Would you like to be the coordinating force that drives cohesion, structure, and ensures quality service provision operations across the Animal Core Facility (ACF) at the University of Copenhagen?

ACF is seeking a Head of Operations (Driftschef) who will be responsible for strengthening operational coherence and ensuring that cross-functional tasks are coordinated, anchored, and followed through towards the implementation of user-centric service provision processes. This is a new strategically important position with high organizational influence. The position does not include official personnel responsibilities, but is focused on the daily management of project-specific teams across the existing work areas: veterinary services, transgenic animal models and animal housing and care.

About ACF - At ACF, we thrive to provide the scientific community with the best possible foundation for leading biomedical research. This is achieved through the care of laboratory animals and the provision of specialized facilities and services, including transgenic animal models, animal housing and care, veterinary assistance, training, and education.

ACF is a department characterized by high professional expertise and specialized functions, where robustness and quality depend on strong collaboration across three main service platforms: veterinary services, transgenic animal models, and housing and care. ACF is a distributed infrastructure that operates facilities at UCPH North Campus and UCPH Frederiksberg Campus, where we house and care for research animals and provide scientific advice and assistance to researchers.

ACF is part of the Center for Core Facilities at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, which brings together the faculty’s strategic research infrastructures. The purpose is to strengthen access to advanced technologies, ensure interdisciplinary collaboration, and support research at the highest international level.

About the Position - The new ACF Head of Operations will be responsible for creating and implementing cohesive service provision processes across platforms and teams by:

• monitoring and improving processes across ACF’s service platforms (incl. veterinary services, transgenic animal models, and housing and care),
• ensuring good user experience and continuous development of services and processes to maintain excellence and user satisfaction,
• ensuring that ACF’s physical facilities function optimally to support the core mission and comply with relevant legislation,
• developing, updating, and implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and digitalization of processes in collaboration with the managers of the ACF’s service platforms,
• implementing processes for evaluating the quality of ACF’s services and user satisfaction to continuously improve the service portfolio, and
• contributing to the development and implementation of ACF’s strategic development plans as an active and constructive member of the management team.

The role has no personnel responsibility, but you will be part of ACF’s leadership team and have significant organizational influence. You will focus on coordinating the efficient implementation of strategic service operations in close collaboration with the ACF Director and the rest of the leadership team.

We are looking for a colleague who can work both strategically and operationally to ensure an efficient organization of daily operations across ACF’s service platforms to best support the needs of scientists performing research involving laboratory animals.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant fields.
• Documented experience in operations management/project management in research or laboratory environments (including process development, quality control, and/or research management).
• Experience and interest in good team management.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to communicate in Danish and English is an advantage.
• Knowledge of laboratory animal science, regulations for animal experimentation, and management of research facilities is an advantage.

Personal Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong practical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to collaborate across diverse teams.
• Strong coordination and organization overview skills.
• Clear communicator that is able to build bridges across teams and disciplines.

We Offer

• A newly established and important role with significant opportunity to shape the development of ACF.
• A strong and experienced management team seeking a new colleague that will empower them to create synergies across their teams/service platforms.
• A workday with variation, professional depth, and meaningful tasks.
• A workplace with high professionalism, dedication, and collaboration.

Salary and Employment Terms - Employment is in accordance with the applicable agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, or other relevant organizations. An individual salary supplement may be negotiated. Start date: 1 April or as soon as possible thereafter.

Further information about the position may be obtained by contacting Peter Bollen (peter.bollen@sund.ku.dk) or Clara Prats (cprats@sund.ku.dk).

Application Deadline - Submit your application with CV, references, and relevant diplomas via the link below. The application must be received no later than 11 March 2026.
We wish to reflect on the surrounding society and encourage all qualified applicants, regardless of personal background, to apply.