Associate Professor of Forensic Toxicoloy and Head of Section

To commence as soon as possible at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

About the Department

The Section of Forensic Toxicology has approximately 35 employees and handles approximately 15,000 cases per year, including 13,000 DUI cases, as well as a significant number of post-mortem toxicology analyses, hair analyses, and analyses of seized effects. The Section is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, advanced robotics, and a comprehensive LIMS system. Certain tasks may involve exposure to psychologically demanding situations; preventive support and assistance are provided.

Responsibilities

• Exercise leadership for the Section, including personnel and administrative responsibilities.
• Participate in daily forensic toxicological casework at a supervising level, overseeing the preparation of forensic statements for the police and legal system.
• Serve as an expert witness in court.
• Lead quality assurance within the Section.
• Teach and supervise undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students in forensic toxicology.
• Conduct and lead research, including publication and scientific communication.
• Provide research leadership, guidance, and supervision to junior researchers.
• Engage in research-based public-sector consultancy in forensic toxicology, addressing aspects related to drug abuse.
• Collaborate on interdisciplinary research across the department’s three research sections and with national and international institutions, municipalities, and regional hospitals.

Requirements

• Documented expert-level qualifications in forensic toxicology.
• Considerable experience in performing and evaluating forensic toxicology analyses used as evidence in judicial contexts.
• Experience working with police and other public authorities.
• Fluency in Danish, both written and verbal, to clearly and concisely express findings.
• Research qualifications equivalent to those achieved through a period of employment as an assistant professor or postdoc, or obtained through other means.
• Teaching qualifications and pedagogical competencies for instructing medical and PhD students.
• Good interpersonal and communicative skills.

Qualifications

• Documented specialist-level expertise as a forensic toxicologist.
• A track record of casework within forensic toxicology.
• Supervisor experience in forensic toxicology casework.
• A record of original scientific research on an international level, including contributions to the development of the subject area.
• Ability to provide research-based teaching and manage research projects.
• Experience in communicating research results to the public.

Assessment Criteria

Applicants will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• Research impact and originality.
• Teaching experience and pedagogical competencies.
• Innovation and societal impact.
• Organisational contribution.
• Leadership abilities.

Schedule

Full-time position with an average of 37 working hours per week.

Pay

Salary and terms 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 2025.

For further information, contact Head of Department Niels Lynnerup at nly@sund.ku.dk. Foreign applicants may find the university’s International Staff Mobility resources useful.