PhD fellowship in collection-based Natural History Research Full-time

PhD Fellowship In Collection-based Natural History Research

Natural History Museum Denmark invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in Collection-based Natural History Research. Start date is January 1, 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project: The Natural History Museum Denmark offers 1-2 fully funded PhD positions within Collection-based Natural History Research. The successful candidate will conduct 3 years of collection-based research. The PhD project is part of the Museums strategic aim to expand research on unknown species and taxonomic groups that are not well defined and described to provide crucial natural history understanding, data and expertise for developing solutions to planetary challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Potential projects could include but are not limited to dark taxa and unknown species, preferably including representatives of the flora, fauna or geology of Denmark, Greenland or the Faroe Islands.

About the Natural History Museum Denmark: The Natural History Museum Denmark is the Danish national museum for nature. We work to empower citizens to connect with nature with the aim to create positive change for people and planet. We want to inspire, engage, and enable people to enjoy, understand, and care for the diversity of the natural world. The impact of climate change and anthropogenic forces on biodiversity has reached a critical point. We firmly believe that natural history museums can and should play a key role towards a more sustainable relationship with nature.

We are currently completing a new Danish national museum for nature in the Botanical Garden, in the center of Copenhagen. The new museum building will open to the public in spring 2027 and will host state-of-the-art laboratories, outstanding research collections, new public galleries, and combined facilities for programming, education, and citizen science. It is an ambition for the museum to enhance natural history and inspire curiosity, knowledge, and empowerment for the future.

The Natural History Museum Denmark is part of the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. The University of Copenhagen was founded in 1479 and is the largest in Denmark. Read more about the museum at http://www.snm.ku.dk/english/.

Who are we looking for? We are looking for candidates with interests within the field of collection based natural history research. Applicants must have a background from biology, geology or related natural sciences, corresponding to a Danish 2-year Master degree (120 ECTS) preferably with a background and interest in systematics and taxonomy. The ideal candidate has experience with natural history collections, planning and conducting individual fieldwork, a solid knowledge of systematics and taxonomy, and strong communication skills to diverse audiences in English. The preferred principal supervisor must be indicated among the museums Faculty staff who are also scientific curators of the collections and should be consulted for relevant research ideas and knowledge on the collections and facilities. The preferred scientific curator should be named in the application and a host letter attached.

The PhD programme: A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme ( 5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme: To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. biodiversity, geodiversity, natural history collections. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database .

Terms of employment in the regular programme. Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant with the help of the supervisor. A scientific curator at NHMD should be consulted to discuss project ideas before applying and named in the application.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

The PhD candidate will be based at the Natural History Museum Denmark, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, located in Copenhagen.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include museomics laboratories and advanced microscope and imaging labs among other facilities, 14 million natural history collections within geology, botany and zoology, and a botanical garden with living scientific plant collections.

Responsibilities and tasks in the PhD programme:

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Museum compulsory work assisting with collections curation, and public engagement corresponding to maximum 840 hours
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at good impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• MSc in biology, geology or related natural sciences, with a strong interest in the use of natural history collections for research, in areas including taxonomy, systematics, biodiversity and nature conservation.
• Relevant publications if any within the project area
• Relevant work experience including fieldwork
• Knowledge of the flora, fauna or geodiversity of Denmark, Greenland or the Faroe Islands is an advantage but not a requirement
• A vision for the use of natural history collections in the project
• Good collaboration, communication and fluent English language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure: Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. 1 page)
2. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position (1-2 pages)
3. Outline of research interests in the field of collections-based research including proposal for PhD project idea and methodological approach (1 page).
4. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science and Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records and/or a written statement from the institution or supervisor indicating the expected completion date of the Master degree is accepted.
5. Publication list (if available)
6. Reference letters (up to 2)
7. Host letter of support from the relevant scientific curator from Natural History Museum Denmark (1/2 page)

The deadline for applications is August 30, 2026, 23:59 GMT +2. We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process: After the deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessment committee. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessment committee will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the abovementioned research area, skills, experience, and other requirements. The assessment committee will conclude whether each applicant is qualified for the 5+3 model as described above. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held online on 18 September 2026

Questions: For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact Director of Research, Professor Anders P. Tøttrup, aptottrup@snm.ku.dk. Please put “PhD position inquiry” in the subject of the e-mail.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.