17 Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

We are seeking an outstanding and highly motivated postdoc to join the Sahu Lab at the Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark (SDU). 

The position is available from February 1, 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter) for 12 months initially, with the possibility of extension up to three years based on performance.

The successful candidate will investigate gene regulatory networks driving aging and inflammation using cutting-edge molecular and genomic technologies. 

The project integrates single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, epigenome and whole-genome sequencing, and genome-wide CRISPR functional screening in both mouse models and clinical samples. Working closely with computational biologists and clinicians, this interdisciplinary project offers an exceptional opportunity to unravel how gene regulatory mechanisms govern cellular aging and inflammatory responses, and how their disruption contributes to age-associated diseases such as fibrosis.

The Department of Molecular Medicine at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applications for a position as postdoc in Computational Biology in the laboratory of Dr. Sanjeeb Kumar Sahu, D-IAS Assistant Professor and Novo Nordisk Foundation Group Leader.

The position is available from February 1, 2026, (or as soon as possible thereafter) for 12 months initially, with the possibility of extension up to three years depending on performance.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to join a multidisciplinary and collaborative research environment combining genomics, bioinformatics, aging biology, epidimological data and AI-driven systems modeling. The successful candidate will develop and apply computational and machine learning approaches to decode the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms of cellular aging, resilience, and fibrosis.

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, invites applications for a postdoctoral research fellowship in models of quantum programming languages. The position has a duration of 3 years. Due to the highly interdisciplinary nature of the position, the hired candidate will be part of both the section of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Programming Languages (ACP), the section on Topology, Algebra, Analysis and Geometry (TAAG)  and the Centre for Quantum Mathematics (QM).

The successful candidate will get a unique chance to participate in research and collaboration with the scientific as well as commercial communities in the field of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer catalyst material development, characterization, production and recycling, and contribute to research within applied science.

The main tasks include the following activities:

1. Material development, synthesis and method optimization 
2. Metal nanoparticle catalyst and ceramic material and cell component comprehensive characterization and benchmarking 
3. Test protocol selection, development, validation and implementation
4. Cell component recycling and reuse
5. Inorganic chemical synthesis, material separation and purification, method development to provide recommendations for upscaling 

We are seeking a highly motivated, self-driven, collaborative candidate with a documented research background and engineering experience, and who communicates well in an international environment. Documented ability to publish in international peer reviewed journals is a strong merit. 

Modern software systems are increasingly multilingual by design, combining multiple programming languages, execution environments, and communication layers. This is particularly noticeable in mobile and web hybrid applications (apps), which integrate web technologies, such as JavaScript, with native code on platforms like Android or iOS. These systems are now extensively used across critical domains, including healthcare, finance, e-government, and public infrastructure, where they frequently handle privacy-sensitive user data.

In critical domains such as healthcare, ensuring users’ data privacy is important. For example, healthcare apps may access and store sensitive patient records, and any potential misuse of this data raises regulatory and technical concerns, particularly under data protection laws such as HIPAA. This project addresses these issues by investigating and mitigating information flow vulnerabilities in multilingual hybrid apps. The aim is to develop new methods that combine static and dynamic program analysis, tailored to the challenges of cross-language data communication. In particular, to systematically model and analyze cross-language communications to discover hidden attack surfaces, assess sensitive data misuse in real-world hybrid apps, and finally provide practical tools and guidelines to enhance their privacy.

You will use CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to fuse plastic degrading enzymes onto native, surface-exposed proteins of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Cr). This strategy will leverage the natural swimming behaviour of Cr, which uses flagella to move in aqueous environments in search of nutrients and sunlight, enabling it to access and degrade the poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in natural environments.

PET accounts for more than 10% of all plastic produced globally and is widely used for food and beverage packaging due to its resistance to natural degradation. However, this stability also leads to PET accumulation in the environment. Recent studies identified natural bio-converters, such as bacteria and fungi that contain efficient PET-degrading enzymes (PETases). These PETases are currently being optimized to enhance their enzymatic activity under normal environmental conditions.

Current biocatalytic strategies for PET degradation involve the recombinant production and isolation of PETases in bacteria, followed by their release or secretion directly in PET-contaminated environments. However, this approach is labour-intensive, expensive, inefficient and can lead to contamination with bacterial endotoxins. In contrast, living microalgae present a more suitable alternative for environmental applications, as they are photoautotrophic, naturally inactivate other contaminants, and are devoid of endotoxins.

The Department of Biology at the University of Southern Denmark invites applications for a position as postdoctoral researcher in aquatic microbial ecology and biogeochemistry, available for 2.5 years from January 2026, with possibility for extension. The position is associated to the ERC Synergy project RECLESS (Recycling versus loss in the marine nitrogen cycle: controls, feedbacks, and the impact of expanding low oxygen regions). RECLESS aims to predict how ongoing ocean deoxygenation impacts microbial nitrogen transformations and thereby the future availability of nitrogen to support oceanic primary production and carbon sequestration. The project involves researchers from the universities of Southern Denmark, Vienna, and Gothenburg, as well as Carnegie Science, and synergistically integrates innovative oceanographic, biogeochemical, ecophysiological, and model-based investigations.

The main research objective is the exploration and quantification of non-photosynthetic sources of oxygen in oxygen-depleted waters, so called dark oxygen production. Processes of this type were recently discovered in microbial cultures and could be important for microbial communities and element cycling in natural systems. However, the occurrence and significance of dark oxygen production in natural systems remain unknown.

