PhD fellowship in the Hoffmann Group at the Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS)

A PhD position is available in the Center for Chromosome Stability (www.ccs.ku.dk), University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Human Genetics Unit at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The position is available from 1 August 2022 (or at a mutually agreed date). Highly motivated and committed candidates with experience and interest molecular aging and chromosome instability in human eggs are invited to apply.

The position is fully funded, although the post-holder will be encouraged to seek a personal fellowship to support their PhD stipend. The first 12 months will be spent in Prof. Ian Adams lab at the Human Genetics Unit and the subsequent 24 months at the University of Copenhagen in the lab of Prof. Eva Hoffmann.

Your registration as a PhD fellow will be at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Our groups and research
The CCS is a Center of Excellence funded by the Danish National Research Foundation and has as its mission on understanding of how chromosomal instability causes human disease. The CCS is embedded at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (https://icmm.ku.dk/english/).
The Human Genetics Unit (HGU) is a centre of excellence funded by the UK Medical Research Council to investigate molecular mechanisms of human genome function, and the functional significance of genome variation for health and disease. The HGU is part of the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh, UK (https://www.ed.ac.uk/mrc-human-genetics-unit).

Project description
The project aims at understanding the molecular mechanisms that result in the high incidence of chromosomal errors (aneuploidy) in human eggs. This project will involve cytological and genomic analyses of human eggs as well as relevant model systems such as mouse and in vitro generated oocytes. Metabolic influences on the process will also be elucidated, including wet lab experimentation and data analysis of aneuploidy incidence associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

The research will benefit from access to unique clinical material and methodologies at both sites. The project will be overseen by Profs Ian Adams (Edinburgh) and Eva R Hoffmann (Copenhagen). The successful candidate will be expected to participate in a broad range of scientific activities related to their research as well as PhD courses and educational activities.

Representative publications and background to this research area:
Wartosch et al., 2021 Prenatal Diagnosis 41:620-630. doi: 10.1002/pd.5927,
Gruhn et al., 2019, Science, doi: 10.1126/science.aav7321,
Reichmann et al., 2020, J Cell Biol, doi: 10.1083/jcb.201702123.

Start: 1 August 2022 or after mutually agreed date.
Duration: 3 years as a PhD fellow.

Job description
The key tasks of a PhD student in the CCS are as follows:
Carry out and complete an independent research project under the supervision of one or more of the CCS group leaders.
Complete PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points.
Write reports, scientific articles, and a PhD thesis based on his/her research project.
Obtain experience with teaching within the department undergraduate curriculum and/or other types of dissemination activities related to his/her PhD project.
Participate in national and international congresses and scientific meetings.
Write a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project.

Profile
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic person with the following competences and experience:

must show evidence of publication-standard research, preferable within the areas of listed above.
strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to work well in an international academic setting.
high degree of organization and ethical standards.
ability to work in a team of multidisciplinary scientists and clinicians, and the potential to work independently with limited direction.
excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Key criteria for the assessment of candidates
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedicine or similar (equivalent of the Danish candidate, 3 + 2 years) related to the subject area of the project.

Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.

As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database. Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

Other important criteria are:

Grade point average achieved
Professional qualifications or experience relevant to the PhD project
Previous publications
Relevant work experience, such as imaging, cell culture,
Other professional activities such as establishing standardized operating procedures
Curious mind-set with a strong interest in chromosome biology and germ cells.
Personal drive and commitment to science
Excellent English language skills.

Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), University of Copenhagen. Our lab at the ICMM offers a creative and ambitious scientific environment, with nine different nationalities presently represented and English as the working language. We strive to produce research results with high international impact, focusing on the functional cell, its genetic components, and molecular cellular mechanisms in a medical context.

The ICMM currently comprises five research programs, three high profile Research Centers as well as a number of internationally renowned research groups. The scientists at ICMM are involved in high quality research based undergraduate and graduate teaching programs at the University of Copenhagen.

More details can be found at: https://icmm.ku.dk/english/.

Terms of employment and employment
The employment as PhD fellow is a full-time position (37 working hours per week in average) and the position is for 3 years. The successful candidate could be employed as a Research assistant while awaiting to register for the PhD enrolment.

The position is conditional upon the candidate’s successful enrolment in the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the candidate in consultation with his/her supervisors.

The PhD study must be completed in accordance with The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme (2013) and the University’s rules on achieving the degree. Salary, pension, and terms of employment are in accordance with the agree­ment between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary begins around DKK 28,365 / approx. EUR 3,812 (April 2022-level) plus pension.

Questions
General information about PhD programs at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School’s website: https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/guidelines/.
Specific questions related to CCS and the procedures for registering as a PhD fellow should be addressed to Elin Ølgaard by e-mail: ee@sund.ku.dk.
Questions concerning project details can be addressed to Professor Eva Hoffmann by e-mail: eva@sund.ku.dk.

Application procedure
Your application must be submitted electronically by clicking “Apply now”. The application must include the following documents in PDF format:

Motivated letter of application (max. one page).
CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
A certified/signed copy of Master of Science certificate. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or upervisor will do.
For applicants from non-English speaking countries, a test result of internationally recognized English test, e.g., IELTS, or TOEFL.
Publication list (if possible).

Application deadline: Sunday 24 April, 2022, 23.59 p.m. 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 the deadline for applications, the authorized 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 assessment by an unbiased assessor.

The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.

Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences comprises approximately 8,000 students, 1,790 PhD students and 5,100 employees. The Faculty advances the field of health sciences through its core activities: research, teaching, knowledge sharing and communication. With basic research fields ranging from molecular studies to studies of society, the Faculty contributes to a healthy future through its graduates, research findings and inventions benefitting patients and the community.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.