The posting
Associate professor of Equine Sports Medicine
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen
The University seeks to appoint an associate professor within Equine Sports Medicine to the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences to commence 1 March 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Information on the Department can be found at: http://www.sund.ku.dk/ and www.ikv.ku.dk/english.
About us
The Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences covers strong and internationally recognized research areas in clinical veterinary sciences. A relatively large part of our research is fertilised and inspired from clinical challenges, identified in the hospital, in our ambulatory field practice or from our external collaborators. Based on these, we want to set a new standard for cross-disciplinary research, education and innovation within animal health and disease.
The Section for Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction for Large animals holds research and clinical teaching, in a modern 24-hour open university veterinary teaching hospital and ambulatory field practice service for all large animals with horses as the primary species consulted. We also have the cross departmental, University of Copenhagen Centre for Veterinary Simulation, which is open 24/7 for veterinary students to practice clinical skills. Our research is focused on diseases of clinical relevance for horses and cattle thereby having a direct application for veterinarians and animal owners. Also, translational research bridging basic science to companion animal as well as human medicine is a strength of the section.
We have a strong educational and scientific focus on the athletic horse collaborating with internationally recognised research groups within cardiovascular, airway and orthopaedic research with a high impact translational research profile. To fully exploit the scientific and clinical potentials, the muscular development and disease understanding in sports and rehabilitation medicine both in horses and companion animals and is a strategic research area in the department, why collaboration with the companion animal sections of the department is expected in the position. The announced associate professorship is crucial to enhancing and strengthening this area to fully obtain the synergy of the other research areas mentioned above.
Equine medicine is a core discipline in the fourth and fifth years of the veterinary medical education in Denmark. Therefore the position is highly involved in research based teaching of veterinary students within equine sports medicine and the candidate is expected to take a leadership role in conducting clinical relevant research, teaching and examining undergraduate students, as well as assist and promote the development of both pre-and postgraduate teaching as well as research strategies within the field of equine sports medicine.
The culture of the department is typical Scandinavian: a flat structure with a tradition for close collaboration where all employees are expecting openness, mutual respect, and sharing of ideas, resources and competences.
Job description
In considering applications for the associate professorship, the main emphasis will be on the following aspects:
- The applicant's ability to document a high level of original scientific production at an international level within the area of equine sports medicine and preferably with a strong translational profile.
- The applicant’s practical experience within equine general medicine in both a hospital and in research setting.
- The applicants experience with development of clinical research-based teaching of veterinary students.
The associate professor’s responsibilities will primarily consist of:
- Research, including publication/academic dissemination
- Research-based pre-and postgraduate teaching, including clinical teaching and service, associated examination and course responsibilities
- Strengthen, developing and integrating muscular research in research-based teaching of veterinary students
- Research leadership, including guidance and supervision of researchers and veterinary students as well as securing external funding.
- Obligation to share knowledge with the rest of society, including participation in public debate and engagement in topics of relevance for horse owners
- Organizational contribution to the section, department and university incl. e.g. participation in department committees and course leadership.
- Academic assessments
Required qualifications
To be qualified for an associate professor position, you will be assessed according to these five overall criteria for recognising merit at the University of Copenhagen: Research, teaching, innovation & societal impact, organisational contribution and leadership.
Find information about each criterion.
The successful applicant should:
- Hold a DVM with license to practice in Denmark or be willing to apply for such within 6 months.
- Hold a PhD degree or similar qualifications.
- Diplomat degree within ECEIM, ACVIM or ECVSMR is an advantage.
- Document a high degree of research experience and scientific publications within the field of equine internal medicine and sports medicine at an international level, including considerable contributions to the development of the academic discipline.
- Have experience with research management and other management functions, including attraction of external funding and group leadership.
- Document pre-and postgraduate clinical teaching experience within the field of the position and documented pedagogical training at university level.
- Perform research-based teaching.
- Perform quality patient care and service management in an equine hospital and ambulatory field practice within equine general medicine.
- Possess good interpersonal and communicative skills.
- If Danish is not the first language, the applicant is expected to obtain sufficient Danish skills within 1-2 years.
Diversity and International Applicants
The University of Copenhagen is committed to fostering diversity and encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background.
Useful resources:
- www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility)
- www.workingconditions.ku.dk.
Terms of employment
The position is a permanent position.
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
Employment is as associate professor according to the collective agreement or job structure under the applicable collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. There will be an opportunity to negotiate supplements based on qualifications. You can read more about salary levels in the state sector www.loenoverblik.dk (in Danish).
The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2025.
This position comes with an opportunity to negotiate a start package for up to 2,500,000 DKK that will help leverage the candidate’s scientific deliverables in the initial years of employment. The negotiation for the start package takes place as part of the recruitment process. Please read about the contents of the programme and conditions, as well as UCPH’s extensive support for international researchers here
Questions
For further information, please contact group leader Tina Holberg Pihl [email protected].
Application
The application must be submitted in English, by clicking on "Apply online" below, and must include the following:
- Application, including motivation for applying for this position (Maximum 2 pages)
- Curriculum vitae (Including information about external funding)
- A complete list of publications
- Diplomas - (Master’s, PhD, and other relevant certificates)
- Upload a list of maximum 5 publications to be assessed
- Research plan (3-5 pages)
- Teaching plan
- Teaching portfolio (Guidelines)
The further process After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointments Committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The Dean then appoints an expert assessment committee in order to make an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself. You can read about the recruitment process at the university's job portal.
Please note that the applicant will be contacted if the assessment committee requires further documentation.
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
Please submit the application with the required attachments.
The closing date for applications is 29 October 2026 23.59 p.m. CET.
Employer: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Homepage: http://ikvh.ku.dk/english/
The University of Copenhagen actively influences current and future generations through excellent research, education and co-operation. UCPH is one of the highest ranked universities in Europe and is Denmark´s oldest university, founded in 1479. Today, the University has 37,000 students and
9,000 employees affiliated across six faculties: humanities, law, natural sciences, social sciences, health sciences and theology www.ku.dk/english.
