The Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University, Denmark, is offering a postdoctoral position in computational genomics, starting 01-02-2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position will be available for a 2,5-year period.
You will be part of a research environment focusing on computational genomics, bioinformatics, and AI-driven plant research. You will be contributing specifically to the area of development of computational methods that integrate pangenomic information and large language model (LLM)-based approaches and the focus of your position will be targeted long-read sequencing and high-resolution gene-space assembly in complex plant genomes. You will work experimentally with genomic datasets, develop and evaluate LLM-based methods, and validate sequencing workflows and gene-space assembly quality.
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 Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a closely related discipline, with a deep focus on plant genomics, computational plant biology, or AI applications in plant science .
- Documented experience in computational genomics, bioinformatics, pangenomic data analysis, machine learning, deep learning, or LLM-based model development.
- Collaborative skills and ability to contribute effectively in teams. A fondness of taking the initiative and the motivation to pursue a scientific career.
Additional qualifications
Further, we will prefer candidates with some of the following qualifications:
- Experience with Oxford Nanopore sequencing or other long-read sequencing platforms.
- Experience in LLM-based model development, including model training, fine-tuning, or evaluation.
- Experience developing computational methods or software for genomic sequence analysis.
- Experience with high-performance computing, algorithm optimization, or large-scale genomic datasets
- Familiarity with pangenomic analysis, structural variation, or genome assembly
- Teaching and supervision experience at the BSc and MSc level
- Interest and experience in developing effective national and international research applications
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 professional 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 nine research sections with around 350 highly skilled employees, of which approximately 50% are scientific staff. More information can be found here.
We believe in encouraging inclusion, acceptance, and understanding by employing staff who bring unique perspectives to our department.
What we offer
- A collaborative, international research environment that combines high academic standards with an informal and supportive atmosphere. We value accountability, curiosity, flexibility, and teamwork in everything we do.
- An inclusive and respectful workplace culture, where mutual trust, kindness, and professional dialogue are part of daily life. We encourage open communication and develop a cohesive sense of community across teams and disciplines.
- A flexible working environment that supports work-life balance and individual needs.
- An active institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – in recruitment, career development, and everyday interactions.
- An innovative and meaningful workplace where your work contributes to solving real-world challenges. No two days are alike, and we welcome creative thinking and new ideas.
- Support for international researchers and their families, including Relocation Service and an Expat Partner Programme
Living and working in Denmark
- Subsidized childcare and free education from primary school through university.
- Universal healthcare for you and your family as residents.
- Five weeks of paid holiday per year.
- Generous parental leave – up to 52 weeks shared between parents, with full or partial salary.
Place of Work
The place of work is Aarhus University, Campus Forsøgsvej 1, Slagelse 4200, Denmark. The affiliation will be with the Department of Agroecology.
More information can be obtained from Sandip M. Kale at smkale@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.
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 and terms as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Unions at basic salary steps 4-8.
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.
About 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 for its 37,500 students, including PhD students, and has 9,000 employees (full-time equivalents) and an annual revenue of EUR 1.2 billion. Learn more at international.au.dk
