Postdoc in Personality Disorders Research

The Department of Clinical Medicine at Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for a position as Postdoc in the field of Affective Disorders as per 1 March 2027 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 or another hospital in the Central Denmark Region.

Place of work

Your place of work will be the Department of Affective Disorders (ADA) at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital-Psychiatry. ADA is a specialized clinical and research department focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of mood, anxiety and personality-related psychiatric conditions. The department integrates neuroscience, psychology, epidemiology and pharmacology to explore the biological and psychological mechanisms underlying affective disorders, contributing to improved therapeutic strategies and patient outcomes. With a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and international partnerships, ADA plays a pivotal role in advancing mental health care in Denmark and beyond.

ADA operates under the Department of Clinical Medicine (IKM) at Aarhus University - one of Denmark’s leading institutions for clinical research and medical education. Researchers in IKM conduct research across all medical specialties—including psychiatry, cancer, cardiology, neuroscience, and infectious diseases—in close collaboration with Aarhus University Hospital and regional hospitals in the Central Denmark Region. The department is home to over 350 researchers and nearly 500 PhD students, fostering a vibrant and inclusive research culture. With a strong emphasis on transparency, knowledge sharing, and equity, IKM supports career development and interdisciplinary collaboration while providing access to cutting-edge facilities.

About the research project

The focus of this project is the epidemiology and shared genetics of eating disorders and personality (EpiGen-EP). Personality disorder (PD) characteristics are often present in patients with eating disorders (EDs), but we know little about the epidemiology or biological underpinnings of comorbid ED and PD. Using data from Denmark and Estonia, this project will examine the epidemiology and genetics of ED and disordered personality and identify meaningful subgroups for targeted treatment and prevention strategies.

Remote work policy

Our policy regarding remote work is that all members of the research group are expected to be present at the office on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and may work from home if they prefer on Tuesdays and Fridays. Extended periods of remote work up to 1 month are allowable with prior mutual agreement. Longer-term exceptions to the policy are negotiable under extraordinary circumstances.

Data sources

As part of this project, you will be working extensively with Danish national health registers and the iPSYCH sample. The Danish national health registers, overseen by the Danish Health Data Authority, are a comprehensive and centralized collection of health-related data covering the entire Danish population. These registers systematically record information from hospitals, pharmacies, and municipal health services, capturing data on diagnoses, treatments, medications, births, deaths, and more. With over 40 years of longitudinal data, including the extensive National Patient Register, these resources enable robust epidemiological and clinical research. Their unique infrastructure allows for secure linkage across databases, supporting high-quality, population-wide studies while maintaining strict privacy standards.

iPSYCH is a national project founded in 2012 by six leading researchers in the fields of psychiatry and genetics. The purpose of iPSYCH is to find the causes and create the basis for better treatment and prevention of five of the most serious mental disorders: autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. By examining genetic and risk factors in more than 130,000 Danes–both those who suffer from mental disorders and those who do not–iPSYCH sheds light on the interaction between heredity factors and the environment, which for some people result in them developing a mental disorder. Today iPSYCH is one of the world’s largest studies of the genetic and environmental causes of mental disorders and it involves more than 150 researchers within psychiatry, genetics and register-based research.

Your job responsibilities

Your primary task will be to conduct research of high international quality. Although the position is primarily research based, a small degree of teaching and supervision (in English) will be required. In your daily work, you will work closely with both Danish and international colleagues.

In your day-to-day work, you will be supervised by Dr. Katherine Musliner, associate professor in the ADA research unit, and Dr. Zeynep Yilmaz, associate professor in the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University. Drs. Musliner and Yilmaz are co-leaders of the EpiGen-EP project. The position of postdoc is a career development position in which you will receive supervision and career development opportunities.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Independent research of high international quality, including publication

• A limited amount of teaching and supervision

• Some degree of contribution towards attracting external research funding

• Contributions to internal and external efforts to disseminate research findings to relevant academic, clinical and patient stakeholder groups, including planning and carrying out workshops and symposia

• Participation in, and active contribution to, the development of the working environment of the research unit, including journal clubs and research seminars

Administratively, you will report to the head of the Department of Affective Disorders research unit, Dr. Søren D. Østergaard.

Your competences

The ideal candidate for this position will have a strong background in psychiatric genetic epidemiology, personality disorders and/or eating disorders, data analysis and statistical modeling. Prior experience working with Danish registers is an advantage. As a person, the ideal candidate will have good interpersonal skills, will be inclusive and team-oriented and able to contribute to a good working environment. Our research unit is highly international, therefore cultural awareness, open communication, adaptability and mutual respect are highly valued.

Qualification requirements are as follows:

• Education background at the PhD level in psychiatric epidemiology and/or psychiatric genetics, or a closely related field.

• Experience and proficiency working with large datasets (experience working with Danish national registers strongly preferred)

• Experience and proficiency with data analysis and statistical modeling

• Competence with at least one of the following statistical software packages: SAS, STATA or R

• Curiosity, internal motivation, a positive attitude and a strong love of science and scientific research

• Fluency in spoken and written English required. Additional proficiency in spoken and written Danish is an advantage.

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.

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

Obtaining a child certificate is a prerequisite for employment in the position.

Questions about the position

If you have any questions about the position, please contact head of the Department of Affective Disorders research unit Dr. Søren D. Østergaard tel.: (+45) 6128 2753.

Your place of work will be the Department of Clinical Medicine, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 11, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark.

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.