The Niels Bohr International Academy (NBIA) is initiating a search for fixed-term Novo Nordisk Foundation Assistant/Associate Professorships as part of a vigorous campaign to expand into new research areas and to strengthen on-going programs in theoretical physics. Novo Nordisk Foundation Assistant/Associate Professors will be appointed for a period of five years, preferably starting in the fall of 2023.  Novo Nordisk Foundation Associate Professors will be provided with start-up funds for hiring a 3-year postdoctoral fellow. Exceptionally, extensions of the appointments can be considered beyond the initial five years, extending the contracts in total to seven years. There are several funding sources for individual research grants to start up junior research groups based on open competitions. Interested individuals are encouraged to upload all material before February 1st, 2023. The search may possibly continue beyond that date.

The search is open this year to physics and mathematics in the biological sciences as well as soft condensed matter physics, including:

-       Biophysics at molecular, cellular and organismal scales

-       Systems Biology

-       Genomics and Epigenetics

-       Quantitative Biology

-       Bioenergetics and Quantum Biology

-       Active matter and Mechanobiology

The first NBIA hire in this new initiative,  Amin Doostmohammadi, is leading a young research group in the burgeoning field of active matter. In the second wave we started new directions in computational biophysics and stochastic thermodynamics of biological networks. Weria Pezeshkian and Karel Proesmans are leading young research groups in those two fields. We now wish to expand more widely into new areas, including those listed above, and further growth is planned also for the coming years. While these research areas are our preferred targets, NBIA will consider truly outstanding candidates from all other areas of theoretical sciences with eventual impact in life sciences, including individuals from Physics, Physical Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, and Applied Mathematics. In such cases, the condition of impact in life sciences must be explicitly addressed in the research statement.

We seek internationally outstanding and highly motivated and ambitious individuals with the potential to become leaders in their fields. Novo Nordisk Foundation Assistant and Associate Professors are expected to carry out independent research programs and interact with other NBIA members. In addition, there are numerous possibilities for collaboration with existing research groups both at the Niels Bohr Institute (such as the Biocomplexity Group) and outside, including the reNEW Center for Stem Cell Medicine and the Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine.

The Niels Bohr International Academy, hosted by the Niels Bohr Institute, strives to attract the best and the brightest by providing the environment to enable curiosity-driven breakthrough research in the physical sciences and mathematics. In this unique environment, the appointees will have the opportunity to guide more junior fellows, teach courses at various levels, participate in outreach activities, including an annual series of public lectures, and organize international meetings and PhD schools.

Interested scientists are requested to express their interest in one of these positions by uploading their documents via this website (including a cover letter, CV, publication list, and a research statement). It should be indicated in the cover letter whether this is aiming for the Assistant Professor or Associate Professor positions. Exceptionally qualified individuals for the Assistant Professorships will also be considered for Associate Professor appointments.

Assistant and Associate Professors at the Niels Bohr International Academy receive a competitive salary (including pension) and funds for travel and computing. Furthermore, Assistant and Associate Professors at NBIA have a track record of receiving generous early career grants, and NBIA strongly supports its members in applying for research grants in Denmark to support junior faculty. Generous parental leave, state-subsidized childcare, 6 weeks of paid vacation, pension contribution, and full medical care are available to employees in Denmark. Copenhagen is a beautiful, family-friendly city with a large international community, a lively and diverse cultural scene, and a very high quality of life. Most international researchers are eligible for a favorable tax scheme.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background. 

For any inquiries, kindly send an email to nbia@nbi.ku.dk , with email subject "Novo Nordisk Foundation Assistant/Associate Professorships, UCPH-NBIA-NOVOPROF2023 [#23949]."