The Villum Foundation has launched a record-breaking research grant of 1 billion DKK over the next ten years, with the goal to advance efforts towards a more sustainable built environment. The announced position is part of this venture, and the successful candidate will participate in the joint effort to achieve this goal. The position is a full-time tenure track assistant professorship offered for the most talented and promising candidates. It is available at the Research Group of Urban Pollution, Department of The Built Environment at the Faculty of Engineering and Science at Aalborg University, from February 1st, 2026, or soon thereafter.

The employment is for a six-year period during which the candidate must acquire qualifications at the associate professor level. During the tenure track, the assistant professor transfers to permanent employment as an associate professor, subject to positive assessment. Promotion to associate professor is thus based solely on the candidates’ own results and not on competition with other candidates.

Your work tasks

Climate change and increased urbanization impact the urban wastewater infrastructure. Prolonged droughts cause decreases infiltration/inflow and a push towards lower per capita water consumption, while urbanization leads to more wastewater, which must be conveyed over ever-longer distances. The consequence is increased septicity in the conveyance systems, which leads to the formation of problematic sewer gases such as hydrogen sulfide, other malodorous gases, and methane. All gases are of major concern, with hydrogen sulfide being at the top of the list, as hydrogen sulfide causes corrosion of sewer assets, and is toxic as well as malodorous.

This tenure track assistant professorship is in the field of dry weather processes in urban wastewater conveyance systems, and how these processes affect the conveyance infrastructure. Focus is on the service life of the infrastructure in view of a changing climate and urbanization. It addresses the direct impact of hydrogen sulfide on materials in terms of biogenic corrosion. It also addresses derived aspects related to managing septicity issues, such as prevention and treatment strategies.

Your competencies

The successful candidate has a strong background within environmental sciences or environmental engineering, and has shown independence, motivation, and the ability to initiate novel work on her/his own initiative. The candidate shall have the ability to grow into a world-wide recognized researcher within the field. She/he has furthermore shown herself/himself to be a team-worker with focus on reaching a shared objective, and to achieve a good work-life balance by managing the demands of an ambitious career alongside personal well-being, hobbies, and family time.

In terms of scientific competence, the successful candidate has experience within analyzing biological and chemical materials and processes at the microscale. Examples of relevant techniques are Raman and FTIR microspectroscopy to understand microscale changes of materials, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The successful candidate furthermore has experience in driving complex research projects comprising activities in the field, lab, and outreach.

Qualification requirements

Applicants for a tenure track assistant professorship must have academic qualifications at PhD level.

When appointing tenure track assistant professors, Aalborg University also place particular emphasis on:

• The candidate can demonstrate a high degree of autonomy in their previous education and employment path
• The candidate shows considerable potential and is among the best in their field
• The candidate has academic experience from several universities and/or research institutions and preferably international experience
• The candidate is a skilled communicator
• The candidate writes and speaks English at the academic level
• The candidate is expected to meet the criteria for permanent employment as an associate professor at Aalborg University at the end of the tenure track process

Who we are

The research group of Urban Pollution studies chemical and biological processes occurring in the infrastructure for wastewater, stormwater, and potable water, as well as treatment of these waters. It also addresses anthropogenic pollution generated by cities and road infrastructure. The approach is experiment-based, where studies are conducted in the laboratory, in pilot scale setups, and in the field. Complex systems are commonly assessed by modeling applying dedicated models developed by the research group.

Assessment in connection with transfer to associate professorship
The assessment in connection with transition to tenure as an associate professor normally takes place in the final six months of the tenure track assistant professors’ employment. However, the employee may request that an assessment take place at an earlier time in the first four years. If this assessment finds that the employee is not academically qualified, they may request another assessment within the final six months of their period of employment. A maximum of two assessments may take place.

The assessment, on transition to the associate professorship, will as a minimum, emphasize the following qualifications in relation to the scientific subject area of the tenure track assistant professorship:

• Research qualifications equivalent to the level that can be achieved on the basis of satisfactorily completed employment as tenure track assistant professor.
• Documented scientific production at international level. Assessment will be based on up to ten selected publications selected by the employee.
• Documentation of pedagogical supervision and upgrading of qualifications, including a positive written assessment of teaching qualifications. The assessment will also be based on the employee's teaching portfolio.
• The level of contribution to an active academic environment as well as the ability to collaborate and build relationships.
• The level of experience with grant proposals and experience of communicating research to relevant stakeholders.

If the tenure track assistant professor fails to request that their qualifications be assessed in the last year of their period of employment or if they are assessed as not academically qualified, the university must immediately initiate dismissal proceedings in accordance with the collective agreement rules.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying, qualifications in relation to the position, and intentions and visions for the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (master's degree diploma and PhD diploma)
• List of publications, with an indication of the attached publications that you wish to be taken into account in the assessment. You may attach a maximum of five publications. If you are applying for a position at The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH), you must submit a co-author statement, see template for co-author statement
• Documentation of teaching qualifications. Depending on which faculty you are applying for employment, please see guidelines for teaching portfolio at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, The Faculty of Engineering and Science and The Faculty of Medicine or guidelines for teaching portfolio at The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. If this is not enclosed, the applicant must enclose the reasons for this .
• Dissemination qualifications, including participation on committees or boards, participation in organisations etc.
• Additional qualifications in relation to the position
• References/recommendations

You can read more about the requirements for your application here.

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

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here

The appointment process at Aalborg University involves a shortlisting process. You can read more about the shortlisting and appointment process here.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (only in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (only in Danish).

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

Contacts

• Asbjørn Haaning Nielsen: +4599408468, ahn@build.aau.dk

Ansættelsestype

Full time

Ref. nummer

2025/727

Ansøgningsfrist

26.11.2025