Postdoc positions at Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

The Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University, calls for applications for four fulltime postdoc positions. The two-year positions are available from 1 February 2025 or soon thereafter.

The positions will be in the research unit  Behaviour, stress and welfare (BSW).  
You can apply for one or more of the positions.


Your profile as postdoc

Qualifications for the Postdoc positions at Aarhus University include academic qualifications at PhD level as specified for each of the four positions. You must have strong interpersonal and communication skills in English and demonstrated your ability for scientific communication of research results.


1. Postdoc in Animal transport and offences in animal welfare legislation

The 2-year postdoc position will cover research in offences in animal welfare legislation with a specific focus on animal transportation. The postdoc project involves descriptive analyses of Danish cases, as well as a systematic review of the scientific evidence for negative affective states associated with at least one high-incidence clinical condition during transportation. The research will be joint work with a PhD student conducting qualitative work on associated aspects based on anthropological and legal methodology.

We seek a candidate at PhD level with a background in e.g. veterinary or animal science or similar including forensic veterinary medicine and preferably with knowledge or interest in animal welfare legislation.


2. Postdoc in Animal welfare and sustainability

The 2-year postdoc position will cover research and development of production systems that create synergies between animal welfare and other aspects of sustainability. The work includes a literature review on methodologies for including animal welfare in existing sustainability tools, exploring possible solutions for incorporation of animal welfare criteria within e.g. LCA models, and demonstrating multicriteria analysis of sustainability in case studies involving pigs and cattle.

We seek a candidate at PhD level with a background in e.g. biology, animal - or veterinary science or similar and a candidate who is especially interested in ethology and animal welfare and/or sustainability assessment.


3. Postdoc in Cognition and emotion

The position will cover research in animal cognition and emotions to understand animal emotion and validate animal-based indicators of positive welfare. This includes validation of animal-based welfare indicators through their relation to preferred and valued environments, as well as the relationship between specific behaviours (e.g. play behaviour) and animal emotions.

Furthermore, the research will investigate the interplay between animal emotions, competencies and resilience.

We seek a candidate with a background in e.g. biology, animal - or veterinary science or similar and a candidate who is especially interested in ethology and animal welfare.


4. Postdoc in Animal welfare during transport and other critical life events

The position will cover research on animal welfare during transport and during other critical life events, including studies of animal behaviour and physiology, focusing on the use of animal- and resource-based indicators of animal welfare. The position focuses on management of farm animals such as pigs, cattle and poultry during short- and long-term transport and may involve One Welfare aspects. The position involves experimental studies as well as literature reviews. 

We seek a candidate at PhD level, with a background in biology, animal science, veterinary medicine or similar and who is especially interested in animal transport and animal welfare across the species typically transported as part of the production of meat, dairy or eggs. 


The candidates will for all positions have the opportunity to be trained and gain experience in

• Teaching and supervision of students at the BSc and MSc level through active involvement in teaching in animal science and in the veterinary science programme.
• Research-based consultancy to authorities, where it is relevant.  

                       

What we offer

• A well-developed research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment and animal experimental facilities
• An informal and multicultural research environment with high professionalism and close collaboration and networking activities
• A workplace characterized by equality and a good work-life balance, and an open discussion across different fields of research.

Who we are

Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences is well-known for its skilled and very innovative interdisciplinary research environments with high international impact. We perform world-class research, which contributes with solutions to solve essential societal challenges within the green transition: food production and veterinary medicine – nationally and globally.

The department generates novel research at the highest international level within sustainable food production, environment, climate, and health and welfare for animals and humans. The activities form the basis for the research-based public sector consultancy and degree programs covering bachelor, master and PhD degree programs within animal science and veterinary medicine. We offer a lively, engaged and innovative learning and study environment, which is closely integrated in the research environment.

Our department has unique and advanced animal experimental research facilities and technologies, situated in close connection to the research environment, and a comprehensive national and international research network and good industrial and professional collaboration.

Please refer to Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences (au.dk) for further
information about the department; https://anivet.au.dk/en


Living in Denmark

Please visit the international staff website: https://internationalstaff.au.dk/prearrival/  for
information about arriving to and living in Denmark for both the applicants and their
potential family.


Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, AU Viborg,
Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, and the area of employment is Aarhus University (AU)
with related departments.
 

Contact

Further information on the position in the research unit BSW may be obtained from Head of Research Unit Lene Juul Pedersen, phone: +45 5116 2822, email: [email protected]


Deadline

Applications must be received no later than 12 November 2024. 
 


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). 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.

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/