Postdoctoral researcher in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, with a focus on Arctic pollution

A postdoctoral position (2 years) is open at Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Section for Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology (www.envs.au.dk).

The position is in the field of environmental analytical chemistry. Most of the work will be in projects about Arctic pollution with organic contaminants, i.e. persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and chemicals of emerging Arctic concern (CEACs). It will be strongly based on chemical analyses, but it also includes an expectation of new developments.

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is a 2–year position to be filled from 1 Feburary 2025 or as soon possible.
 

Job description

The postdoctoral researcher will be part of an established team that studies chemical pollution in the Arctic. The ongoing work includes the monitoring of POPs in biota and air as well as the screening for CEACs in a variety of matrices, using target analyses and suspect/non-target screening techniques. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to support this work and relevant expansions, for example analyses in new matrices, modelling approaches for the identification of CEACs, connections to plastic pollution, steps towards effect-directed analyses, studies on the interface of environmental occurrence and human exposure or other new directions.

The chemical analyses are based on several instrumental techniques (GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, HPLC-MS/MS, GC-Orbitrap-HRMS, HPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS, HPLC-QToF-HRMS etc.). The institute has also recently acquired a Combustion-Ion Chromatograph for Total PFAS analysis. The laboratory is accredited and has a strong focus on QA/QC. A priori, no Arctic field work is foreseen for this position, but it cannot be excluded, subject to projects and funding.

Parts of the postdoctoral researcher’s work will proceed in the newly granted Horizon Europe project ArcSolution (Arctic Pollution in a One Health perspective – from complex challenges to sustainable solutions). The candidate is expected to support Prof. Katrin Vorkamp’s work on chemical pollution in this project, including work related to per- and polyfluorinated alkylsubstances (PFAS) and plastic additives. However, the candidate is also expected to follow developments in the field of Arctic pollution beyond this specific project and to contribute to extending the group’s activities in this field under Katrin Vorkamp’s guidance.

The successful candidate is expected to actively pursue the publication of results in the scientific literature and their presentations at relevant conferences. The postdoctoral researcher will collaborate closely with other members of Katrin Vorkamp’s group and contribute to the overall progress in the group’s research. The candidate may be involved in the supervision of students or guest researchers. Furthermore, the postdoctoral researcher may also be expected to participate in outreach activities, for example dissemination of the work to Danish authorities, European agencies and interested groups.

Your profile

The candidate must hold a Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) in (analytical or environmental) chemistry or a closely related discipline. The successful candidate should

• have experience with the chemical analysis of environmental contaminants at trace level,
• have experience with QA/QC of chemical analyses,
• be familiar with Arctic pollution issues,
• be able to work as part of a team.

It will be an advantage (but not a requirement), if the candidate

• is familiar with complex data analysis,
• is willing to undertake field work in the Arctic,
• has experience with citizen science-projects,
• is interested in contributing to non-target screening studies,
• brings new ideas to the research group,
• speaks a Nordic language.

Furthermore, the candidate should

• be well-organised and able to handle complex tasks,
• balance a focus on details with the time and budget frame of a project,
• be able to work independently, while being aware of being part of a team,
• be result- and product-oriented and able to think one step ahead of the task at hand,
• have excellent communication skills in English.

Who we are

The Department of Environmental Science has about 150 employees working in basic and problem-oriented research within environmental science, including chemical and physical processes and interactions between environment and society. The department also carries out research-based consultancy for the public sector and provides research-based advice. The academic expertise ranges from atmospheric chemistry and physics, via environmental chemistry, microbiology and biotechnology to environmental economics, environmental geography, political science and sociology. The institute is located in Roskilde, Denmark.

What we offer

The department offers:

• high-quality research in a strong international network
• state-of-the-art research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment
• possibilities for scientific and personal development and career building
• an interdisciplinary environment with many national and international collaborators
• a research group with close working relationships and mutual support
• a climate encouraging lively, open and critical discussion within and across different fields of research

Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is the Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.

Please note that the place of work is Roskilde, not Aarhus.
 

Contact information

For further information contact Prof. Katrin Vorkamp (kvo@envs.au.dk; Phone: +45-87158483) or Head of Section Pedro Carvalho (pedro.carvalho@envs.au.dk; Phone: +45-87158462)

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than 15 October 2024.
 

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.

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.