Postdoc in Radiochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology Part-time

Postdoctoral Position

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic postdoc for a two-year position to commence June 1st, 2026.

At the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology we work in a dynamic and committed academic community of research, education, innovation, and outreach within the Pharmaceutical Sciences bridging Health Science and Life Science. We value interdisciplinary research and education, development of individual competences, and finding solutions to today's and tomorrow's challenges in society. The department furthermore prioritizes sustainability in all aspects of research and education.

Radiopharmaceuticals have been shown to be valuable tools for drug development. Molecular imaging agents with a specific focus on theranostic approaches are key in this aspect. Within the last decade, radioligand therapies have become a major focus area as they offer improved therapeutic windows compared to other treatment options. At the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, a special focus lies within the application of radiohalogens for diagnostic and therapeutic use. These radionuclides have optimal decay properties for both applications.

The post doc’s duties will primarily be research, including obligations with regard to publication/scientific communication and grant writing within the area of radiochemistry and medicinal chemistry, and research-based teaching. The position is financed by the Danish Council for Independent Research | Health and Illness via the research project “Development of Astatine-211 Labeled Tetrazines for Pretargeted AlphaTherapy in the Brain (Brain PretAt)”. The research will mainly focus on the design, synthesis and radiolabeling of new tetrazines probe for brain applications. The research will be conducted at the department of Drug Design and Pharmacology.

Principal supervisor is Associate professor Umberto Maria Battisti, umberto.battisti@sund.ku.dk

Profile

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• PhD in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry
• Previous synthetic organic chemistry experience
• Proficient communication skills and ability to work in teams
• Excellent English skills written and spoken
• Insights into pretargeting strategies

Desirable experience and skills:

• Previous experience in bioorthogonal chemistry is desired but not essential
• Previous experience with developing radiopharmaceuticals with radiohalogens, especially with 18F, 131I and 211At is desired but not essential

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our department includes modern facilities and newly built laboratories for radiochemistry.

Terms of employment

The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 2 years. The starting date is 01/06/2026 or on a different date after agreement.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 35,000 DKK/approx. 4,700 EUR (October 2021 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions

For further information please contact Umberto Maria Battisti; umberto.battisti@sund.ku.dk

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure

Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking 'Apply now' below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page).
2. CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
3. A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor will do.
4. List of publications.

Deadline for applications: 2 March 2026, 23.59pm CET

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 expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 13 and week 14

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.