The Department of Psychology at the University of Southern Denmark (Campus Esbjerg) invites applications for a three-year postdoctoral position in a research team that focuses on developing local ecosystemic resilience and cultural resources in supporting marginalized children and young people’s lives. The expected starting date is March 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.  

Based on existing knowledge on multi-actor collaboration, networking and bridging, the applicant will conduct ecosystemic analysis and initiate interventions, measure synthesis, dead-ends and resistance and, in comparison with other initiatives, take steps towards a methodology of community-based collaboration that fits the Danish municipality where a high level of public institutionalization and intervention in marginalized young people’s lives is a premise. The concrete activities on which to collaborate are open to being decided by the applicant, the young people in question and the networks. 

The position is attached to the larger project: “Greener Fields for Safer Plates: Sustainable Pesticide Solutions (SAFEPLATE)” The project is led by Associate Professor Julia Bronnmann and is fully funded by the Carlsberg Foundation. The overall goal of the project is to foster meaningful stakeholder dialogues, to propose innovative strategies for mitigating the negative consequences of pesticides, and to inspire collective action to promote sustainability in Denmark’s agriculture.

You will be responsible for the research activities concerning the research question: “How do Danish farmers perceive the impacts of pesticide usage and regulation hereof, including the influence of the pesticide tax?”. As such you will play a key role in exploring how Danish farmers perceive the 2013 Danish pesticide tax, their incentives for adopting alternative pest management strategies, and the challenges they encounter when transitioning to sustainable farming.

Most of your working time is devoted to your own research studies. As a Postdoc you are expected to develop your own ideas and communicate scientific results in English. Upon mutual agreement, there may be some teaching responsibilities (including supervision) and minor administration within the research group. Although not required, it is positive when Postdocs contribute to knowledge exchange by, inter alia, dissemination of research and participating in the public debate.

The role involves conducting research into innovative electromechanical robotic systems integrated with advanced sensing technologies, enabling the autonomous detection, interaction with, and replacement of small items (less than 10 kg). The position emphasizes system design and development for a variety of robotic applications, particularly those aligned with the section’s core focus on high-voltage line inspection and maintenance.

This work supports SDU Digital and High-Frequency Electronics’ internationally recognized leadership in advanced robotic technologies for infrastructure inspection and maintenance. Special attention will be given to developing robust electromechanical, sensing, and control solutions capable of operating safely in electrically harsh environments, as part of the Robots4Green EUDP project.

The research will bridge both established and emerging technical expertise within the section, encompassing areas such as FPGA and neuromorphic computing, Edge AI, machine learning, power electronics, and self-recharging technologies.

Your role will primarily focus on research and support teaching involving course planning and the supervision of BSc and master students in Electronics and Robotics. You will also collaborate with top researchers in robotics as well as digital and high-frequency domains, leading research to address global societal challenges. You are also expected to publish your research in high-impact journals and leading conferences and actively contribute to funding applications to support and expand the research area.

SDU Robotics, part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), invites applications for several fully funded 1-year Research Assistant positions, where the candidate will work on a project within the area of medical A, robotics, and sensing technology. The starting date is as soon as possible thereafter and will be agreed with the successful candidate. The workplace is at SDU’s main campus in Odense, Denmark, and the work is expected to be primarily onsite.

You will lead SIF project work package 2, focusing on atherosclerotic plaque samples collected from local hospitals in the region. Your primary responsibility will be to develop smooth muscle cell-based assays guided by single-cell spatial transcriptomic datasets generated by project partners, and to apply these assays to test candidate drugs and interventions for potential atherosclerosis therapies.

You will play a key role across the SIF project, which also encompasses single-cell resolution spatial transcriptomics of human plaques to precisely identify and characterize disease-relevant smooth muscle cell phenotypes, a parallel track of organoid-based assays, and the upscaling of assays for industrial drug library screening. Your expertise and insights will be highly valued across all facets of the project.

In addition to research, the position involves disseminating findings through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, as well as contributing to professional development, university teaching, and supervision of research students.

The Department of Design, Media and Educational Science (Philosophy Section) invites applications for a 2-year postdoc position on the topic of moral and political philosophy in relation to extreme wealth. The position is part of the research project, The Morality of Extreme Wealth, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark and is available from 01-02-2026, or as soon as possible thereafter. The project is a collaboration between PI, Lasse Nielsen (SDU) and Co-PI, David V. Axelsen (University of Essex). 

The project explores how moral reasons to worry about inequality and poverty are transformed when wealth becomes extreme and aims to build new theory on the morality of extreme wealth. The project aims at three significant academic contributions: (1) to explore and map out distinctive moral reasons to be concerned with extreme wealth from the perspective of distributive justice, (2) to analyze the role of individual responsibility in a theory of extreme wealth morality, and (3) to evaluate the moral obligations of the extremely wealthy in a society with existing injustices.

The postdoc candidate will be responsible for a work package focusing on the moral obligations of the extremely wealthy. While theories of distributive justice concern society-wide measures such as redistributive taxation and caps on wages and capital accumulation, extreme wealth ethics focus on the moral duties of the extremely wealthy individual. The postdoc project enquires into these ethical obligations and should aim to sketch a model of the moral requirements of being extremely rich. We expect the postdoc project to result in at least 2-3 peer-reviewed research articles (some of which may be co-authored with other members of the project).