The Villum Foundation has launched a record-breaking research grant of 1 billion DKK over the next ten years, with the goal to advance efforts towards a more sustainable built environment: Civil Engineering and the Green Transition in the Built Environment (CEBE). The announced position is part of the CEBE venture, and the successful candidate will participate in the joint effort to achieve this goal. Read more about CEBE (https://villumfonden.dk/en/nyhed/billion-kroner-research-grant-accelerate-green-transition-built-environment).

The transition from CO2 producing building materials to renewable, CO2 storing biobased materials is central to a sustainable built environment. Millions of tons of biobased materials prematurely become waste due to water damage and fungal growth – and the materials cannot be recycled, if they are contaminated with fungal biomass and mycotoxins. Therefore, control and prevention strategies for fungal contamination and growth is essential. The aim of this particular part of CEBE is to characterize indoor fungi physically, chemically and biologically to find ways to control and prevent their growth in biobased building materials. 

The position is full time for 2 years, starting 1. of May 2026 or soon hereafter. The candidate will be a part of the research group Fungi and Problematic Substances and work in close collaboration with the Building Physics Research Group. The workplace is at BUILD at Sydhavn in Copenhagen. 
  
Your work tasks    
To prevent fungal growth, it is necessary to know how biobased building materials react to water and under which moisture and temperature conditions fungal growth starts. Furthermore, it is equally necessary to know the mycobiome that colonize each material. There are knowledge gaps concerning the associations and interactions between the composition of organic components, the moisture binding ability and the embedded mycobiome of the materials. 
Your main responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Mapping fungal presence in biobased building materials using polyphasic detection and identification approaches. 
• Characterization of biobased building materials with respect to their moisture sorption isotherms. 
• Modelling the correlation between relative humidity (RH), water activity (aW) and moisture content (MC) in common biobased building materials

A large part of the project will be experimental laboratory work studying fungal behaviour and material properties in situ to predict the onset of fungal growth in respect to aW and temperature.

Your competences
The successful candidate must have strong theoretical knowledge as well as practical experience in both mycology and building physics. He/she must be able to work with ascomycetous fungi in culture and be well-versed in morphological identification to species level. Furthermore, the candidate must have a fundamental understanding of hygrothermal properties of building materials, especially biobased materials.
It would be an advantage if the candidate also has knowledge of one or more of the following areas: 

• Air and surface sampling of fungi in buildings and on materials
• Basic statistical analysis knowledge (R or similar) and multivariate statistical methods
• Cross-disciplinary research
• Fungal identification using non-cultural methods (DNA and enzyme)
• Planning and carrying out laboratory experiments    

The successful candidate must also be able to work safely and independently in the laboratory making media, inoculate and incubate fungal cultures, and operate equipment e.g. power tools and climate chambers. 

Qualification requirements
Appointment as postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD degree in a relevant field, such as mycology or building physics, with expertise in fungal growth in buildings.

Who we are   
The position is open at the Department of the Built Environment (BUILD), Division for Building Technology, Management and Indoor Environment, in the Research Group of Fungi and Problematic Substances (https://vbn.aau.dk/en/organisations/forskningsgruppen-for-skimmelsvampe-og-uønskede-stoffer/) at Aalborg University (AAU) in Copenhagen. 

Our focus areas encompass fungal growth in building materials in all phases of a building: From production and construction over impact of the indoor environment during use to deconstruction and recycling. Both new and old building materials can contain problematic substances, and all building materials can sustain fungal growth when they are exposed to moisture or water. Our main focus is on the fungal species associated to building materials, their moisture requirements and how to prevent fungal growth.

Qualification requirements 
Appointment as postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level. 

How to apply  
Your application must include the following: 

• Application, stating reasons for applying, qualifications in relation to the position, and intentions and visions for the position 
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) 
• Diplomas (master's degree diploma and PhD diploma) 
• List of publications, with an indication of the attached publications that you wish to be taken into account in the assessment. You may attach a maximum of five publications.
• Documentation of teaching qualifications if relevant.
• Dissemination qualifications, including participation on committees or boards, participation in organisations etc. 
• Additional qualifications in relation to the position 
• References/recommendations 

You can read more about the requirements for your application here.    

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.  

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position. 

Do you have any questions? 
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.     

Further information 
Read more about our recruitment process here   

The appointment process at Aalborg University involves a shortlisting process. You can read more about the shortlisting and appointment process here.  

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace. 

Salary and terms of employment  
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (in Danish). 

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (only in Danish) and protocol on certain terms of employment of academic staff at universities (only in Danish). 

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.