Fully funded Postdoc position in Neurobiology & Neurodegeneration

Applications are invited for a one-year postdoc position with possibilities for extension in the field of molecular neurobiology and neurodegeneration at DANDRITE (node to the Nordic EMBL partnership in molecular medicine), the Departments of Molecular Biology and Genetics & Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Denmark.

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is a one–year position from February 1st, 2025 or as soon possible, with possibility of extension.

Job description

• You will work as a joint postdoc between Director of DANDRITE, Dr. Poul Henning Jensen, and Group Leader Dr. Chao Sun to study calcium homeostasis at neuronal synapses and its disruption by a-synuclein pathology.
• You will use cutting-edge single-molecule-resolution microscopy (DNA PAINT, expansion microscopy etc), live-neuron imaging, a-synuclein seeding assays, and state-of-the-art activity reporters.
• You will have opportunities to collaborate with other DANDRITE and Aarhus University Hospital expertise in e.g. Parkinson’s Disease and cryogenic electron tomography.
• You will be working primarily with primary rodent neuron cultures and patient-derived brain tissues in collaboration with neurosurgeons at Aarhus University Hospital.
• You will be encouraged and supported to apply for external funding e.g. fellowships
• You will have opportunities to develop grant writing, networking, and scientific communication skills
• You will develop mentoring skills working with PhD/Master’s/Bachelor’s thesis students
• You will be presenting at international conferences
• You will contribute to daily lab management, attend project meetings, department seminars, and institute retreats as part of an international, dynamic team

Your profile

Applicants should hold a PhD in Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Biophysics, Biochemistry or similar.

• Experience in cutting-edge light microscopy and neurobiology is a must.
• Skills in super-resolution microscopy is highly desirable
• Track record of international mobility is highly desirable
• Publication experience is necessary
• Collaboration/project management skills are desirable
• Communication and working in an international environment is necessary
• Personal skills such as teamwork and lab leadership skills are desirable

Who we are

Jensen lab at DANDRITE is a pioneer in the research into a-synuclein pathology in Parkinson’s Diseases. 

Sun lab at DANDRITE pioneers the use of quantitative, in situ, single-molecule localization for studying the basic cell biology at neuronal synapses (e.g. Sun et al., Science, 2023). Sun lab is also part of the Center for Proteins in Memory funded by the Danish National Research Foundation.

DANDRITE is a leading neuroscience research institute funded by the Lundbeck Foundation, and part of the Nordic EMBL partnership in molecular medicine. DANDRITE members enjoy privileged access to cutting-edge facilities (microscopy, FACS, animal facility, cryogenic electron microscopy and tomography etc) and technology at both Aarhus University and within the EMBL network.

Website: https://dandrite.au.dk/

Located at the 2024 Happiest City in the world by World Index, Aarhus University is a Top-100 university in the world with excellent research output (e.g. 1997 Nobel Prize for the discovery of sodium/potassium pumps), infrastructure, and funding environment for hosting international researchers and their family.

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, Aarhus 8000, Denmark and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments.

Contact information

For further information, please contact: Dr. Chao Sun, chaosundandrite.au.dk

Dr. Poul Henning Jensen, phjbiomed.au.dk

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than November 20th, 2024

Applicants are asked to upload

• Cover letter on motivation, track record etc
• CV
• One-page max. high-level research summary
• Relevant publications & preprints
• Contact information for at least 2 references (one from PhD advisor)
• Transcripts and other relevant certificates (e.g. for animal handling)

Qualified applicants after initial selection will be invited for zoom interviews shortly after the deadline. Top candidates will be further invited for potential on-site interviews.

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

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/