Postdoctoral position in structural and biophysical analysis of plant hormone transporters within the Plant-PATH center (Aarhus, Denmark)
The Plant-PATH Center for Active Transport of Plant Hormones, hosted at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, is seeking a highly skilled and motivated postdoc to investigate the molecular mechanisms of plant hormone transport. The position offers the opportunity to work within an international, interdisciplinary environment, combining structural biology, biophysics, and plant physiology. Applicants with a strong background in membrane protein structure, function, or dynamics are especially encouraged to apply.
This is a 2-year contract with the possibility of extension thereafter, up to a total of maximum 4 years employment as a postdoc. Expected start date is 1 January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated postdoc with an interest in working on plant membrane proteins using a variety of biophysics and structural biology techniques.
The candidate must have:
We are hosted by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, within the central campus of Aarhus University, comprising a vibrant research and education environment. The department currently has 75 full time scientific staff, 95 PhD students and a yearly uptake of around 160 students housed in the same building ensuring a lively setting.
The department has access to state-of-the-art core facilities, including FACS, Bioimaging, CryoEM and Biophysics cores.
Please refer to http://mbg.au.dk/ for further information about The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and to https://nat.au.dk/ and http://www.au.dk/ for information on Faculty of Natural Sciences and Aarhus University, respectively. Please see https://mbg.au.dk/plant-path for information on the Plant-PATH center.
In Aarhus you have easy access to beautiful nature, an exciting culture and city life as well as a safe environment for children - a great place for the whole family. The city of Aarhus has everything you need within a surprisingly small area: exciting national and international jobs, delightful residential areas, a rich cultural life, and beautiful surrounding landscape of woods and coastline that make Aarhus a wonderful place to live and work. See “life in Denmark” at Aarhus and surroundings (au.dk) for further details on the city and the university.
Applications must be received no later than 3 October 2025.
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
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.
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Expected start date and duration of employment
This is a 2-year contract with the possibility of extension thereafter, up to a total of maximum 4 years employment as a postdoc. Expected start date is 1 January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.Job description
The position is part of the Plant-PATH Center for Active Transport of Plant Hormones and will strengthen the laboratory of Bjørn Panyella Pedersen at Aarhus University. The project aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying plant hormone transport, with a particular focus on membrane transport proteins. The selected candidate will work within the international and interdisciplinary Plant-PATH environment, using a range of approaches centered on structural biology and biophysics to investigate transporter structure, function, and regulation.
Your profile
We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated postdoc with an interest in working on plant membrane proteins using a variety of biophysics and structural biology techniques.The candidate must have:
- A proven track record in the area of structural biology with experience in membrane protein purification techniques and Cryo-Electronmicroscopy.
- A relevant Ph.D. degree and a solid and documented background in structural biology and biochemistry.
- Experience with in vitro biophysics and/or cryo-EM techniques is a plus.
- Expertise in membrane transporter related research areas is of advantage.
- be ambitious,
- show strong collaborative skills, and
- be able to take initiative and responsibility within the work environment.
Who we are
Plant-PATH – Center for Active Transport of Plant Hormones – is a Danish National Research Foundation Center of Excellence based at Aarhus University. We unite leading groups in Denmark, Belgium, and Germany in an international and collaborative research environment, offering excellent opportunities for training, exchange, and scientific development.We are hosted by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, within the central campus of Aarhus University, comprising a vibrant research and education environment. The department currently has 75 full time scientific staff, 95 PhD students and a yearly uptake of around 160 students housed in the same building ensuring a lively setting.
The department has access to state-of-the-art core facilities, including FACS, Bioimaging, CryoEM and Biophysics cores.
Please refer to http://mbg.au.dk/ for further information about The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and to https://nat.au.dk/ and http://www.au.dk/ for information on Faculty of Natural Sciences and Aarhus University, respectively. Please see https://mbg.au.dk/plant-path for information on the Plant-PATH center.
The city of Aarhus
In Aarhus you have easy access to beautiful nature, an exciting culture and city life as well as a safe environment for children - a great place for the whole family. The city of Aarhus has everything you need within a surprisingly small area: exciting national and international jobs, delightful residential areas, a rich cultural life, and beautiful surrounding landscape of woods and coastline that make Aarhus a wonderful place to live and work. See “life in Denmark” at Aarhus and surroundings (au.dk) for further details on the city and the university.What we offer
The department/centre offers:- a well-developed research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment
- an exciting interdisciplinary environment with many national, international and industrial collaborators
- a research climate encouraging lively, open and critical discussion within and across different fields of research
- a work environment with close working relationships, networking and social activities
- a workplace characterised by professionalism, equality and a healthy work-life balance.
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 the Plant-PATH Center Manager, Leila Margot Henkes (lmh@mbg.au.dk)
Deadline
Applications must be received no later than 3 October 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
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 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/
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Deadline: 03 October 2025
Academic contact person:
Bjørn Panyella Pedersen
Professor
bpp@mbg.au.dk
+4529723499
Vacant positions: 1
Hours per week: 37
Number of months: 24
Expected date of accession: 01 January 2026