2-year Postdoc position in soil sensing

Are you interested in optical sensors and ammonia (NH3) emissions? Then you might want to contribute to the BholdN project where we want to make NH3 emissions visible in biochar treated fields. We offer a 2-year postdoc position in the field of optical sensing at the Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is a 2-year position from 1.1.2027 or as soon as possible.

Job description

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You will be contributing to/establishing/developing an in-situ imaging system for NH3.

• You will be further developing optical NH3 sensors in the laboratory and in the field.
• You will be involved in field campaigns.
• These activities will be in close collaboration with the project partners from Copenhagen University and the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering from AU.

Your profile

Applicants must hold a PhD in Biology, Chemistry or similar fields.

Applicants are expected to have

• Documented experience in optical sensing (requirement)
• Publication experience in leading discipline or interdisciplinary journals
• Collaboration skills
• Communication skills with different stakeholders
• Danish language skills are an asset as the work also includes working with local stakeholders
• High level of self-motivation.

Who we are

The Sensor Laboratory at the Department of Biology is internationally recognized for the development and application of advanced chemical sensing technologies. We have pioneered several innovative approaches to chemical sensing and imaging for environmental and biological applications. Led by Prof. Klaus Koren and Associate Prof.

Ugo Marzocchi, the laboratory combines fundamental sensor development with real-world applications in complex biological systems, from soils and sediments to microbial communities and aquatic environments. The laboratory currently hosts three PhD students and six postdoctoral researchers, bringing together an interdisciplinary team with backgrounds spanning chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering.

This combination of expertise enables us to develop new sensing technologies and translate them into tools for investigating chemical processes in complex, heterogeneous environments

What we offer

The department/laboratory offers

• A well-developed research infrastructure, laboratories and access to shared equipment
• An exciting interdisciplinary environment with many national, international and industrial collaborators
• A research climate encouraging lively, open and critical discussion within and across different fields of research
• A work environment with close working relationships, networking and social activities
• A workplace characterised by professionalism, equality and a healthy work-life balance.

Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments.

Contact information

For further information, please contact Prof. Klaus Koren, [email protected]

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than 31.10.2026.

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.

Formalities and salary range

Natural 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 and terms as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Unions at basic salary steps 4-8.

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 .

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website , you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.