Two year postdoc position in population and conservation genomics

Job description

The Department of Biology, Aarhus University, invites applications for a two-year postdoc in population and conservation genomics, focusing on genetic load in high-Ne species.
 

Project description

The postdoc will work on the project The Genetic Load of Plenty: When Too Much Diversity Becomes a Burden, funded by the Villum Foundation.

The project will explore if species with enormous historical effective population sizes (Ne) accumulate very high amounts of recessive deleterious mutations (masked genetic load).

This load could then become realized when populations decline and inbreeding occurs, significantly elevating extinction risk as compared to species with lower Ne. The project will test if there is indeed an association between Ne and genetic load even for high-Ne species and will focus on fishes.

European (Anguilla anguilla) and American eel (A.

rostrata) will represent species with extremely high historical Ne but now experiencing drastic declines.

A number of other marine and freshwater species will represent a gradient of Ne.

In addition to standard bioinformatics work the project encompasses analysis of demographic history and Ne, estimation of inbreeding and genetic load, and eco-evolutionary simulation.

The position is available from 1 March 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter and is for 2 years.

Qualifications and competences

Applicants must have a PhD degree or equivalent or have submitted their PhD thesis for assessment before the application deadline.

We seek a candidate with strong interests in evolutionary, population and conservation genomics.

We particularly emphasize:

Experience with bioinformatics and statistical analyses of whole genome sequencing or other genomic data

A strong conceptual background in evolutionary biology and population genetics

Good writing skills and experience with scientific publishing

Good collaborative skills and ability to both work independently and be part of a team

The successful candidate will be responsible for the daily management of the research project in coordination with other members of the group and will be actively involved in the training and co-supervision of other staff members and students.

Place of employment and work

The place of employment and work is Section for Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

The candidate will become part of a research group working on population, conservation and landscape genomics led by Professor Michael M.

Hansen (, will become a member of the Section for Genetics, Ecology and Evolution ( and will furthermore be associated with the Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere ( There will be rich opportunities for collaboration within this broad research environment, with other researchers from Aarhus University as well as national and international collaborations.

Deadline

Applications must be submitted online and received by 15 November 2025.

Contact information

Applicants seeking further information are invited to contact Michael M.

Hansen ().

Application

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

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.

If you wish to add a referee after you have submitted your application, you must send this person’s details (name, job title, place of work, and email address) as well as the name of the position you have applied for to:

Formalities and salary range

Natural Sciences refers to the .

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

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 .



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 .

Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark .

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU.

You can read more about it .

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 , 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.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Required Skill Profession

Life Scientists