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We invite enthusiastic applicants for a 2½-year Postdoctoral research position in Environmental Toxicology with a focus on chemical imaging. The position is funded by the EU Partnership for Risk Assessment of Chemicals (PARC), Carlsberg Foundation, and SDU. The project will be carried out in the Ecotoxicology group at the Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The starting date for the position is as soon as possible, no later than November 2026. 

Project background
Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including those released from micro- and nanoplastics such as substituted phenols (e.g., BPA and BPA alternatives) and PFAS, in the environment is invisible but inevitable. However, there are large gaps in our understanding of the mechanistic events that lead to adverse effects on individual animals and populations. EDCs affect both vertebrates and invertebrates, and the project will investigate their effects in biological samples from multiple species after exposure to known or suspected EDCs using advanced chemical imaging. Special focus will be on the effects of substituted phenols in vertebrates and on chemicals that disrupt molting in arthropods. The research builds on the Danish Sapere Aude TriOOL project and the Carlsberg Research Infrastructure project, which combines comparative embryo models, biochemical imaging, molecular analyses, and toxicological assessment to revolutionize our understanding of micro- and nanoplastics’ environmental and health impacts.

A central research platform will be SDU’s photothermal chemical imaging system, which integrates optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, simultaneous Raman spectroscopy, and co-located fluorescence imaging. This combination enables label-free chemical identification and high-resolution spatial mapping of plastics and associated chemicals in complex samples as well as mapping of exposure-associated changes in lipid organization, protein secondary structure, or cellular biochemical fingerprints within endocrine responsive tissues. The platform fosters a strong community that includes the Danish Center for Hadal Research, the Danish Center for Research in Marine Plastic Pollution, the Danish Molecular Biomedical Imaging Center, and the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

The project is led by Associate Professor Dr. Elvis Genbo Xu and Associate Professor Dr. Henrik Holbech. The PARC project team includes top-level collaborators such as Prof. Knut Erik Tollefsen (Norway), Prof. Dries Knapen (Belgium), and Prof. Terje Svingen (Denmark).   

Qualifications
We seek an enthusiastic, ambitious, and independent candidate with a PhD in spectroscopy, analytical chemistry, microscopy, environmental toxicology, biology, biophysics, materials science, or a related field, and demonstrated expertise in infrared or Raman spectroscopy, chemical imaging, spectral analysis, or image analysis. Experience with O-PTIR, FTIR imaging, Raman mapping, chemometrics, micro- and nanoplastics, biological samples, Python, R, or MATLAB is highly desirable. The candidate should possess strong experimental skills, scientific independence, and excellent English communication skills.

Responsibilities
The postdoctoral researcher will:

• Develop and validate O-PTIR, Raman, and fluorescence imaging methods.
• Analyze micro- and nanoplastics in biological and environmental samples.
• Process spectral and imaging data using chemometrics and multivariate statistics.
• Integrate imaging results with toxicological and molecular endpoints.
• Publish findings and collaborate within the PARC and SDU’s Photothermal Chemical Imaging platform networks.

Additional information about the position is available from Dr. Elvis Genbo Xu, e-mail: [email protected]. Website: https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/en/persons/elvis 

SDU and the Ecotoxicology group
University of Southern Denmark (SDU) was founded in 1966 as a top research and educational institution in Denmark, with strong contacts with international industries and the scientific community. It is both the third-largest and the third-oldest Danish university. Several international reports testify that SDU conducts world-class research and ranks it as one of the Top 50 young universities in the world. As a fast-growing young university, SDU now has five faculties and over 30,000 students, more than 15% of whom come from abroad. More than 1,200 researchers are divided into five faculties, 32 departments, and 11 research centers. 

The position will be based in the Ecotoxicology group at the Department of Biology, SDU, in Odense. The Postdoctoral Researcher will have strong support from the Ecotoxicology group, which is well recognized for 30 years of research excellence in developing ecotoxicological approaches and assessing the risks of environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, as well as from broad networks in the EU and beyond.

We recommend that as an international applicant, you take the time to visit Work in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU.

Application, salary etc.
The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Please check links for more information on salary (only available in Danish) and  taxation.

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.
As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process.
SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary.

The application must include the following:

• A curriculum vitae including information on previous employment with start and end dates 
• A full list of publications stating the scientific publications on which the applicant wishes to rely
• Copy of PhD diploma, if Phd diploma has not yet been received, please include statement from your supervisor

Shortlisting may be used in the assessment process. Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated.

To qualify you must have passed a PhD or equivalent. Applications will be assessed by an expert assessor/committee. Applicants will be informed of their assessment by the university.

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

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply now". Attached files must be in Adobe PDF format. We strongly recommend that you read How to apply for a position at SDU before you apply.
If you experience technical problems, please contact [email protected]

Further information for international applicants about entering and working in Denmark.

About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.