Veterinary postdoc in Animal welfare cases in animal transport – animal welfare and forensic analysis

The Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences calls for applications for a 2-year postdoc position. The position is available from 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible  thereafter.


Research context

The position is linked to a newly started interdisciplinary, international research project – ANIMALAW.

The qualified candidate will join the research unit Behaviour, stress and welfare (BSW).


The position

The postdoc will be part of a unique collaboration between Danish and international legal, anthropological and veterinary researchers to map Danish practices related to animal welfare cases involving animal transport. Our team investigates whether these practices meet today’s standards regarding animal perception, expertise, and legal transparency.

The candidate will work in an exciting, interdisciplinary environment and use both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A significant part of the work involves reading Danish court rulings in the field in Danish, so proficiency in written Danish is a requirement.


Your profile as postdoc

• We seek a candidate at PhD level with a background in veterinary science or a similar field and an interest in forensic veterinary medicine, animal welfare legislation and animal welfare.
• You must have strong interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated your ability to communicate scientific research results.

The candidate will 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 into 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


Contact

Further information on the position in the research unit BSW may be obtained from Professor Mette S. Herskin, phone: +45 5050 2969, email: [email protected]


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 employment and place of work

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.
 


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.

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: [email protected]


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/