Tenure-track Assistant Professor or Associate Professor of De novo Protein Design Full-time

Tenure-track Assistant Professor or Associate Professor of De Novo Protein Design

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design at the University of Copenhagen seeks to appoint two new group leaders in de novo protein design from 1 February 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. These positions will be at the Assistant or Associate Professor level and associated with the Department of Biology (Faculty of Science) or the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences).

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design (CPD) is a new initiative that spans the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. The aim of the centre is to accelerate protein design by gaining a deeper understanding of sequence-to-structure/function relationships in proteins, and by developing methods to programme these into functional, designed proteins.

CPD research is broad and not prescriptive, covering both fundamental and applied de novo protein design. Our three themes are:

• Programmable De Novo Protein Design, aimed at improving methods for protein design by combining rational, physics-based, and AI-based approaches
• Contextualised Protein Design, that is, designing proteins that are fit for purpose such as working directly and optimally in cells, chemical reactors, etc;
• Biodesign for Sustainability and Healthcare, for instance working with biotech and industry to deliver synthetic proteins to address real-world challenges and needs.

The centre will train the next generation of protein scientists for careers in protein design and engineering, and it will apply protein-design methods to a diverse array of fundamental and real-world challenges. The CPD is funded by a 700M DKK (94M EUR) grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation initially for 7 years, from August 2025. It is housed in a completely new, purpose-built space with excellent facilities for computational and experimental protein design.

The successful candidates will have strong backgrounds in computational and/or experimental de novo protein design, and an ambitious research and teaching plan in protein design that aligns both with the CPD mission and the teaching and research of one of the host departments. Because the CPD is a highly integrated, open, and collaborative environment, we aim to appoint new assistant or associate professors with strong skills in and a demonstrated record of collaboration and community engagement. Specifically, the new group leaders will be expected to contribute to the development of the centre, mentoring its students and junior researchers, and fostering an innovative and inclusive academic environment.

The CPD will support several core PhD student/postdoctoral positions for each assistant/associate professor appointment, along with running and travel costs, and access to excellent CPD facilities for computational and experimental protein design. The new assistant/associate professors will be expected to raise external funds to grow their groups.

The responsibilities will primarily consist of:

• Research, including publication and academic dissemination
• Research leadership, including guidance and supervision of students and researchers
• Fundraising to establish strong research programmes and lead interdisciplinary research projects
• Research-based teaching at all levels, including associated examination
• Sharing knowledge with the wider scientific and non-scientific communities, including participation in public debates
• Contributing actively to the management and development of the CPD through internal roles and responsibilities
• Integrating the CPD into the wider University of Copenhagen and regional ecosystems
• Contributing to broader academic assessments and endeavours

Applicants should have a strong track record in one or both of computational and experimental de novo protein design. We do not have any specific research topics or interests in mind for these positions – we are looking for exceptional individuals with energy and ambition to help build and advance research in the CPD at this early and formative stage. However, alignment with one or more of the CPD's research themes outlined above will be essential.

Applicants should be able to teach topics broadly across protein science, biochemistry, pharmacology, structural biology, or related subjects on the BSc, MSc, and PhD programmes in one of the two host departments, and are expected to contribute to the development of new courses incorporating protein design. In addition, a clear and structured plan for internal and external collaborations will be considered favourably.

The tenure-track assistant programme is a career programme and an assigned mentor will provide the tenure-track assistant professors with guidance related to career development, other academic topics and administrative procedures.

Terms of employment are open from 1 February 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff. Terms of appointment and payment according to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

For further information, please contact the Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design Prof. Dek Woolfson, d.n.woolfson@bio.ku.dk; Head of the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Prof. Dan Stærk, ds@sund.ku.dk; or Head of the Department of Biology, Prof. Niels Kroer, nk@bio.ku.dk. For general enquiries, please contact the CPD PA, Michala Yun-Joo Schlichtkrull or the CPD Scientific Manager, Dr. Gretchen Repasky, via cpd@ku.dk.

The deadline for applications is 2 August 2026, 23:59 GMT +2.