Postdocs in HIV and Hepatitis B/D Immunology

The Departments of Infectious Diseases under Clinical Medicine at Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for positions as Postdoc in the field of HIV and Hepatitis B/D Immunology as per 1 December 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a fixed-term full-time position for 3 years.

As a postdoc at the Department of Clinical Medicine, you will be part of what is probably the largest health science research department in Denmark. Our clinical research covers all the medical specialities and takes place in close collaboration with the university hospital and the regional hospitals in the Central Denmark Region. We have approx. 30,000 square metres of modern research facilities for experimental surgery and medicine, animal facilities and also advanced scanners at our disposal. The department has overall responsibility for the Master's degree programs in medicine and in molecular medicine. At the department we are approx. 670 academic employees, 500 PhD students and 160 technical/administrative employees who are cooperating across disciplines. As a postdoc, you will be working at Aarhus University Hospital in the Central Denmark Region.

About the research project

The Søgaard lab seeks to understand how antiviral antibodies reshape both innate and adaptive immunity and how these responses can be harnessed therapeutically. Current research integrates advanced immunophenotyping, systems immunology, single-cell multi-omics, viral genomics, and functional immune assays to dissect the mechanisms underlying durable viral control, with particular emphasis on antibody-mediated enhancement of T-cell immunity, Fc-dependent immune activation, and host-pathogen interactions. Beyond HIV, the group is translating these concepts to chronic hepatitis B and D through first-in-human immunotherapy trials, while also investigating how persistent viral infections contribute to inflammation, ageing, and cardiometabolic disease. Together, our research programme combines fundamental discovery with early-phase clinical translation to develop innovative immunotherapies capable of achieving long-term control or cure of chronic viral infections.

Your job responsibilities

As Postdoc in Infections Diseases your position is primarily research-based but may also involve some supervisor assignments. You will contribute to the development of the department through research of high international quality. In your daily work, you will work closely with colleagues on your project, where you will receive supervision and guidance.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Independent research of high international quality, including publication.
• As a postdoc you will perform cutting edge research using technologies such as spectral flow cytometry and single-cell CITEseq
• Methodologies are applied to understanding immunotherapy of chronic infections with particular emphasis on in developing novel HIV-1 and HBV/HDV cure strategies.
• Functional T and NK cell assays will be utilized to the impact of experimental therapies on immune responses to target and kill infected cells.
• We have a range of projects studying potent novel anti-HIV monoclonal antibodies. The positions will work within this field of translational biomedicine and clinical research and we seek to shorten the path from discovery to testing.

You will report to Professor Ole S. Søgaard, Depts. of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Medicine.

Your competences

You have academic qualifications at PhD level, for example within the following areas immunology, virology or bio-informatics. We seek applicants with one or more of the following experiences:

• To have working knowledge in functional immunology.
• To have experience with advanced flow cytometry applications and specific experience in the working with multi-colour flow cytometers.
• Project experience in virology preferentially knowledge of working in biosafety class 2/3 virus production and virus infected cell culture
• Single-cell analysis including bio-informatic processing
• To have experience with nucleic acid molecular manipulation incl PCR and experience in next generation sequencing -primarily on the illumina platform.
• To be eager to learn and work in the interface of basic cellular biology /virology and experimental clinical medicine trials meeting the challenges of developing methods to the highest international scientific standards

As a person, you have good interpersonal skills, are inclusive and team-oriented and able to contribute to a good work environment. We expect you to be fluent in oral and written English.

In order to be assessed as qualified for a Postdoc position, you must meet these academic criteria.

Shortlisting will be used.

To be considered for the position, applicants must meet the formal requirements for academic appointments at Aarhus University and submit all required application materials by the deadline. Applications that are substantially incomplete will not proceed to further assessment

Questions about the position

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Prof. Ole Schmeltz Søgaard, e-mail: ole.schmeltz.sogaard@clin.au.dk.

Your place of work will be the Department of Infectious Diseases, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.

We expect to conduct interviews in early/mid-October.

Terms of employment

• Appointment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level.
• Further information on the appointment procedure can be found in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
• The appointment is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• Remuneration is in accordance with the above, and the Salary agreement catalogue for staff at Health.
• The yearly base salary for a fulltime postdoc is between DKK 493.394,35 and DKK 585.322,48 depending on the years of working experience after achieved MSc degree. The base salary includes a position related supplement and pension (18.07 %). Additional supplement(s) for special qualifications can be negotiated. Authorisation supplemement(s) will be granted, if relevant for the position. Your local eligible trade union representative at Aarhus University negotiates your salary on your behalf.
• Researchers recruited from abroad are offered a special researcher tax scheme with a lower tax rate.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job description can be found in the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff

Application

Your application must include the following:

• Motivated application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diploma
• Template for applicant - postdoc
• A list of publications
• A teaching portfolio. We refer to Guideline on the use of teaching portfolios
• A maximum of five of the publications of greatest relevance to the job may be submitted (optional)
• Research plan can be uploaded (optional)
• Coauthor statement(s) can be uploaded (optional)
• References/recommendations can be uploaded separately in the e-recruitment system (optional)

We refer to the faculty’s Guidelines for applicants.

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.

International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including assistance with relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about the International Staff Office and the range of services here. Aarhus University also has a Junior Researcher Association and offers career development support.

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