Professor in Nutrition, Sustainability and Health - DTU Food

Are you the talented and passionate candidate who can strengthen and consolidate our research in nutrition and sustainability at DTU? We invite highly qualified applicants with extensive research experience in the areas of nutrition, sustainability and health promotion who can work transdisciplinary. 

Unhealthy diets pose a major challenge to public health, and today’s food systems contribute to a significant proportion of the world’s climate and environmental burden. The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is recruiting a professor bringing expertise focused on nutrition, climate, and sustainable food systems. 

The Professor position will head the Research Group for Nutrition, Sustainability and Health Promotion. The research group comprises app. 15 employees. The group tasks include the implementation of largescale population-based health surveys that identify societal challenges in relation to diet, sustainability, and health behavior. The research group develops and documents initiatives that promote healthy and sustainable eating habits and prepares the scientific basis for the official dietary guidelines including sustainable dietary advice and nutritional recommendations with a focus on preventing lifestyle diseases while at the same time supporting a sustainable food system. 

Responsibilities and qualifications
The research group aims to contribute to the shift to healthier and more sustainable diets for everyone, by leading research and research collaborations and building greater knowledge of what works.

Your overall focus will be to advancing the field of research and strengthen, complement, and develop the research groups competencies within:

• Investigating the impact of sustainable food choices on intake and effect on biomarkers related to disease risk as a crucial step towards promoting sustainability including health.
• Developing and investigating targeted strategies, both on individual and structural levels, to facilitate healthier and more sustainable behaviors in the green dietary transition.
• Investigating the nutritional quality and sustainability of alternative processed foods based on plant or other protein sources and the role of the food matrix.

A comprehensive and ambitious approach to promote sustainable diets should include cutting-edge research on plant-based processed foods, investigations into the impact of sustainable food choices on health and biomarkers, and the development and implementation of targeted strategies to promote sustainable dietary behaviors in the general population.

You will develop professional networks, build new interdisciplinary research collaborations, and have a track record in acquiring research funding. 

You will play a key role in collaborating between the different research groups and contribute to the overall mission and strategy of the institute. You have a visible presence in the research field and in society through your commitment to outreach activities and communications.

Candidates must possess a relevant doctoral degree that preferably includes nutrition, with a demonstrated ability to establish and lead transdisciplinary research, teaching, and show an interest in creating impact. 

As Professor, you are expected to manage a research group with app. 15 staff members. You should have a clear vision for the research field, the development of the research group and the collaboration within DTU and abroad. 

You should be an experienced leader of nutritional research projects and have solid experience with management of research and staff.

You will be involved in scientific advice for authorities as well as working closely with industrial partners. 

You are expected to take a lead role in teaching at the BEng, BSc, MSc and PhD levels adding to the activities in teaching engineering students aspects of nutrition, sustainability and health as well as initiating new teaching initiatives.

DTU employs two working languages: Danish and English. You are expected to be fluent in at least one of these languages, and in time are expected to master both.

You will be assessed against the responsibilities and qualifications stated above and the following general criteria:

• Documented experience and quality of teaching and curriculum development
• Research impact and experience, funding track record and research vision
• International impact and experience 
• Societal impact and collaboration with governmental bodies
• Innovativeness, including commercialization and collaboration with industry
• Leadership, collaboration, and interdisciplinary skills
• Communication skills 

Salary and terms of employment 
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Head of Department Christine Nellemann, tel.: +45 41584510.

An executive search exercise is being undertaken by Perrett Laver to assist the recruitment committee. For informal inquiries about the role please contact Kyle Adams at [email protected]  

You can read more about The National Food Institute at www.food.dtu.dk .

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . 

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 25 August 2023(Danish time). 

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter) addressed to the President
• Vision for teaching and research 
• CV including employment history, list of publications indicating scientific highlights, H-index and ORCID (see http://orcid.org/ )
• Teaching portfolio  including documentation of teaching experience
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD)

You can learn more about the recruitment process here .

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

The DTU National Food Institute
The National Food Institute employs approximately 350 highly skilled people within nutrition, chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, technology, and epidemiology. The National Food Institute conducts research and disseminates knowledge through advice giving, teaching and innovation activities. 

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.