BEMÆRK: Ansøgningsfristen er overskredet
We are accepting applications for a PhD fellowship in Ancient Genomics/Proteomics at the Globe Institute starting 1 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The position is for 36 months and is partially (18 -19 months depending on start date of employment) funded through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network “ChemArch: The Organic Chemistry and Molecular Biology of Archaeological Artefacts”, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 956351. The rest of the fellowship (17 months) are covered by the Globe Institute.
About the ChemArch network
ChemArch is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network that provides training for the next generation of artefact scientists in archaeological chemistry and biomolecular archaeology. Archaeology is typically associated with excavation, studies of structures and dating of finds. However, numerous fields have developed advanced techniques and novel chemical and biological tools that are opening the door to detailed information invaluable to our understanding of ancient peoples and cultures. Multidisciplinary training is required to exploit the tremendous potential. The ChemArch project is developing a global network of labs, manufacturers and suppliers of analytical equipment, museums and archaeologists to support a doctoral program that bridges the gap between analytical scientific approaches and archaeology. Over the course of the project, ChemArch will provide training opportunities for 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) who will be based at different Universities in Denmark, France, Spain, and the UK. Together, the team of ESRs will also develop best practices and tools for this exciting new field that will help us all better understand and preserve Europe's unique prehistoric artefact record. For more information, please visit the ChemArch website.
About the position
The position is a 36-month fully-funded PhD fellowship that will enable you to study for a double degree doctorate at the Universities of Copenhagen (DK) and York (UK). You will be primarily based at the University of Copenhagen as the main host, but as you will be expected to spend a minimum of 12 months at the University of York as part of your double degree as well as a possible additional short period of time on secondment at a further partner organisation where specified, to advance the research objectives.
About the project
Interaction between organic matter and mineral surfaces is critical to the preservation of biomolecules associated with artefacts yet this process is poorly understood. This is particularly relevant to more polar compounds such as organic acids and proteins that are notoriously difficult to extract and characterise. For example, proteins are known to persist when adsorbed to archaeological mineral artefacts, but their low concentration and difficulty of removal has meant that they have been largely overlooked. As part of a team, you will work on optimising methods for the combined extraction of a diverse range of biomolecules (DNA, proteins, lipids) from ceramics and evaluate the potential of other mineral artefacts for binding organic molecules. As part of the project, you will carry out a series of experiments testing the capacity of different biomolecules to bind to mineral surfaces and to explore the effects of different adhesives and sealants (e.g. resin and birch tar) on molecular preservation. As well as evaluating conventional approaches, you will explore novel extraction methods for combined DNA-protein-lipid extraction. You will receive training in ancient genomics and protein analysis at UCPH and GC-MS for lipid characterisation in York. As part of the double degree there will also be the opportunity for a secondment (research stay) at FORTH (Crete).
Principal supervisor: Assoc. Professor Hannes Schroeder, University of Copenhagen
Co-supervisors: Prof. Matthew Collins (University of Copenhagen), Assoc. Prof. Karina Krarup Sand (University of Copenhagen) and Dr. Jessica Hendy (University of York)
Start date: 1 August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter
Duration: 36 months
Key responsibilities
Your key responsibilities as a PhD student at the University of Copenhagen will be to:
- Carry out one or several independent research projects under supervision
- Write a PhD thesis consisting of several peer-reviewed scientific articles based on the research carried out during the PhD
- Complete PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS points
- Gather international research experience, for example through a research visit to another research group in a different country
- Gather important teaching experience teaching graduate and undergraduate students
- Disseminate the scientific research results to a broader public through conference presentation and public talks
As an ESR within the ChemArch network you will also be expected to:
- Attend and actively participate in all the mandatory network wide ChemArch activities
- Spend a minimum of 12 months at the collaborating institution (University of York)
- Contribute to overall project aims and deliverables by actively participating and collaborating with other ESR fellows in the network
- Communicate your scientific activity to a broad audience, for example through outreach activities, public lectures, podcasts, and social media
- Comply with the highest standards of research integrity, as set out in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a Masters degree of at least two years duration related to the subject area, e.g. a European MSc degree in archaeology, archaeological science, biochemistry, bioinformatics, molecular biology, genetics or a related discipline, or a 2 year MSc/MPhil for UK candidates.
Further, applicants must fulfil the MSCA Eligibility and Mobility Requirements:
- Applicants must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment on 1 August 2023. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.
- Applicants must be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree. Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when you obtained the first degree entitling you to embark on a doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which you are recruited), even if a doctorate was never started or envisaged.
Key criteria for the assessment of applicants
- The grade point average in undergraduate and graduate studies
- Experience with wet-lab work
- Knowledge of molecular biology/ancient genomics/proteomics
- Experience in bioinformatics
- Publications
- A proven ability to work independently and as a member of a team
- Demonstrated proficiency in both written and spoken English
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities. The University welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Globe Institute, part of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. The Institute’s main purpose is to address basic scientific questions through interdisciplinary approaches. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories with access to state-of-the art equipment to successfully complete the PhD tasks.
The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences comprises approximately 7500 students, 1500 PhD students and 3200 employees. The Faculty advances the field of health sciences through its core activities: research, teaching, knowledge sharing and communication. With basic research fields ranging from molecular studies to studies of society, the Faculty contributes to a healthy future through its graduates, research findings and inventions benefitting patients and the community. The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.
The Globe Institute is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment where employees and students can belong and thrive (https://globe.ku.dk/about/diversity-programme/). All qualified applicants will receive full consideration. Candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, contribute to diversity and competencies of our Institute are encouraged to apply.
The University of Copenhagen strives to offer a family friendly and flexible working environment with a sustainable balance between work- and private life, including parental leave schemes (up to 47 weeks for both parents) and up to six weeks of paid holidays per year.
Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.
Terms of employment
The employment as a PhD fellow is full time and for 3 years. It is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (SUND), University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.
Depending on seniority, the monthly salary begins around 28,896 DKK /approx. 3,885 EUR (April 2023-level) plus pension.
Questions
For specific quesitond about the PhD project, please contact the principal supervisor Assoc. Prof. Hannes Schroeder (hschroederATsund.ku.dk). For general information about studying for a PhD at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of the University of Copenhagen please visit the Graduate School’s website: https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/guidelines/
Application procedure
Your application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking ‘APPLY NOW’ below and selecting the fellowship you would like to apply for. The application must include the following documents in PDF format:
- Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
- CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
- Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted. As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database. Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science
- Publication list (if possible)
Application deadline: 13 July 2023, 23:59 pm CET.
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.
The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor.
The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.
You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.
INFORMATIONER OM STILLINGEN:
- Arbejdspladsen ligger i:
København Kommune
-Virksomheden tilbyder:
-Arbejdsgiver:
KU-CENTER FOR SUNDHED OG SAMFUND, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1353 København K
-Ansøgning:
Ansøgningsfrist: 13-07-2023; - ansøgningsfristen er overskredet
Ved skriftlig henvendelse: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=1307&ProjectId=159616&DepartmentId=19217&MediaId=4632&SkipAdvertisement=true
Se mere her: https://job.jobnet.dk/CV/FindWork/Details/5861479
