Research Professor MSO in vegetation history and prehistoric climate change (time-limited position 5 years)

The study of Quaternary vegetation and landscape development using pollen analysis has a long history in Denmark. The National Museum has been a pioneer institution in the research area since the 1940s, where interdisciplinary work has been carried out, especially with archaeology, to explore questions regarding human exploitation and impact on the landscape and human adaptation to changing climate conditions. With the new position as Research Professor MSO (temporary professorship with special responsibilities) in vegetation history and climate change, it is the Museum´s ambition to maintain and strengthen its strong position within the research area. The position is a five-year position with the possibility of a further three-year extension by agreement.

Job description
The Research Professor MSO is expected to make a significant contribution to research and must ensure that research and outreach activities within the area are thriving. Furthermore, he or she must act as a mentor and academic supervisor to young researchers and research students. The responsibilities will primarily consist of:

• Developing research projects at an internationally competitive level and acquisition of competitive funding
• High-profile academic publishing
• Public dissemination of research results
• Developing the research area, incorporating new interdisciplinary methods and identifying potential synergies with archaeology and other humanistic and natural science disciplines
• Performing research leadership, including the guidance and supervision of young researchers
• Engaging in the Museum´s internal and external academic activities

Required qualifications
We are looking for an internationally recognized researcher who:

• holds a PhD in a relevant discipline e.g. in biology, geology, environmental archaeology or similar and has extensive practical and theoretical experience with pollen analysis and European vegetation history as well as post-glacial climate change
• has a high degree of original academic production at an international level, including considerable contributions to the development of the academic discipline
• has a good track-record in attracting competitive funds
• has a high degree of experience in inter-disciplinary research, including good collaboration skills
• has significant experience in communicating his/her research to a broad public
• has substantial practical experience with field work, especially in wetlands and lakes, and laboratory work
• has experience and skills in academic leadership, management and administration

It is an advantage if the candidate possesses basic knowledge of Danish prehistoric archaeology.

In addition to the above, a professor MSO must meet the criteria for research appointments at the National Museum of Denmark. The criteria for research appointments at the National Museum of Denmark can be accessed here: Meriteringskriterier 2025)

Since the primary working language at the National Museum is Danish, non-Danish-speaking applicants are expected to acquire the necessary Danish language skills within a short period of time (max. two years).

Terms of salary and employment
The working hours are 37 hours a week. Terms of pay and employment are determined in accordance with the collective agreement for academics employed by the Danish state and executive order of 30 October 2015 on the job structure for academic staff with research responsibilities in archives, libraries, museums etc. under the Danish Ministry of Culture.

The professorship is a time-limited position for 5 years.

The position as Research Professor MSO is expected to be filled on August 1, 2025, or as soon as possible hereafter.

The place of employment is the National Museum, Section of Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, I.C. Modewegsvej 11, Brede, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby.

Application procedure
The National Museum is actively working to promote equality among employees and encourages all qualified, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.

The application is to be submitted in English and must include the following:

• Letter with motivation for the application (max. one page)
• Curriculum vitae, incl. education, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• Research plan with a description of current and future research plans (max. 3-5 pages) including planned dissemination of research to the public
• Individual copies of publications to be considered in the assessment. Applicants may choose a maximum of five scholarly works, of which a maximum of two may be monographs, and at least three of the works must have been published no more than five years before the application deadline. Full copies must be sent by post or uploaded as pdf (maximum size pr. file 2 mb) via the electronic recruitment system. Links to publications are not accepted
• Transcript of university exams into English, if not written in English, Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish
• If a publication to be considered in the evaluation has more than one author, or is the result of a collective effort, it must be clearly specified which part of the publication the applicant is responsible for. In the absence of a specification, the Assessment Committee will disregard that publication(s)

Applications must be sent via the electronic recruitment system on our website www.natmus.dk/job and must be uploaded by May 1, 2025.

Any publications to be included in the assessment must be received by the National Museum on May 1, 2025.Publications can either be uploaded to the recruitment system or sent to Nationalmuseet, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, 1220 København K, Denmark, marking the envelope ‘HR & Law’. Publications sent to the Museum must be submitted in 3 copies. Only books or similar will be returned.

An expert Assessment Committee to evaluate the applications will be set up. When the Committee has completed its assessment, each applicant will receive the part of the overall assessment that specifically refers to her/him. Selected applicants will be invited for interviews in a panel set up by the National Museum.

For specific questions about the position, please contact Deputy Director Lars Højer, lars.hojer@natmus.dk, phone 45 41 20 69 05 or Head of Research Kristoffer Buck Pedersen, Kristoffer.buck.pedersen@natmus.dk, phone 45 41 20 63 17.

Nationalmuseet er Danmarks kulturhistoriske hovedmuseum og et statsmuseum under Kulturministeriet. Nationalmuseets formål er altid at være på opdagelse, og at arbejde på at være mere for flere. Vores fyrtårne er Værdifulde oplevelser, Levende viden og Bæredygtigt liv. Se mere om Nationalmuseet på www.natmus.dk

Department: Frederiksholms Kanal 12 1220 København

Lokation: Lyngby/Brede

Application deadline: 01 May 2025