Plant Molecular Biology – Associate or Tenure‑Track Professor, Aarhus University

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University aims to strengthen its position within the broader field of Plant Molecular Biology and the Green transition. We therefore invite applications for a position to be filled at either Tenure-Track Assistant Professor or Tenured Associate Professor level, starting summer 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

With the new position, we seek to strengthen the Department’s research portfolio and teaching activities in the broader area of plant molecular biology and genetics. All research directions within the theme of Plant Molecular Biology are welcome. Relevant research areas include, but are not restricted to:

• Plant-microbe interaction
• Genome editing and advanced crop genetics
• Synthetic Biology for pathway engineering
• Crop legume trait development and discovery
• Cell biology and imaging
• Plant development and cell differentiation
• Phytohormone regulation
• Structural and functional biochemistry

We also welcome applicants who apply artificial intelligence (AI) approaches in plant biology.

As a researcher at the Department, you will be part of a vibrant, collaborative and international research environment and benefit from and contribute to the research and infrastructure in the Plant Molecular Biology section (https://mbg.au.dk/en/research/research-areas/plant-molecular-biology). Internal communication and teaching at the Department is primarily conducted in English and international candidates are therefore not required to learn Danish.

As an assistant professor in a tenure-track position, you are expected to develop an independent and competitive research program, and you will be offered local mentoring during the tenure-track period. In case of more senior applicants, a position as tenured associate professor will be considered. In both cases, start-up funds to establish a competitive research program will be negotiable.

MBG aims to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all, and we view equality and diversity as assets. We encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities in their CV, 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. English is spoken with high proficiency by most Danes, which will ease the arrival and integration of international applicants.

The candidate

A qualified candidate must have a solid background in plant molecular biology or related fields and be able to demonstrate long-term potential for outstanding achievements in independent research, its dissemination, funding acquisition, and teaching. Top results from a high-level postdoc position, including substantial international experience, are essential for a tenure-track appointment. Successful establishment of an original research programme and significant experience with academic training and teaching are essential qualifications for an associate professorship. The candidate should be able to write and speak English fluently.

Job description

The candidate is expected to:

• Establish and lead his/her own research team.
• Define, conduct and deliver a competitive and innovative research programme at the highest international level.
• Support translational and applied research in future applications, if relevant.
• Manage and undertake teaching in courses for students in Molecular Biology and Molecular Medicine and related programs at the Bachelor, Master and PhD levels.
• Define and supervise experimental projects for Bachelor, Master and PhD students.
• Attract external funding from national and international funding bodies, both independently and in collaboration with local colleagues as well as with external Danish and international collaborators.
• Show leadership by actively engaging in the administration and strategic development of the Department and to establish interdisciplinary collaborations with other relevant departments at Aarhus University.
• Mentor junior researchers with respect to applications for external funding and career development.

Who we are

The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics is part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University and comprises research within the areas of Plant Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, RNA Biology, Protein Science, Bioinformatics, and Cellular Health, Intervention and Nutrition. The department currently has 142 full time scientific staff and 85 PhD students. The department is responsible for the education Molecular Biology and Molecular Medicine with a yearly uptake of 90 students. 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 about the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Aarhus University, respectively.

The Department offers:

• well-developed research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment
• core facilities for bioimaging, biophysics, proteomics and in silico protein design
• infrastructure for computational biology
• in-house tissue-culture, plant growth chambers and access to greenhouses
• an exciting interdisciplinary environment with many national, international and industrial collaborators
• a supportive workplace characterized by professionalism, equality and a healthy work-life balance
• scientific and administrative support in relocation and onboarding for international applicants

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: Head of Department, Claus Oxvig.
Phone number: +45 30362460
Email: cojustinevansmcculloughsarah@kempcalhounmbg.au.dk

Deadline

Application deadline 19 March 2026

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.

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.Nattechrichardchristiancrichardsongregoryheather@thompsonhuangaunelson-washington.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. Ensuring gender balance at the Department of Molegular Biology and Genetics is a high priority at Aarhus University, and therefore, we particularly encourage women to apply for this position. No candidate will be given preferential treatment, and all applicants will be assessed on the basis of their qualifications for the position in question.

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.

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.

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/