The Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University, Denmark, is offering a postdoctoral position in phytochemical and microbial mediated regulation of root-knot nematode infectivity, starting 01-07-2023or as soon as possible thereafter. The position will be available for a 2.5-year period. You will be working on the project “Phytochemical recruitment of pest suppressive root microbiomes” funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The project aims to elucidate mechanisms behind phytochemical- mediated modulation of root microbiomes and their effects on root-knot nematode infectivity.
You will be involved in the design of experiments, where you will be analyzing correlations between root microbiome taxonomic and functional composition, root metabolites and root-knot nematode suppression/infectivity. You will be main responsible for the execution of experiments and the preparation of libraries for amplicon and shot-gun sequencing. Further, you will be investigating effects of microbial consortia on the expression of plant defense genes and root-knot nematode parasitism genes.
We expect that you will be an important 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 biology, agronomy or similar
- Collaborative skills and ability to participate actively in teams
- A fondness of taking the initiative and the motivation to pursue a scientific career
- Documented experience in scientific writing and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Research experience in some of the areas of phytonematology, molecular soil/plant microbiology
Further, we will prefer candidates with some of the following qualifications:
- Teaching and supervision experience at the BSc and MSc level
- Interest and preferably experience in developing comrehensive national and international research applications
- Experience in planning and conducting controlled plant experiments
- Experience in planning and conducting laboratory work within phytonematology, classical and molecular microbiology
- Insight into interactions between plants, microorganisms and phytonematodes
- Experience with high-throughput sequencing technologies, bioinformatic analyses of metabarcoding and/or metagenomics data, multivariate statistical analyses
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 innovative 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 eight 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 inclusive 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 Flakkebjerg located near Slagelse. The affiliation will be with the Department of Agroecology.
More information can be obtained from Senior researcher Mette Vestergård (mvestergard@agro.au.dk) or Professor Mogens Nicolaisen (mn@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 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.
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 Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
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.
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 8,000 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 885 million.