Professor of Pain Neuroscience Full-time

Professor of Pain Neuroscience

The Department of Clinical Medicine at Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for a position as Professor in the field of neuroscience and pain research as per 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a fixed-term full-time position for 5 years.

As Professor of Pain Neuroscience, you will be part of what is probably the largest health science research department in Denmark. Our clinical research covers all the medical specialities and takes place in close collaboration with the university hospital and the regional hospitals in the Central Denmark Region. We have approx. 30,000 square metres of modern research facilities for experimental surgery and medicine, animal facilities and also advanced scanners at our disposal. The department has overall responsibility for the Master's degree programs in medicine and in molecular medicine. At the department we are approx. 670 academic employees, 500 PhD students and 160 technical/administrative employees who are cooperating across disciplines. As a Professor of Pain Neuroscience, you will be working at Aarhus University.

Your job responsibilities

As Professor of Pain Neuroscience, you will have joint responsibility for the development of the department's research and teaching environment, and you will contribute to the implementation of the faculty's overall research strategy. You are expected to contribute – both independently and in collaboration with others – to the development of the department by leading research of high international quality and contributing to ensuring a high academic and didactic standard in teaching. Qua your excellent collaborative skills and a broad academic network, you contribute to the academic development at Aarhus University and to the university's profile both nationally and internationally.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Research of high international quality, including publication in top international journals and communicating your research in national and international academic networks.
• Teaching, supervision and examination of Bachelor's and Master's degree students.
• To contribute to the funding of your own research group with the help of external research funding.
• Supervision of PhD students and contributing to the development of the faculty's PhD courses.
• Assessment and committee work at Aarhus University.
• Research-based collaboration with private and public-sector stakeholders as well as research-based consultancy.
• Dissemination of your research to the outside world.

Your competences

You have an excellent track record in experimental human pain research, integrating computational and cognitive neuroscience methods with psychophysical, neuroimaging, and clinical approaches, and you have established yourself as a prominent researcher. You possess solid research and teaching qualifications at a high international level. You have broad international cooperative partnerships and great experience of research partnerships with private and public-sector stakeholders. You have also a documented ability to attract significant competitive research funding from national and international funding bodies.

As s person, you are a helpful and motivational leader who inspires other researchers and builds trusting relationships with students, colleagues and partners. As a lecturer you communicate the newest and relevant knowledge in a committed, clear and comprehensible manner. As a supervisor you are competent, inspiring, supportive and responsible.

You are ready to take co-responsibility for the development of the department's research and education at the highest international level and for ensuring that we maintain a good work environment. You naturally involve yourself in interdisciplinary collaboration at departmental, faculty and university level as well as nationally and internationally.

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 a Professor position, you must meet these academic criteria.

Questions about the position

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor and Centre Chair at Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Leif Østergaard tel.: (+45) 8746 4091.

Your place of work will be the Department of Clinical Medicine, Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Universitetsbyen 3, Building 1710, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

We expect to conduct interviews in November 2026.

Terms of employment

• In making the appointment, emphasis will be placed on a high degree of original production at an international level and experience from teaching at different levels as well as contributions to the development of teaching activities and teaching material, hereby documenting that the applicant has developed the academic discipline from a research and teaching perspective.
• Moreover, there will be an assessment of the applicant's ability to perform research and teaching management tasks.
• Further information on the appointment procedure can be found in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
• The appointment is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• Remuneration is in accordance with the above, and the Salary agreement catalogue for staff at Health.
• The yearly base salary for a fulltime professor is DKK 866.461,38 (including a position related supplement, a pre-agreed professor supplement and pension (18.07%)). Additional supplement(s) can be negotiated dependent on experience, special qualifications and performance of special functions. Professors have the authority to negotiate pay on their own behalf.
• Researchers recruited from abroad are offered a special researcher tax scheme with a lower tax rate.
• Travel and moving expenses may be covered according to the employee in question and, to a limited extent, the accompanying family.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job description can be found in the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.

Application

Your application must include the following:

• Motivated application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diploma
• Template for applicant – professor
• A list of publications
• A teaching portfolio. We refer to Guideline on the use of teaching portfolios
• The ten publications stated as the most important in the 'Template for applicant – professor' must be submitted
• Research plan, which is part of the 'Template to applicant – professor' can be uploaded separately (optional)
• Coauthor statement(s) can be uploaded (optional)
• References/recommendations can be uploaded separately in the e-recruitment system (optional)

We refer to the faculty's Guidelines for applicants. 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.

International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including assistance with relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about the International Staff Office and the range of services 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.

Questions about the position?

Leif Østergaard Clinical Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine – Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience +4578464091 leif@cfin.au.dk

Questions about application and process?

Health Administrative Centre – Health HR +4593521835 emply.he.hr@au.dk

Deadline: Thursday 10 Sep 2026 at 23:59 CEST