The Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University, Denmark, is offering a position as Assistant professor focusing on microbial ecology of agricultural soils. The position will be available from 1. February 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position will be available for a 4-year period.
You will be part of a research environment focusing on the interaction between plant growth, soil fertility and the biogeochemically mediated turnover of nutrients and carbon in agricultural soils. You will be contributing to specifically the area of microbial processes in soil with relation to the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance in agricultural cropping systems. And the main focus of your position will be to strengthen the Departments experimental expertise in this area.
You will work experimentally in a project with already established field experiments including the use of stable isotopes to trace the link between plants and soil biogeochemical processes. This and related projects aims to increase the mechanistic understanding of microbial processes that contribute to reducing the GHG footprint of Danish agriculture .
We expect that you will be an active part of the research environment and that you will contribute positively to the social working environment. We also expect that you will take part in our teaching activities and that you will report research results in high-impact scientific journals.
Your profile
We are searching for a highly motivated candidate who has
- A PhD in microbial ecology or similar
- Collaborative skills and ability to participate actively in teams
- A genuine interest in microbiology of agricultural soils
- Documented experience in scientific writing and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Teaching and supervision experience at BSc, MSc and PhD level
- Experience in contributing with writing research proposals for external funding
- Research experience in some of the areas of soil carbon sequestration, soil nitrogen transformations, functional microbial diversity and activity
- Networking experience
Further, we will prefer candidates with some of the following qualifications:
- Experience in planning and conducting field-work
- Experience in planning and conducting laboratory work in relation to soil biogeochemical processes
- Insight into the role of soil characteristics, such as nutrient availability, pH and microbial biomass, for transformations of organic matter and greenhouse gases
- Experience with use of 13C, 14C and 15N isotopes in plant and soil systems
- Interest in methods and method development for studies of soil microbial processes, including DNA based techniques
Who we are
At the Department of Agroecology, our main goal is to contribute to sustainable solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems within the areas of soil, plants, animals, humans, and the environment. We want to make a difference by contributing to both fundamental knowledge generation and the attainment of sustainable production systems via state-of-the-art research, contracted policy advice, and education.
We offer state-of-the-art laboratories, greenhouses, semi-field, and field-scale research facilities, advanced computing capacities as well as an extensive national and international researcher network. The department consists of seven research sections with around 270 highly dedicated employees, of which approximately 50% are scientific staff.
What we offer
- An informal and multicultural research environment with high professionalism, where accountability, commitment, helpfulness, flexibility, and close collaboration is a prerequisite solving the core tasks
- A good social environment with activities and routines that make it possible to talk across and strengthen the collegial relationship, and where mutual trust, respect, kindness, and professional sparring are emphasized
- A flexible workplace with a good work-life balance
- An exciting and varied working environment, where two days rarely resemble each other. We are often busy, and we work creatively for solutions to societal challenges
- Subsidized preschool child care and a free education system from primary school up to university level
- Universal health insurance as a resident of Denmark, including family members officially residing in Denmark
- Five weeks paid holiday per year
- In connection with childbirth: the right to have a total of 52 weeks shared maternal/paternal leave with full or partial salary pay
Place of Work
The place of work is Aarhus University, Campus Viborg. The affiliation will be with the Department of Agroecology.
More information can be obtained from Associate Professor Lars Elsgaard, e-mail: Lars.Elsgaard@agro.au.dk
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.
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).
Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance 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 Finance 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.
Deadline: Monday 1 Aug 2022 at 23:59 CEST