Postdoc - Entomologist in Arable Crops

The Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University in Slagelse, Denmark is offering a postdoctoral position as entomologist in Arable Crops, starting 1st January 2025. The position will be available for a period of 2-years.

The position is part of the departments focus on promoting sustainability and environmentally friendly crop production systems. We conduct research on various aspects of crop health and our aim is to develop sustainable crop production systems with the promotion of ecosystem services, and application of biological control agents. The research should contribute to provide knowledge via ecological studies of insect pests, their interaction with beneficial insects and further provide a basis for developing preventive measures. The research should encompass the effects of climate, agricultural practices in mono- or mixed cropping systems and enhance biodiversity on local as well on farmscale levels.

Research area

Our new colleague will be part of a team, which conducts and disseminates research on various aspects of crop management such as:

• Pest management via natural regulation and biological control
• Insect biology and interactions between insect pests and natural enemies
• Crop production practices to minimize the effect of pest
• Use of e.g., flower strips to support functional biodiversity and ecosystem services

The candidate will be part of the Crop health research section, which focus is on cereals, grain legumes and seed crops. Most of our projects are cross-disciplinary and you will support the different research groups with your entomological expertise.   

Your profile

We seek a committed person, who possesses the following professional and personal qualifications:

• A PhD degree in agroecology, agronomy, biology or similar
• Specialization in insect biology, applied ecology, insect pests and their natural enemies
• Expertise with data handling including collection, analysis and interpretation
• Ability to develop and conceptualize ideas and formulate hypotheses
• Interest for dissemination of research findings

Further, we will prefer candidates with some of the following qualifications:

• Knowledge of crop physiology (cereals, grain legumes and seed crops)
• Proven publication records in international peer-reviewed journals
• Teaching and supervision experience at the BSc and MSc level

We are looking for an open-minded person with good communication skills, who can work independently and at the same time has good collaboration skills and the ability to work in a diverse, multidisciplinary research team. Our work is seasonal dependent and requires flexibility especially during the growth season.

What we offer

• An informal and multicultural research environment with high professionalism, where accountability, commitment, helpfulness, flexibility, and close collaboration is a prerequisite solving the core tasks
• A good social environment with activities and routines that make it possible to talk across and strengthen the inclusive relationship, and where mutual trust, respect, kindness, and professional sparring are emphasized
• A flexible workplace with a good work-life balance
• A workplace where we work actively with diversity, equity and inclusion
• An exciting and varied working environment, where two days rarely resemble each other. We are often busy, and we work creatively for solutions to societal challenges
•  

 Special benefits when working in Denmark

• Subsidized preschool childcare and a free education system from primary school up to university level
• Universal health insurance as a resident of Denmark, including family members officially residing in Denmark
• Five weeks paid holiday per year
• In connection with childbirth: the right to have a total of 52 weeks shared maternal/paternal leave with full or partial salary pay

Aarhus University’s vision is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to create 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

Place of Work

The place of work is Aarhus University, Campus Flakkebjerg, Forsøgsvej 1, 4200 Slagelse.  The affiliation will be with the Department of Agroecology.

More information can be obtained from Section Manager René Gislum: [email protected] or Professor Birte Boelt: [email protected]

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.