One or more Professors in Pain Research

At the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Science and Technology, one or more positions as Professor in Pain Research is open for appointment from 1st March 2026, or soon thereafter.

At Department of Health Science and Technology we conduct research, teaching, and innovation within engineering, medicine, biomedicine, sports science, public health, neuroscience, psychology, and physiotherapy to develop sustainable technological solutions. Our mission is to contribute to increased quality of life for the benefit of the individual human being and society.

We take an active part in implementing the 2030 vision of the Faculty of Medicine: to be forefront on digital health and well-known for doctors and engineers finding solutions together. Our mission is to drive positive societal impact through cutting-edge research and innovation, with a strong focus on digital health. We are dedicated to addressing four grand challenges that shape our vision for a healthier and more sustainable future.

We offer bachelor’s and master’s degree programs within biomedical engineering, medicine, medicine with industrial specialization, biomedical engineering, sports science, public health, and clinical health and technology. Our graduates contribute to setting the agenda for future needs and solutions for increased public health and implementation of new health knowledge and technologies.

Currently, our department has approximately 230 employees, 70 Ph.D.-students enrolled in the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology, and 1,900 students in our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Our facilities are equipped to support state-of-the-art research and teaching.
You can read more about our department at our web page and at Aalborg University’s research portal.

Job description
We welcome applications within human experimental or clinical pain research and/or biomedical techniques that allow for a better understanding of pain mechanisms. In particular, we want to further consolidate human experimental and clinical pain research on pain biomarkers or peripheral/central neuroplasticity relevant for pain chronification. The new appointed professor(s) should conduct high-caliber pain research, research supervision, teaching, and engagement with society at an international standard. Facilitating this, the professor will be associated with the Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP) and the department’s research groups.

CNAP is a Center of Excellence inaugurated by the Danish National Research Foundation at Aalborg University, Denmark. We do frontline fundamental research to identify novel mechanisms involved in the dynamics of pain mechanisms and advance the understandings of this topic. CNAP is an international research center with approximately 60% of our staff from outside of Denmark and gender equality. Our world class lab facilities in brand new buildings, co-located with Aalborg University Hospital, enable advanced quantitative sensory/pain testing, application of advanced neurophysiological techniques (e.g. EEG, TMS, rTMS, HD-tDCS, neuronavigation) as well as bio-medical techniques (e.g. epigenetics, genetics, general biomarkers, spatial transcriptomics, and multi-OMICS) in human experimental and clinical pain research settings. 

The position requires an excellent track record within pain research, neuroscience, medicine, bio-medicine, biomedical engineering, physiotherapy, physiology, psychology or a related field, and a strong background in fundamental, mechanistic pain research. The applicant must demonstrate a competitive high-level original scientific production at an international standard and a PhD within the field. 

The teaching qualifications and skills should enable teaching at all levels (BA to PhD) within the department’s study programs (e.g. bio-medical engineering, medicine, and medicine with industrial specialization). It is necessary to have a high proficiency in oral and written English, as English is our working language. National and international collaborations must be demonstrated.

The following criteria will apply 
To achieve merit at professor level, we expect that the candidate has experience with teaching, research or innovation and knowledge dissemination. The candidate should be able to demonstrate a particular significant contribution within one of the main areas: ‘research or innovation’ or teaching or education’. HST expects that the candidate should also demonstrate significant contribution within the other main area and management or administration. We expect that the candidate: 

• has an internationally recognized research profile with its own unique research area specifically substantiated through a continuous publication practice (first and last author of papers in peer-reviewed journals, conference contributions, book contributions, etc.), and/or achieved patents
• has been successful in obtaining external research funds and has taken part in or contributed to external funding activities
• has experience with researcher education, i.e., that the candidate has been main supervisor for more successful Ph.D. students and has been supervisor for research assistants, assistant professors/postdocs, or associate professors 
• has a significant teaching portfolio, comprising teaching and education development as well as pedagogic and didactic competencies achieved through a comprehensive and widespread teaching practice. This must be documented in a teaching portfolio or the like
• has significant experience with national and/or international cooperation and development of networks. This will be an advantage and may cover experience as editor and/or reviewer for peer-reviewed journals, organizing conferences or the like, participation in boards of directors and committees, contributions to assessment committees, public involvement, or cooperation with public/private organizations, etc.
• has significant experience with disseminating and making own professional competencies visible in broad societal circles aiming to optimize the impact of the research and the educations. This will be an advantage.
• has experience with sharing knowledge through an open science praxis. This will be an advantage.
• has significant experience with project management, research management, study management, and/or study administration
• has social and collegial competencies making the candidate able to act as a uniting and confidence-inspiring capacity in the scientific environment at the department
• can act strategically and politically and form professional environments and contribute to the strengthening of HST’s reputation
•  is able to conduct teaching and supervision in English or Danish. If the primary language is not Danish, the candidate is expected to learn Danish within the first few years of the employment

The following material must be submitted with the application 

• A motivated text in which the reasons for applying for the position are described
• A curriculum vitae
• Copies of relevant diplomas (Master of Science and PhD), pedagogical education, and continuing education (e.g., within research management). On request, you may be asked for an official English translation
• A complete list of publications
• References/recommendations
• A research plan – i.e. a presentation of your research area and your plans/visions for developing your research
• A scientific portfolio (or similar) that describes and documents your most relevant contributions to research. This could be through showing a trend and development in publications, collaboration networks, innovation & development, or patenting
• A teaching portfolio including documentation of your teaching experience, initiatives within teaching, experience with development of teaching materials, and curriculum development. If a portfolio is not enclosed, the applicant must include an explanation for its absence
• An innovation and impact portfolio (or similar) that documents your experience with, e.g., public-private partnership, innovation, outreach activities and working with the public society
• A research management and leadership portfolio (or similar) that describes and documents other qualifications, such as project management expertise and your experience with supervision of scientific personnel 

Assessment
The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.
When the hiring process is completed, a final rejection will be sent to the applicants who are not considered for the position.

AAU wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background or belief.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

You can read more about the requirements for your application here.    

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

Do you have any questions? 
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.    

Salary and terms of employment  
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). 

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (only in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (only in Danish).