Section for Large Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, is looking for a highly motivated and dynamic Assistant Professor in large animal surgery (mainly equine) for a 4-year period to commence 1 February 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is full-time and includes out-of-hours duty.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences contributes – through education, research, and dissemination within the field of veterinary clinical sciences – to the training and education of veterinarians in Denmark and to evidence-based development of general and specialized veterinary clinical practice. The core of the department’s research and teaching activities are our two integrated animal hospitals (companion animals, large animals). The department has a staff of approximately 275 people, of which 40 are faculty members, with the remainder being animal caretakers, nurses, veterinarians without research obligations, and other auxiliary staff.

The department covers strong and internationally recognized research areas in veterinary clinical sciences. Based on these, we want to set a new standard for cross-disciplinary research, education and innovation within animal health and disease. Our research supports teaching in a manner and quality, securing continued national and international benchmarking.

It is our ambition to be among the best public workplaces in Denmark. The culture of the department is typical Scandinavian: a flat structure with a tradition for close collaboration on all levels, where employees can expect openness, mutual respect, and sharing of ideas, resources, and competencies.

Further information about university of Copenhagen and Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences can be found at https://www.sund.ku.dk/ and www.ikv.ku.dk/english.

Job description

The position is a 4-year position with the possibility of extension with focus on large animal and mainly equine surgery.

The assistant professor will divide time and tasks across clinical work incl. elective and emergency surgeries, orthopedics, overseeing treatment and care of hospitalized patients, communication with clients and referring vets, teaching of veterinary students (practical clinical as well as theoretical), research, and dissemination.

We are looking for someone who has documented experience from specialized equine or mixed large animal clinical practice, particularly experience from a referral hospital or similar is an advantage. The department has a limited production animal surgical caseload, which the successful candidate must be prepared to service also. The successful candidate will be working in a group of experienced surgeons and must be able to manage a wide variety of equine surgical and orthopedic patient types and be able to perform basic as well as more advanced elective and emergency surgical procedures with the support from the other surgeons in the group. More information about The Large Animal teaching Hospital can be found here: https://universitetshospitalet.ku.dk/english/.

Interested candidates may be able to enter into a research training programme, and/or a clinical training programme to become board certified (ECVS diplomate).

The position includes out-of-hours duty.

Qualifications

We look for an engaged, dedicated, and highly motivated, enthusiastic team player trained in equine or mixed large animal surgery and with a PhD degree or corresponding research experience.

Six overall criteria apply for assistant professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organizational contribution, external funding, and leadership) are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Find information about each criterion here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit/

More specifically, we seek a candidate with the following professional and personal qualifications:

• A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine professional degree (DVM).
• Danish veterinary authorization (or eligibility to obtain one).
• A PhD degree or similar research qualifications, e.g., publications and board-qualification or certification.
• Documented experience from specialized equine (large animal) clinical practice, particularly experience from a referral hospital or similar is an advantage. Board-qualification or certification (ECVS or ACVS) is an advantage.
• A satisfactory morale and ethical standing in the profession and the community.
• Fluency in Danish or another Scandinavian language as well as in English, spoken and written, is an advantage. If Danish is not your first language, you are expected to obtain sufficient Danish skills within two years.
• Documented teaching experience at university level is an advantage.

The successful candidate must be enterprising and possess good interpersonal skills. Ability to communicate in a clear, friendly, and respectful manner and collaborate at all levels (clients, referring vets, students, nurses and other auxiliary staff, junior and senior veterinary staff) is a very important quality that the applicant is expected to possess. We value colleagues that are highly motivated and enterprising – in their clinical as well as their research endeavors, can plan their work independently, and are able to juggle a variety of tasks concurrently.

Place of employment

The place of employment is in Section for Large Animal Medicine & Surgery at Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer support from state-of-the-art equipment in the surgical theatre and the clinic, e.g., arthroscopy, laparoscopy, osteosynthesis, tissue sealing and electrocoagulation, CT (standing and recumbent), scintigraphy, radiography and ultrasonography, overground and stationary endoscopy, treadmill, facilities for standing surgery in horses and cattle.

The hospital has a very diverse case load and a dedicated staff with recognized specialists in equine internal medicine (ECEIM), imaging (ECVDI), reproduction and obstetrics (ECAR), and residents within large animal surgery (ECVS), equine internal medicine (ECEIM), and equine diagnostic imaging (ECVDI). All surgeons at the hospital are board-qualified or certified (ECVS).

The hospital is located in Taastrup, a scenic rural area approximately 20 km. west of Copenhagen. It was built in 2008 and encompasses also an out-patient practice with two cars, laboratories, lecture rooms and an auditorium with video link to pathology for viewing necropsies.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences is renowned for its excellency in several fields of clinical veterinary research. The research in Section for Large Animal Medicine & Surgery covers many areas within soft tissue surgery, orthopedics, imaging, and novel surgical techniques, and researchers have access to laboratories, patient files, biobanks, digitally stored diagnostic images, and other infrastructure to support their research.

Terms of employment

Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant professional organisations.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Read more about the qualifications for associate professors in the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020 (https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2019/1443.)

Questions

For further information about the post, please contact Professor Stine Jacobsen, on TEL: +4523272152 or e-mail stj@sund.ku.dk

Foreign applicants may find the following links useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility) and www.workingconditions.ku.dk.

Application

The application must be submitted in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, or English by clicking on "Apply online" below and must include the following:

•                           Motivated letter of application (1 page)

•                           Curriculum vitae.

• Publication list

•                           Diplomas – PhD etc.

•                           Recommendations, if available, from previous workplaces

• Teaching portfolio (if available)

Only material in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish or English will be assessed.

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.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 5 November 2023, 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 application deadline, the authorised recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for review by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant can comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself. You can read about the recruitment process at https://jobportal.ku.dk/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, independent on their background.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.