Academic employee (AC-TAP) within Living Labs in Food Science
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Academic employee (AC-TAP) within Living Labs in Food Science
The Department of Food Science at Aarhus University invites applications for Academic employee within Living Labs in Food Science position at the AC-TAP level. We are seeking a dynamic and motivated individual with a strong interest in science-society interaction, stakeholder engagement, and communication of research related to sustainable food systems. The position is available from January 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The Position
As Academic employee (AC-TAP) within Living Labs in Food Science, you will be a central figure in the design, coordination, and execution of Living Lab, public engagement, and stakeholder management activities related to food innovation, sustainability, and system transformation. You will work closely with researchers, industry partners, public sector stakeholders, and citizens to co-create solutions to real-world food system challenges.
Your main responsibilities will include:
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:
The Department of Food Science is part of the Faculty of Technology, Aarhus University and includes research across the food value chain within the areas of Plant Production Systems, Biofunctional Food, Systems Biology, Food Chemistry and Technology, Food Quality, and Sensory and Consumer Science. The Department currently employs approx. 60 full time research staff and 80 PhD students and Postdocs, with an additional approx. 60 Master and Bachelor thesis-based students and visiting researchers, who together contribute to an international research environment where English is the preferred language in the laboratory, at meetings and at seminars.
We offer a challenging and independent job opportunity in an ambitious and inspiring research and education environment with an informal atmosphere. We are looking for a dynamic employee who is able to work independently and maintain an overview during periods of high workload. We expect that you are efficient at planning your time and organizing major tasks. You enjoy interaction with both scientific staff, students and technical-administrative staff and you have a flair for establishing collaborative relationships. The Department works in teams and therefore self-leadership, clear and open communication, success in mentoring, supervising and teaching are important qualities needed to be successful in the Department. In addition, the Department has a strong culture that is based on openness, equality, consultation and inclusion, and contributing to the Department strategy and working environment is viewed as important.
The Department is responsible for a Master’s programme in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology, taught at AU, Denmark, and a Master’s programme in Food and Health at the Sino-Danish Center in Beijing, China. In addition, Department staff contribute to several other key interdisciplinary educations, including Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in Agrobiology, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering in Food Technology, Aarhus University. Staff also teach on a number of other educations offered at other Universities in Denmark and China.
The Department also conducts research-based advice of the Danish Government in the areas of plant production and food quality.
Please refer to http://food.au.dk/ for further information about The Department of Food Science and to https://tech.au.dk/en/and http://www.au.dk/en/ for information on Faculty of Technical Sciences and Aarhus University, respectively.
Place of work and area of employment
The place of work is Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
For further information contact Head of Department Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, email: aln@food.au.dk
Living in Aarhus / Denmark
Please visit the International Centre website (http://www.au.dk/en/internationalcentre/) for information about arriving, working and living in Denmark.
The Position
As Academic employee (AC-TAP) within Living Labs in Food Science, you will be a central figure in the design, coordination, and execution of Living Lab, public engagement, and stakeholder management activities related to food innovation, sustainability, and system transformation. You will work closely with researchers, industry partners, public sector stakeholders, and citizens to co-create solutions to real-world food system challenges.
Your main responsibilities will include:
- Supporting the management and implementation of Living Lab and similarly minded projects by organizing workshops, dialogues, and co-creation activities.
- Helping coordinate and facilitate stakeholder engagement across research, industry, government, and civil society.
- Supporting communication and public engagement efforts, including preparation of communication materials (reports, social media, campaigns etc.) in collaboration with our science communicator and research team.
- Assisting researchers in translating scientific findings into formats suitable for different stakeholder groups.
- Managing relationships with external collaborators and ensuring active participation throughout the project lifecycle.
- Contributing to funding applications, project proposals, and reporting.
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:
- A relevant MSc degree in food science, sustainability, communication, innovation, or a related field.
- Proven experience with stakeholder and project management, preferably in interdisciplinary Living Lab, Public engagement, and/ or public-private partnership projects.
- Documented knowledge of Living Labs, participatory research, or user-centered innovation methods by participation in relevant training, courses, and/ or projects
- Strong science communication skills, both written and verbal, with experience in communicating complex topics to non-specialist audiences.
- Experience organizing and facilitating workshops, focus groups, or citizen engagement events.
- A proactive, structured, and collaborative work approach, with the ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes.
- Experience in data management, including handling of data involving personal or sensitive information, with an understanding of ethical standards, GDPR compliance (in a Danish context), and responsible data stewardship in research contexts.
- Excellent written and spoken English; Danish language skills are a plus but not required.
- A vibrant, interdisciplinary, and supportive work environment.
- Opportunities to work on innovative, high-impact projects at the interface between science and society.
- Professional development opportunities within project management, science communication, and stakeholder engagement.
The Department of Food Science is part of the Faculty of Technology, Aarhus University and includes research across the food value chain within the areas of Plant Production Systems, Biofunctional Food, Systems Biology, Food Chemistry and Technology, Food Quality, and Sensory and Consumer Science. The Department currently employs approx. 60 full time research staff and 80 PhD students and Postdocs, with an additional approx. 60 Master and Bachelor thesis-based students and visiting researchers, who together contribute to an international research environment where English is the preferred language in the laboratory, at meetings and at seminars.
We offer a challenging and independent job opportunity in an ambitious and inspiring research and education environment with an informal atmosphere. We are looking for a dynamic employee who is able to work independently and maintain an overview during periods of high workload. We expect that you are efficient at planning your time and organizing major tasks. You enjoy interaction with both scientific staff, students and technical-administrative staff and you have a flair for establishing collaborative relationships. The Department works in teams and therefore self-leadership, clear and open communication, success in mentoring, supervising and teaching are important qualities needed to be successful in the Department. In addition, the Department has a strong culture that is based on openness, equality, consultation and inclusion, and contributing to the Department strategy and working environment is viewed as important.
The Department is responsible for a Master’s programme in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology, taught at AU, Denmark, and a Master’s programme in Food and Health at the Sino-Danish Center in Beijing, China. In addition, Department staff contribute to several other key interdisciplinary educations, including Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in Agrobiology, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering in Food Technology, Aarhus University. Staff also teach on a number of other educations offered at other Universities in Denmark and China.
The Department also conducts research-based advice of the Danish Government in the areas of plant production and food quality.
Please refer to http://food.au.dk/ for further information about The Department of Food Science and to https://tech.au.dk/en/and http://www.au.dk/en/ for information on Faculty of Technical Sciences and Aarhus University, respectively.
Place of work and area of employment
The place of work is Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
For further information contact Head of Department Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, email: aln@food.au.dk
Living in Aarhus / Denmark
Please visit the International Centre website (http://www.au.dk/en/internationalcentre/) for information about arriving, working and living in Denmark.
Formalities and salary range
Salary and terms as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Unions.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.
Aarhus University
Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/