Assistant Professor in Experimental Virology Part-time

Assistant Professor in Experimental Virology

The Department of Biomedicine at the Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for a position as Assistant Professor in the field of experimental virology as per 1 February 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a fixed-term full-time position for 18 months.

Your job responsibilities will include research and research-based teaching. You will teach and supervise students at Bachelor's and Master's level, and you will contribute to the development of the department through research of high international quality. In your daily work, you will work closely with both Danish and international colleagues. The position of Assistant Professor is a career development position in which you will receive supervision and pedagogical upgrading.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Independent research of high international quality on virus-host interactions, innate immune sensing and inflammasome signalling during RNA-virus infection, including publication of the results.
• Establishment and characterisation of relevant cellular and cancer-associated experimental models to study how innate sensing pathways influence viral replication, cell death and oncolytic-virus responses.
• Contribution to related collaborative projects in oncolytic virotherapy and antiviral innate immunity, including projects involving complementary RNA- and DNA-virus systems.
• Teaching, guidance and examination of Bachelor's and Master's degree students, contribution to day-to-day supervision of junior researchers, and some degree of contribution towards attracting external research funding.

You will report to the Head of Department, Professor Thomas G. Jensen.

Your competences should include a PhD in virology, immunology, biochemistry, molecular medicine or a closely related field and independent research qualifications at a high international level. Your research profile should combine experimental virology with immunology and should demonstrate substantial hands-on experience studying host responses to virus infection. For this position, particular emphasis will be placed on documented experience with:

• Multiple RNA-virus systems and comparative virus-host studies; experience with VSV or another experimentally tractable negative-strand RNA virus is highly relevant.
• Mechanisms connecting viral infection with inflammatory signalling, type-I interferon responses, cell death, cellular metabolism, mitochondrial function and/or reactive oxygen species.
• Mammalian cell culture and quantitative virology approaches, supported by relevant molecular and cellular methods such as infection assays, immunoblotting, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry and microscopy.
• Scientific publication in peer-reviewed international journals, including evidence of substantial intellectual contribution such as first- or co-first authorship.
• Research collaboration in an international environment and supervision or mentoring of university students or junior researchers.

Experience with oncolytic virotherapy, cancer-relevant infection models, or translation of fundamental virus-host biology towards therapeutic virology will be considered an advantage. You are a clear communicator and have some experience of supervision and teaching at Bachelor's and/or Master's degree level. Completed pedagogical training and experience with external research collaborations will be viewed positively. As a person, you have good interpersonal skills, are inclusive and team-oriented, and are able to contribute to a good work environment. We expect you to be fluent in oral and written English. International applicants are expected to learn Danish, and Aarhus University arranges Danish teaching. In order to be assessed as qualified for an Assistant Professor position, you must meet the academic criteria applicable at Aarhus University.

Shortlisting will be used.

To be considered for the position, applicants must meet the formal requirements for academic appointments at Aarhus University and submit all required application materials by the deadline. Applications that are substantially incomplete will not proceed to further assessment.