Body Time: Metabolism, Multicyclic Being, and Temporal Environments
Postdoc in Interdisciplinary Science Studies
Call for Applications
Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral fellow to commence 1 October 2019 at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (www.cbmr.ku.dk) and Medical Museion (www.museion.ku.dk), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
The postdoctoral fellowship is part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research International Postdoctoral Program www.cbmr.ku.dk/postdocprogram and will also be integrated into the interdisciplinary research environment at Medical Museion.
The postdoctoral fellow will receive a competitive package including salary and running costs for three years, and be part of an international interdisciplinary collaboration at the Maersk Tower www.maersktower.ku.dk.
Job description
This postdoc position is situated in the Center’s Program for Metabolic Science in Culture (Director Professor Ken Arnold), based at Medical Museion: www.museion.ku.dk. Medical Museion is a university medical museum combined with an interdisciplinary research group, looking at health and medical sciences in their cultural, historical, and philosophical context. CBMR’s scientific research unfolds basic mechanisms of metabolic health and disease, and in doing so invokes fundamental questions about human experience. Medical Museion’s starting point is that metabolic research is an integral part of our culture and common history. We produce exhibitions, events, collection projects, and online communication, all informed by and feeding our humanities and social science research in areas including medical humanities, STS, history and philosophy of science, anthropology, and media studies.
The PI of this postdoc project is Associate Professor Louise Whiteley, and co-PI is Associate Professor Adam Bencard. The Program for Metabolic Science in Culture has three main strands of enquiry: Metabolic Humanities, Metabolic Collections, and Museology and Communication, you may read more here www.cbmr.ku.dk/research/metabolic-science-in-culture. These three areas inform each other, periodically coming together to shape, evaluate, and utilize exhibition and engagement projects. The postdoc will be fully integrated into the Center and into the Medical Museion research environment, current topics of investigation may be found on individual staff pages here www.museion.ku.dk/staff-gallery.
Project description
Body Time: Metabolism, Multicyclic Being, and Temporal Environments
This project responds to the scientific realization about the extent to which circadian control “must play a key role in governing the metabolism and physiology of all organisms” (Sassone-Corsi & Christen 2016); implying that living beings have evolutionarily adapted not just to certain ecological environments, but also to temporal environments (Gerhart-Hines 2015). How might these observations prompt a new way of thinking about human experience that ties together contemporary systems biology, with humanities research that considers how our fundamentally cyclic nature interacts with our environment on every possible scale of time and space? From the impact of shift work, to the historical introduction of electric light, the disconnection from monthly cycles that might result from the use of hormonal contraception, or contemporary diets that oscillate between fast and feast. This project will begin by mapping potential connections between work on circadian biology conducted at CBMR, to research on time and environment from across the biological sciences, humanities and social sciences. This will identify key nodes for investigating the concept of ‘multicyclic being’, outlining pragmatic implications for scientific methodology in dialogue with Center scientists, and contributing to the pressing intellectual and political need to articulate the human as a complex, metabolizing ecosystem deeply imbricated with its environment (Alaimo 2016; Landecker 2013). The postdoc will also collaborate with a cross-media communications team and Center scientists, to develop a toolbox for communicating and depicting multicyclic, metabolic bodies, to be utilised across scientific communication environments and Medical Museion. A book proposal and/or exhibition proposal are expected to result from the 3-year project.
References: Alaimo, S. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 2016, Gerhart-Hines, Z. & Lazar, M. Endocrine Reviews 2015, 36(3), 289-304, Landecker, H. & Panofsky, A. Annual Review of Sociology 2013, 39(1), 333-357 and Sassone-Corsi, P. & Christen, Y. Cham: Springer 2016.
Profile
- We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic researcher with the following competencies and qualifications:
- A PhD degree in a relevant humanities or social science discipline, e.g., Medical Humanities, STS, Anthropology, History and Philosophy of Science, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies or
- A PhD in Biomedical or Health Sciences plus at least masters level research experience with humanities or social science methods
- Experience with the study of science from humanities or social science perspectives is desirable; ability to engage with scientists and scientific literature is essential ´´
- Enthusiasm for topics in metabolism, time, and environment
- An ambitious, independent and critical mindset
- Confidence in designing their own research methodologies
- Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral
- Experience or interest in public communication or museum work is a bonus
- Eligibility
- The applicant must hold a PhD within a relevant discipline (see Profile above). The PhD degree must preferably be awarded from a university outside of Denmark. The program is also open for applicants with a Danish PhD degree who can document at least 12 months full-time research experience from outside Denmark.
You are not eligible to apply for the program if you have been employed in a postdoctoral position for more than one year at the University of Copenhagen prior to the commencement of the fellowship.
Selection
Selection of postdoctoral fellows is based on academic achievements, research experience and interviews. A mandatory interview visit for the shortlisted applicants comprises interviews with PI and co-PI and a tour of the Center facilities, and will take place in Copenhagen on 13 June 2019. The Center will pay for travel and accommodation for selected applicants in association with the interview visit.
The University of Copenhagen International Staff Mobility office offers support and assistance to all international researchers on all issues related to moving to and settling in Denmark. Read more at www.ism.ku.dk and www.workindenmark.dk/.
The applicant must fulfill the following criteria:
- A strong CV, having published in high-impact journals and presented at international meetings
- The ability to manage your own academic research and associated activities
- The ability to contribute ideas for new research projects
- Evidence of excellent interpersonal skills and leadership, with the ability to communicate research ideas and results in a clear and logical way and the ability to confidently and effectively interact with colleagues and the broader research community
- See also Profile above
- Terms of employment
- The employment as postdoc is a full time position for 3 years. Starting date is 1 October 2019.
Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated.
Non-Danish and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.
Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Louise Whiteley at lowh@sund.ku.dk. Questions regarding the CBMR International Postdoctoral Program must be directed to cbmr@sund.ku.dk. For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact SUND HR CBMR at mlr@sund.ku.dk.
Application procedure
- Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:
- Cover letter expressing the motivation and previous research experience of the applicant (max 1 page)
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of the PhD degree certificate and the Master degree certificate. In case the PhD has not yet been completed, a written statement from the supervisor is acceptable
- List of publications
- References (name and contact details of at least two references)
- Application deadline: 22 April 2019 at 23.59pm CET.
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.
The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether an unbiased assessor has passed their application for assessment. Once the assessment work has been completed, 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 www.employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process.
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
Københavns Universitet giver sine knap 10.000 medarbejdere muligheder for at udnytte deres talent fuldt ud i et ambitiøst, uformelt miljø. Vi sikrer traditionsrige og moderne rammer om uddannelser og fri forskning på højt internationalt niveau. Vi søger svar og løsninger på fælles problemer og gør ny viden tilgængelig og nyttig for andre.
Kontakt
Louise Emma Whiteley
E-mail: lowh@sund.ku.dk
Info
Ansøgningsfrist: 22-04-2019
Ansættelsesdato: 01-10-2019
Arbejdstid: Fuldtid
Afdeling/Sted: Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
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