The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) seeks a DIAS fellow at the Assistant Professor level. DIAS Assistant Professor tenure track positions run for up to six years, after which tenure will be offered subject to positive evaluations and reviews.
The successful candidate must have a strong international profile and an emerging record of research and funding excellence as well as novel ideas with a clear potential to expand our frontiers of knowledge.
DIAS is growing, and this call is in fact the second of five calls: DIAS will hire a minimum of five research fellows at the Assistant Professor level per year for the next five years (2025-2029). We consider this a unique opportunity to hire top talent, to offer exceptional opportunities for outstanding researchers, and to attract “rising stars” to our ambitious and interdisciplinary environment.
The positions are joint positions at DIAS and a department at one of the five faculties at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The candidate will thus have two affiliations—DIAS and the department—and is expected to contribute to both. Tenure will be offered in the department with continued affiliation with DIAS.
In line with DIAS’s unique and ambitious research aims, DIAS Assistant Professors have reduced teaching obligations compared to a regular Assistant Professor position at SDU. Likely, the Assistant Professor will also receive startup or seed funding from the department, though this is subject to negotiation in the hiring process.
The starting date for the positions is August 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.
About DIAS
DIAS at SDU is a hub for interdisciplinary excellence at and beyond the frontier of knowledge, bringing together outstanding researchers from various disciplines to foster interdisciplinary research and innovation. It hosts Chairs and Fellows from all faculties of the university, fostering an interdisciplinary environment. DIAS encourages and supports curiosity-driven research and fosters the meeting of minds across disciplines and levels of seniority. The center cultivates an ambitious, open-minded and playful environment that nurtures both academic growth and a strong sense of community. The candidate will be anticipated to contribute actively to DIAS, strengthening the bonds between the department/faculty on one hand and DIAS on the other, through interdisciplinary collaborations where meaningful.
For questions about DIAS, please contact DIAS Director Sten Rynning, director-dias@sdu.dk .
In 2025 we are looking for an assistant professor in the following research area:
Translational biomedicine
We seek a candidate within translational biomedicine to do interdisciplinary research. The candidate will be part of the Department of Clinical Medicine. The existing strategic research areas at the department are within regenerative medicine, genomic medicine, bone research, and stem cell research see https://www.sdu.dk/en/om-sdu/institutter-centre/klinisk-institut
The successful candidate will be responsible for developing a translational research program within any of the above fields where emphasis is placed on the ability to foster interaction between laboratory and clinical investigators and to build cooperative multidisciplinary teams ranging ideally from basic science approaches to designing and conducting early phase clinical trials. The conditions for establishing a group doing translational research will be optimal since laboratories will be linked physically to each other and to the new University Hospital in Odense in 2025.
The successful candidate must have demonstrated scholarly activities with achievements in translational research, a track record of peer reviewed publications in high impact journals, possess a potential for program development, and teaching and mentorship abilities. The candidate should show strong potential for independent funding or have an already visible track record of obtaining independent funding. The leadership of DIAS and the hosting Department will provide mentorship and support to the candidate.
For further information, please contact the Head of the Department of Clinical Research, Rikke Leth-Larsen rllarsen@health.sdu.dk.
Application deadline
February 23, 2025, at 23.59 hrs. CET
Application, salary, etc.
The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Please check the following link for more information about: salary .
Teaching obligations will be reduced compared to a regular Assistant Professor position at SDU.
To qualify for the position as Assistant Professor you must have obtained a Ph D degree by the application deadline.
Applications must be sent electronically as PDF files via the link "apply now" and must include (please note that the application (the motivation letter) and CV must not exceed 10 MB in total):

• A motivation letter.
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• A copy of important certificates/diplomas (inclusive of Ph.D. diploma)
• Information on previous teaching experience, please attach a teaching portfolio.
• A complete list of publications, indicating which publications are most relevant for the position.
• Up to five of the most relevant publications.
• Three letters of recommendation from acknowledged international researchers.
• A research and publication plan for the next three years, including description of the synergy with the department activities as well as the potential for benefitting from the interdisciplinarity at DIAS.

Application and all appendices must be in English. Only applications written in English will be accepted for evaluation.

To English speaking applicants: Please make sure to enter the electronic application form via the English website to receive further information in English.
Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.
If the application does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the faculty may reject your application without further notice.

Applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.
Shortlisting and tests may be used in the recruitment process.
If you experience technical problems, you must contact hcm-support@sdu.dk .
We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Work in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU
SDU and DIAS wish our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
SDU was founded in 1966 and now has more than 27,000 students, almost 20% of whom are from abroad. It has more than 3,800 employees, and 115 different study programmes in the fields of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, and engineering. Its main campus is in Odense, the third largest city in Denmark but is present also in Kolding, Sønderborg, Copenhagen and Esbjerg. DIAS hosts Chairs and fellows from the entire university, and is located in the Odense main campus.
Odense provides family-friendly living conditions with the perfect combination of a historic city centre with an urban feel and yet close proximity to beaches and recreational areas. Its location on the beautiful island of Funen is ideal with easy access by train or highway to the bigger cities of Aarhus and Copenhagen. As the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark’s famous fairytale author, the city is home to a vibrant and creative population that hosts numerous festivals and markets throughout the year.