Assistant Professor of Proteomics and Circadian Metabolism at Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic Assistant Professor who will join the Circadian Biology in the Zierath Group for a 4-year position to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research to commence 15 November 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter.
You will join a multi-disciplinary research team working on basic and applied research questions related to circadian rhythms, metabolism and exercise. You will work both independently and collaboratively across this team and the Center to produce world-leading research in the field of Circadian Metabolism.

Background
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research’s vision is to strengthen interdisciplinary research that transforms our basic understanding of the mechanisms that underlie metabolic health and disease, and to accelerate this knowledge towards new prevention and treatment strategies. We were established in 2010, and in 2017, we moved into new laboratories, offices, and meeting rooms in the Maersk Tower www.maersktower.ku.dk .

The Center has around 260 employees who work in an international, highly collaborative research environment across a range of biomedical disciplines. You can read more about us here: www.cbmr.ku.dk .

Our research
The aim of the Zierath group is to investigate the interactions between intrinsic biorhythms and external perturbations such as exercise and nutrient provision to identify novel translational strategies for prevention and treatment of metabolic disease. You can read more about the work of the group here .
The group is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary, with established expertise in transcriptomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, and metabolic phenotyping across a range of experimental models (cells, rodents, and humans).

Your job
Circadian rhythms are driven by an internal biological clock that is synchronized by Zeitgebers (time-keepers) that anticipate day/night cycles to optimize the physiology and behavior of organisms. The circadian program is regulated at both a central and peripheral level, and cell autonomous circadian rhythms are generated by a transcriptional auto-regulatory feedback loop. A basic paradigm of circadian regulation of metabolism is that oscillations of gene expression generate daily rhythms in cellular metabolism. While disrupted circadian rhythms alter metabolism, the extent to which these processes are impaired in humans with obesity or  type 2 diabetes is unknown.

The main objectives of this Assistant Professor position are to 1) determine the how post-translational modifications regulate circadian rhythms in metabolism, 2) develop proteomics methods to study protein dynamics and post-translational modifications in the context of type 2 diabetes and circadian metabolism, 3)investigate how the circadian metabolism is disrupted in type 2 diabetes, and 4) work collaboratively across research groups and institutions to accelerate the delivery of research deliverables within the Zierath Group.

The Assistant Professor will adopt multi-disciplinary approaches, integrating cell-based systems, animal models and humans to investigate the bidirectional relationship between the circadian clock and metabolism in type 2 diabetes. This project will include usage of mitochondrial respirometry, microscopy, and various “omics” approaches (e.g. proteomics, transcriptomic and metabolomics) as well as bioinformatics tools.

The Assistant Professor’s responsibilities will primarily consist of:

• research, including publication/academic dissemination duties
• research-based teaching
• sharing knowledge with society
• participation in formal pedagogical training program for assistant professors
• applying for independent, external funding.

Profile
Six overall criteria apply for assistant professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding, and leadership) are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Find information about each criterion here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit .

Furthermore, we are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following skills and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in Physiology, Metabolism, Molecular Biology, Biomedicine, or similar
• You are highly experienced in metabolic phenotyping of various models, from cells to humans
• You are highly experienced in “omics” research, particularly in the measurement and analysis of proteomics
• Documented experience with animal handling
• You have an active interest in Metabolic Research and Circadian Biology
• You have pre- and postgraduate teaching experience within Physiology and Metabolism
• Proficient communication skills and ability to work in teams
• Excellent English skills written and spoken
• The candidate should be able to work independently and interactively in a team setting, and be enthusiastic, motivated and proactive
• Excellent publication record in high-impact
• You have a track record of attracting research funding, commensurate with your experience level.

Desirable experience and skills:

• Experience of working with clinical samples and data
• International recognition, in form of awards and/or board appointments to relevant organisations
• Candidates with a background in exercise physiology and the measurement of proteins and post-translational modifications within skeletal muscle would be highly regarded.

Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Maersk Tower, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 4 years. The start date is 15 November 2022 or after agreement.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 35,500 DKK/approx. 4,768 EUR (April 2022 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information please contact Professor Juleen R Zierath at [email protected] .

For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact SUND HR CBMR at [email protected] .

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure
Your application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

Deadline for applications: 18 August 2022, 23.59pm CET
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.