Deadline 17 Feb 23:59 CET
Expected start 1 May
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Department of Agroecology - Climate and Water Blichers Allé 20 8830 Tjele
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Fixed term full-time position 1 May 2025 - 31 Oct 2027 ID: 17141
The main focus of the position will be to develop digital twins for deep water use by novel perennial grain crops such as intermediate wheatgrass. The chosen candidate will work on:
- Collecting high-time resolution data on deep root traits, crop canopy dynamics, and water use efficiency of the perennial grain crops under wet and dry conditions at a field trial.
- Utilizing and validating digital sensors (soil probe, drone data) for crop water use determination.
- Crop modelling (e.g.) APSIM for perennial grain crops with a focus on water use efficiency by validating models using the collected high-time resolution datasets.
- Linking digital sensing technology with model platforms (e.g. APSIM) using data fusion for improved daily model calibration.
Your profile
We are searching for a highly motivated candidate who has some of the following qualifications:
- A PhD in agricultural sciences, crop modelling, soil hydrology, digital agriculture or similar area
- In-depth knowledge and experience in crop modelling, focusing on APSIM
- Experience in field data collection with a focus on crop water use efficiency/soil hydrology
- Experience in scientific writing and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Collaborative skills and ability to engage in teams
- An interest in initiating projects and the motivation to pursue a scientific career
- Experience in working with digital sensors (e.g. drones and soil probes)
- Coding capacity (e.g. python) for deep learning and data fusion
- Teaching and supervision experience at the BSc and MSc level
- Interest and experience in developing competitive national and international research applications
Who we are
At the Department of Agroecology, our main goal is to contribute to sustainable solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems within the areas of soil, plants, animals, humans, and the environment. We aim to contribute to both fundamental knowledge generation and the attainment of sustainable production systems via innovative research, contracted policy advice, and education. We offer professional laboratories, greenhouses, semi-field, and field-scale research facilities, advanced computing capacities as well as an extensive national and international researcher network. The department consists of eight research sections with around 350 highly motivated employees, of which approximately 50% are scientific staff. More information can be found here.We believe in encouraging inclusion, acceptance, and understanding by employing staff who bring diverse perspectives to our department.
What we offer
- An informal and multicultural research environment with high professionalism, where involvement, flexibility, and close collaboration are prerequisites to solving the core tasks
- A good social environment with activities and routines that make it possible to talk across and enhance the inclusive relationship, and where mutual trust, respect, teamwork, and professional sparring are emphasized
- A flexible workplace with a good work-life balance
- A workplace where we work consistently with diversity, equity and inclusion
- An interesting and varied working environment, where two days rarely resemble each other. We are often busy, and we work creatively for solutions to societal problems
Special benefits when working in Denmark
- Subsidized preschool childcare and a free education system from primary school up to university level
- Universal health insurance as a resident of Denmark, including family members officially residing in Denmark
- Five weeks paid holiday per year
- In connection with childbirth: the right to have a total of 52 weeks shared maternal/paternal leave with full or partial salary pay
Place of Work
The place of work is Aarhus University, Campus Viborg (Blichers Allé 20, Postboks 50 DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark). . The affiliation will be with the Department of Agroecology.More information can be obtained from the Principal Investigator (PI), Assi.Prof. Eusun Han, eusun.han@agro.au.dk and project collaborators: Prof. Davide Cammarano, davide.cammarano@agro.au.dk and Senior Researcher Iris Vogeler Cronin, iris.vogeler@agro.au.dk.
Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.
Letter of reference
If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline.Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.
If you wish to add a referee after you have submitted your application, you must send this person’s details (name, job title, place of work, and email address) as well as the name of the position you have applied for to: HR.Nattech@au.dk
Formalities and salary range
Technical Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.
Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.
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.
Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.
Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.
Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it 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?

Eusun Han Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Department of Agroecology - Climate and Water +4593508891 eusun.han@agro.au.dk
Questions about application and proces?
Nat-Tech Administrative Centre - Nat-Tech HR +4520968189 nat-tech.HR.team2@au.dk