bioinformatics, and environmental science. The taxonomic scope is broad and inclusive: we aim to collect comprehensive data across multiple taxonomic groups to support a holistic approach to biodiversity monitoring.

The postdoctoral researcher will work closely with the newly formed Genetic Agrobiodiversity Unit at Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics (QGG), which leads several projects on biodiversity monitoring that currently focus on remote sensing and phenomics. The new postdoctoral position will extend this work into the fields of population genetics, metagenomics, eDNA-based monitoring and phylogenomics, contributing to both research development and interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Ecoscience and QGG at Aarhus University.

The position offers opportunities to develop independent research ideas within the broad themes of biodiversity monitoring, ecological assessment and molecular ecology, while contributing to large-scale biodiversity assessments and methodological development at Aarhus University.
 

Your profile

Applicants should hold a PhD in ecology, population or conservation genetics, evolutionary biology, bioinformatics, or a related field.
We seek a candidate with a keen interest in biodiversity research, innovative monitoring and ecosystem change, and with demonstrated skills in several of the following areas:

• Population genetics, evolutionary genomics or molecular ecology
• Biodiversity assessment and ecological data analysis
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) or other molecular biodiversity tools
• Bioinformatics and statistical analyses (e.g. R, Python)
• Fieldwork experience in ecological or environmental sampling
• Scientific publishing and project coordination
   

Who we are

The Department of Ecoscience is engaged in research programs and advisory work covering the major biological sub-disciplines. We conduct innovative, advanced research in the areas of aquatic biology and ecology, Arctic environments and ecosystems, biodiversity, conservation biology, and wildlife management. The Department currently employs approximately 300 academic and technical staff, as well as many PhD students.
The qualified candidate will work in a supportive and internationally engaged scientific environment at the Section for Freshwater Ecology.

The department aims to be a supportive and encouraging workplace that offers interesting challenges, collaborative colleagues, and avenues for academic growth. The department actively facilitates a healthy integration of work and personal life and aspires to recruit and maintain highly skilled individuals who prioritize curiosity and trust.
 

What we offer  

The department offers:

• a well-developed research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment
• Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration across Ecosciences focus groups and QGG
• Mentorship and support in developing independent research directions
• Support for grant writing and professional development
• a workplace characterized by professionalism, equality and a healthy work-life balance.

 

Place of work and area of employment

Depending on the candidate, the physical work place can be located either on the main campus of Aarhus University at C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, or in the facilities of Aarhus University located at Frederiksborgvej 399, DK 4000 Roskilde, approximately 40 km from Copenhagen.  
 

Contact information

For further information, please contact: Dr Georgina Brennan, +4520689612, g.brennan@ecos.au.dk.
 

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than 12th December 2025.
 

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. 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

Technical 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.

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/