The Opportunity:
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Computational Analyst / Bioinformatician / Staff Scientist (AC-TAP) to be a cornerstone and formative member of a new groundbreaking initiative at the University of Southern Denmark focussing on RNA therapeutics in cardiometabolic diseases (CMD).
This is a unique opportunity to lead a critical project at the intersection of (micro)RNA biology, 3D human model systems, nanomedicine, and computational (ML) disease modelling. You will be able to contribute to our vision to translate basic findings into medicinal RNA approaches to improve the lives of people suffering from cardiometabolic disease by discovering RNA-based targets from in-house and public genetic / transcriptomic datasets.
This two-year position (with the wish and possibility of extension for additional three years) is ideal for a scientist with computational expertise applied to genomics and metabolism that also has a passion of alleviating disease burden and who thrives by enabling biomedical researchers, developing pipelines for identification of (micro)RNA-based targets for therapeutic intervention, and mentoring students.
Our Vision:
To pioneer RNA-based platforms to achieve gain-of-function in extrahepatic organs like adipose tissue and vascular cell types with the aim of alleviating cardiometabolic disease burden in human patients.
Key Responsibilities:
Benchmarking existing and developing novel computational approaches for inference of microRNA activities from single-cell/nucleus and spatial omics (NGS, MassSpec).
Interrogation of GWAS data for identifying protective human gain-of-function gene variants.
Supporting the group with (sc/sp) RNA-seq analysis and multi omics integration.
Assist with implementation of paralleled microRNA/mRNA single-cell seq like PSCSR-seq.
Training PhD students and post-docs to analyze large-scale datasets and interpreting results.
Provide input to projects in our group and help with illustrating complex biological datasets.
Your Profile:
Documented expertise in computational biology, NGS data analysis, processing of experimental datasets of murine and human origin, network analysis and investigation of multi-omics datasets.
Proficiency in at least two of the following programming languages: Python, R.
Experience in Machine Learning and Computational RNA Biology are desirable.
Hands-on experience or understanding (the limitations) of wet lab (NGS) workflows is a plus.
Passion for complex data visualization and representing data into interpretable figures.
Several years of productive postdoctoral or PhD experience from industry, academic or core facility as evidenced by high-impact 1st author publications, patents or conference proceedings.
Satisfaction in training academic researchers and helping them succeed in their projects.
A strong collaborator with excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
Excellent communicator (written and verbal) with a passion for translating basic findings into RNA-based approaches to alleviate cardiometabolic disease burden.
Meticulous and organized, with a proven ability to manage complex projects and high-quality software curation (e.g., GitHub) according to FAIR guiding principles.
We provide:
A stable, supportive, ambitious but highly collaborative research environment.
Rich inter-sectorial collaborations with industrial and academic partners.
Access to HPC (https://escience.sdu.dk/index.php/ucloud) and extensive bulk / sc / sp omic datasets.
A unique position working at the intersection of microRNA and mRNA target discovery and innovation.
Dedicated mentorship and career development.
A competitive salary and benefits package in accordance with Danish regulations.
The Kornfeld group:
You'll be joining a prolific, internationally recognized research group at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) at SDU (www.kornfeldlab.com). Our group focusses on fundamental principles in gene regulation, epigenetics, noncoding RNAs, and adipose biology, with the ambition of developing the next generation of RNA-based medicines (Kornfeld Nature 2013, Oliverio Nature Cell Biology 2016, Awazawa Nature Medicine 2017, Schmidt Nature Communications 2018, Pradas-Juni Nature Communications 2020, Park Nature Metabolism 2021, Engelhard iScience 2023, Khani-Topel Nature Metabolism 2024, Kaul Nature Metabolism 2025). The Kornfeld group is founding member of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Adipocyte Signalling ADIPOSIGN (https://www.sdu.dk/en/adiposign), an international research consortium at FGM with focus on multi-omic mapping of adipocyte dysfunction and thrives by collaborating with international leaders on the field.
The Functional Genomics & Metabolism Research Unit:
The Kornfeld group and the ADIPOSIGN Centers are located in the Functional Genomics & Metabolism (FGM) Research Unit at BMB. FGM hosts eight independent research groups focusing on various aspects of functional genomics as it pertains to the regulation of cellular differentiation and metabolism. The Research Unit constitutes an international, ambitious, highly dynamic, and well-equipped working environment. The unit and the department have state-of-the-art facilities for next generation sequencing, single-cell transcriptomics, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry, metabolomics, bioimaging, and transgenic mouse work. Strategic alliances exist with the Odense University Hospital, the Faculty of Health and several international collaborations with leader in the field. This means that you will be in a highly stimulating research environment with numerous opportunities for learning and developing new ideas.
SDU/Odense as your new home:
Odense is a premier destination for ambitious scientists because it serves as a globally renowned hub for robotics and tech innovation in the life sciences, offering cutting-edge career opportunities in a thriving ecosystem. Simultaneously, it provides an exceptional environment for families with its top-tier international schools, safe green spaces, and a Danish work culture that prioritizes a healthy work-life balance.https://investinodense.com/career-in-odense/
This video can give you a first impression of the life of an international and researcher at SDU:
https://sdu1.23video.com/v.ihtml/player.html?token=8798e78f86240ba598c6f2f11d974734&source=embed&photo_id=111444369&autoPlay=1&endOn=
Contact Information:
For further information, please contact Professor Jan-Wilhelm Kornfeld, janwilhelmkornfeld@bmb.sdu.dk, tel. +45 9350 7481.
Application Deadline: 31 January 2026
Start Date: Employment to commence at the earliest convenience.
Employment shall take place in accordance with the framework agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).
Your application must include the following:
A targeted letter of motivation (max 2 pages). This must state your unique suitability and motivation for this specific role. Generic applications will not be considered!
At minimum one PhD and one postdoc publication that should constitute the basis for assessment.
A curriculum vitae including information on two references from your PhD/postdoc.
A full list of publications.
All documents in connection with the application should not contain CPR number (civil registration number) – in that case, the CPR number must be crossed out.
All attached files must be in Adobe PDF format. Cover letter and CV can contain max. 5 Mb.
We recommend that you read how to apply before you apply.
The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
About SDU
The University of Southern Denmark was established to create value for and with society. Whether our contributions come in the form of excellent research, innovative solutions, education or learning, we must make a positive difference to society and contribute to a sustainable future. We do this by cultivating talents and creating the best environments for research and learning. It is therefore crucial that SDU retains, develops and recruits talent. At the same time, we need to ensure consistently high quality in all our activities – and we can only do that with the right people. The University’s researchers, lecturers, students, managers and technical/administrative staff are the foundation of our success.
