211-0238/25-2N Tenure-track Assistant Professor and Curator of Paleontology

Tenure-track Assistant Professor and Curator in Paleontology
Natural History Museum Denmark
Faculty of Science
University of Copenhagen

The Natural History Museum Denmark wishes to appoint a Tenure-track Assistant Professor and Curator in Paleontology with a great vision for natural history museums in a changing world. Duties are divided equally between collection-based research and other museum duties including curation and digitization of relevant parts of the geological collections, research-based teaching and supervision of students, and public engagement/exhibition/interpretation work, and to act as the museum's liaison with relevant Danish natural history communities.

The successful candidate will be expected to establish and develop an externally funded collection-based research program/group and publish in influential journals. We particularly encourage applications from candidates with a research specialization in vertebrate paleontology. The successful candidate will be expected to curate the museums vertebrate paleontology collections (+18.000 specimens) as well as participate in curation of other paleontology collections (primarily 1 million invertebrate specimens).

We value collaboration across disciplines and professions. All applicants are expected to demonstrate interdisciplinary thinking and a commitment to working together to create solutions to global challenges. This also goes for collection work. Curators develop the collections that they are responsible for through research, field work, loan activities, digitization, acting as scientific host for visiting researchers, and increasing accessibility for everyone.

The museum is a member of Geocenter Denmark, a national center of geoscientific research, education, consulting and innovation that enables close cooperation with other Danish university departments and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland.

All curators at the Natural History Museum Denmark are expected to take a leading role in society as advocates for science and nature, creating impact at all levels while actively promoting the museum’s Vision and Values (https://snm.dk/en/about-museum). Further details of qualifications required for appointment at the museum are detailed below.

The position is available starting 1 January 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Qualifications

Applicants at the Tenure-track Assistant Professor level are expected to have an academic record demonstrating the potential to deliver high profile internationally competitive research in the area of specialization. They should be a scientific specialist in one of the collection areas of the museum and have experience with collection-based research. Previous curatorial and university teaching experience would be advantageous but is not a requirement at the time of hiring for Tenure-track Assistant Professors. A documented interest in and a vision for public engagement and community-based activities, such as citizen science, is essential.

Assessment of candidates

Assessment of applicants will primarily consider their level of documented, internationally competitive research as well as their curatorial experience and potential to curate one or more of the museum’s collections. The ability to attract external funding will be considered together with outreach qualifications. Teaching qualifications are not mandatory, but documented teaching qualifications and teaching experience will be considered. The overall fit for the Natural History Museum will also be considered.

Candidates will have one or more of the following qualifications:

• An outstanding reputation for high quality research within paleontology
• A proven track record of interdisciplinary research
• Scientific expertise that ensures ability to curate both vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology collections held by the museum
• Curatorial experience of natural history collections
• Experience from a natural history museum or similar
• A record of scientific use of museum collections and/or data
• A vision for how digital, genomic, and other new technologies will drive advances in natural history science
• A proven ability to work at a strategic level
• A proven track record of public engagement and creating impact beyond academia
• Experience working on museum exhibitions
• Experience in fundraising and ability to grow research funding from external sources
• Supportive and performance-oriented people skills and commitment to an inclusive workplace that celebrates diversity and respect for everyone with equality and opportunity for all
• A passion for the vision and values of the Natural History Museum of Denmark
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Confidence in ability to provide advocacy for the Museum with multiple stakeholders
   

Six overall criteria apply for assistant professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding and leadership) along with the museum specific criteria, collections curation, are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Furthermore, each candidate must be assessed according to the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement. Please read more at https://jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabelige-stillinger/kriterier-for-videnskabelige-stillinger/dokumenter-til-meritering/5a_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-Assistant_professors.pdf.

Please read the museums assessment criteria for curation here 

 

Information on the tenure-track program

The tenure-track programme is a career programme and an assigned mentor will provide the tenure-track assistant professors with guidance related to career development, other academic topics and administrative procedures.

Performance of the tenure-track assistant professor will be followed via internal yearly evaluations and a mid-term and final international evaluation by an assessment committee. If the ‘final appraisal’ is positive you will be promoted as associate professor. Performance and progression towards the criteria below will be evaluated with due consideration of differences between research fields.

After a 6-year tenure-track period tenure-track assistant professors are expected to meet the criteria for appointment of associate professors at the University of Copenhagen and the Museums criteria for curation.

 

About the Natural History Museum Denmark
The Natural History Museum Denmark is the Danish national museum for nature. We work to empower citizens to connect with nature with the aim to create positive change for people and planet. We want to inspire, engage, and enable people to enjoy, understand, and care for the diversity of the natural world. The impact of climate change and anthropogenic forces on biodiversity has reached a critical point. We firmly believe that natural history museums can and should play a key role towards a more sustainable relationship with nature.

We are currently building a new Danish national museum for nature. One big museum site, in the Botanical Garden, in the centre of Copenhagen, will host state-of-the-art laboratories, outstanding research collections, new public galleries, and combined facilities for programming, education, and citizen science. It is an ambition for the museum to enhance natural history and inspire curiosity, knowledge, and empowerment for the future.

The Natural History Museum consists of the national Botanical Garden, and the new museum site with public galleries, offices, laboratories, and collection space. The Botanical Garden was founded in 1600. The collections date back to Ole Worm’s Cabinet of Curiosities from around 1620. With 14 million specimens and 8,000 different species in the Botanical Garden, it is the largest museum collection in Denmark. It covers our planetary history with botanical, zoological, and geological specimens from all over the world.

The Natural History Museum Denmark is a University Museum and part of the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. The University of Copenhagen was founded in 1479 and is the largest in Denmark. Read more about the museum at http://www.snm.ku.dk/english/.

Inquiries about the position can be made to Museum Director Nina Rønsted (nronsted@snm.ku.dk or +45 35322222). Please put “211-0238/25-2N” in the subject of e-mail inquiries.
 

Affirmative action

The Natural History Museum Denmark is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or disabled status. We are actively promoting a strategy to improve the gender balance among scientific staff.

Copenhagen is a highly diverse and international Scandinavian capital with a green profile. Education is free and childcare is subsidized. Public transport is well developed, and most Copenhageners take their bikes to work. There are lots of green areas in and around Copenhagen, the water in the harbor is clean enough for swimming, and the city has multiple museums and other cultural venues.
 

Terms of employment

The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

The successful candidate is expected to take Danish lessons if there is no prior knowledge of Danish language. The International Office at the University of Copenhagen can help.
 

How to apply

The application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include 

• A cover letter stating the motivation for applying (1 page)
• Research profile: description of previous, current and future research plans (3 pages)
• Curatorial area, experience and interests (1 page)
• Curriculum vitae documenting:
  • Previous positions at museums, universities, or other research or cultural institutions
  • Fundraising experience
  • International network and relations
  • Curatorial experience (curation of collections)
  • Public engagement activities, i.e. citizen science projects, exhibitions, popular lectures or other relevant activities
  • Teaching experience and qualifications, i.e. supervision of students, classes, formal pedagogical training.
• If available, description and documentation of teaching and supervision experience and qualifications- please describe and document:
  • Experience with supervision of BSc and MSc students
  • Teaching experience
  • Formal pedagogical training
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)

• Complete publication list
• Separate reprints of up to 5 particularly relevant papers

The deadline for applications is 18 May 2025, 23:59 GMT+2.

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorised recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee.

We work thoroughly with this process. Several professionals from different fields must be involved. Therefore, we will not be ready for interviews before 29 October 2025.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Please refer to the following no. in future communication in this case: 211-0238/25-2N.