We are looking for a highly motivated Academic Officer to join the Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). You will contribute to the implementation of an international research and capacity-building project,
One Collaborative Training Program for Outbreak Preparedness and Universal Surveillance (OCTOPUS), funded by the EU Joint Undertaking and the EDCTP Association.
Our work is embedded within an ambitious DTU versus East African infectious disease institutions collaboration that aims to strengthen public health modelling, bioinformatics, and surveillance capacity across Sub-Saharan Africa through integrated training, research, and data-driven approaches. We collaborate with leading institutions across Europe and East Africa to build sustainable capacity for outbreak preparedness and response.
We work at the interface of microbiology, bioinformatics, and epidemiology to enable the detection, prediction, and prevention of infectious diseases from gene level to global scale. Our research is internationally recognised in sequence-based surveillance, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and pathogen genomics, with a growing focus on scalable bioinformatic pipelines, laboratory methods, and data integration frameworks for global health applications.
You will play a key role in coordinating programme activities across international partners, helping ensure alignment between data systems, modelling efforts, and training components. Our programme offers a central role in a high-impact global health initiative, where you will work across Africa and Europe in a multi-partner environment. You will be part of a dynamic setting that bridges research, training, and real-world implementation, while developing your skills in programme coordination, global health, and data-driven approaches.
The jobAs an academic officer, you will take a central role in coordinating international training programmes, supporting fellows, and facilitating collaboration across partner institutions. You will bridge programme coordination, data-related activities, and capacity building, ensuring effective delivery, stakeholder engagement, and high-quality reporting.
Key responsibilities include:
- Coordinating training activities, workshops, and learning programmes
- Supporting onboarding, follow-up, and engagement of fellows and trainees
- Facilitating collaboration and communication across international partners
- Supporting organisation and use of centralised databases, reports, and analytical outputs
- Contributing to capacity building and translation of technical outputs into training materials
- Assisting in dissemination through reports and policy-relevant outputs
- Tracking deliverables, supporting reporting, and maintaining structured documentation
Our expectations of youYou hold an MSc or PhD in Social Sciences, Public Health, Epidemiology, Data-related fields, or a related discipline. You have experience coordinating research or training programmes across institutions or countries, ideally involving academia, research institutes, and public sector partners in low- and middle-income settings.
You are able to work independently while managing multiple stakeholders and complex activities. You bring strong organisational and interpersonal skills, including experience with elements of human resource management such as recruitment, training, and development. You also have an interest in user-centred approaches and can contribute to developing intuitive, user-friendly programme or digital solutions based on user needs and data insights.
In addition, you have an interest in data and analytics and are comfortable working with data to support programme and research activities. This includes the ability to handle, clean, and interpret data, and to contribute to generating insights that support decision-making and communication.
We envision that you:
- Have experience working in multi-country or international projects, preferably including East Africa
- Have supported academic training or capacity-building programmes
- Are familiar with public health or research environments
- Are comfortable working at the interface of research, administration, and implementation
- Contribute to team coordination, learning processes, and skills development
- Have basic proficiency in Python and/or R, with experience in data handling, manipulation and wrangling (e.g. Pandas, SQL), and the ability to support data analysis, interpretation, and visualisation (e.g. Matplotlib, Seaborn, Plotly, or Power BI) to generate actionable insights
- Can contribute to clear communication of data insights through reports, visuals, and presentations
- Have some experience with user experience processes, including testing and refining simple wireframes (e.g. using Figma), or are willing to learn
You are fluent in English. Knowledge of Swahili is an added advantage, as our work involves close collaboration with partners and trainees in East Africa, where it supports effective communication, coordination, and stakeholder engagement across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.
What we offer in returnDTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility. In this job you will work independently but also in close collaboration with dedicated researchers.
Salary and appointment termsThe appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.
This is a part-time position and time limited position.
Starting date is 1 August 2026 end date 31 December 2028.
The workplace is DTU Lyngby Campus.
Application and contactPlease submit your online application no later than
3 July 2026. Open the “Apply now” link, fill out the form and attach your motivated application, CV and exam certificates.
If you would like additional information about the position, please contact Professor Frank Møller Aarestrup on +45 35886281 or
fmaa@food.dtu.dkApplications received after the deadline will not be considered.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.
DTU National Food InstituteDTU National Food Institute conducts research into and disseminates - through advice, innovation and teaching - sustainable and value-creating solutions in the area of food and health for the benefit of society. The vision is to make a difference by generating future prosperity through research into food and health. The institute works to prevent disease and promote health, develop new and better food products for a growing population and create sustainable technological solutions, including biosolutions. The institute’s tasks are carried out in interdisciplinary collaboration within e.g. nutrition, chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, epidemiology, modelling, and technology. This is achieved through a strong academic environment of international top class with correspondingly skilled researchers and employees. The Institute employs approximately 380 staff members.DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.
