Professor in Plant Evolution and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark

The Department of Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark, invites applications for a position as Professor in Plant Evolution and Biodiversity. The position is to be filled by January 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter, subject to negotiation.

The Position
This position aims to enhance the Department’s research profile in plant evolution and biodiversity. We seek a candidate with an excellent and broad research profile in plant evolution and biodiversity research, preferably with a focus on flowering plants. The successful candidate will explore fundamental questions such as the origins, distribution, and concentration of plant biodiversity, using genomic and biogeographic methods. We expect the candidate to develop or build upon an existing independent research program and attract significant external funding.

Teaching is a significant aspect of the position. This includes contributing to basic courses at the bachelor level, providing a broad overview of fundamental biological principles. At the master level, the candidate is expected to contribute to advanced courses, including field courses. Supervision of undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students is also expected. The candidate is expected to contribute to the Department’s strategy, administrative tasks, and social environment. While our working language is English, the candidate must be able to communicate and teach in Danish within four years of employment.

The Candidate
The candidate is expected to have an internationally excellent academic track record in plant evolution and biodiversity. The candidate should have documented experience in research project management and group leadership, funding acquisition, and teaching. The applicant is expected to establish collaborations with related research environments at Aarhus University and beyond, and to document established relationships with researchers internationally.

We seek a candidate with:

• A competitive academic track record in plant systematics, including cutting-edge phylogenomics, and plant biogeography, incorporating both phylogenetic and ecological approaches.
• A broad, integrative approach to biodiversity science, bridging alpha-taxonomy, phylogenetics, macroevolution, biogeography, and ecology.
• Experience working on tropical plants and ecosystems, with the ability to continue and further develop the department’s long-standing research program on the subject.
• The ability to teach botany, including temperate flora typical of the Danish environment, phylogenetics, and biogeography.
• Experience in research project management and group leadership, including PhD supervision and guidance of post docs / assistant professors.
• Solid teaching experience, including supervision of MSc and BSc students.
• Excellent communication skills, and experience in scientific communication and public outreach.

Assessment criteria
The qualifications of each candidate will be evaluated according to the Criteria for evaluating candidates for scientific positions at AU Natural Sciences.

Assessment of qualifications will be based on:

• Research output, including high-level peer-reviewed publications.
• Research leadership experience.
• International research collaboration.
• Proven ability to attract external funding.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality undergraduate and graduate teaching.
• Supervision of students.
• Communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate and build working relationships.

Place of Employment
The place of employment is Aarhus University, Department of Biology, Ny Munkegade 114-116, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

About the Department of Biology
The candidate will become a member of the Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity of the Department of Biology, Aarhus University. The Department of Biology ( hosts research programs and teaching curricula that cover all major biological sub-disciplines. The Department currently employs approximately 40 tenured academic staff, 60 postdocs, 40 PhD students, and 60 technical staff. The Department hosts BSc and MSc study programs in Biology with about 400 students enrolled, as well as a PhD program. The Department offers a vibrant and informal research environment with a long-standing tradition for collaboration with international university partners in the absolute elite. The working language is English, and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Further Information
For additional information, please contact Head of Department, Professor Hans Brix ( ).

Deadline
Applications must be submitted online and received by October 1, 2024.

Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the assessment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. The selection is made on the basis of an assessment of who of the candidates are most relevant considering the requirements of the advertisement. All applicants will be notified within 6 weeks 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 will receive his/her assessment. 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
Natural 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.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

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.

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

Department: Økoinformatik og biodiversitet/Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity

Deadline: 01 October 2024

Location: Aarhus C Ny Munkegade 116