PhD scholarship in anaerobic acetogenic organisms - BRIGHT

Are you passionate about sustainability and reducing environmental impact through biomanufacturing? Then come join us in advancing technologies for developing robust microbial cell factories and scalable bioprocesses that convert CO₂-derived feedstocks into high-volume chemicals. This multi-year initiative consists of joint efforts between multiple groups covering the entire innovation pipeline, from metabolic tools and design, strain engineering, process design, fermentation, downstream processing, multi-omics, techno-economic validation, and business development. We aim to establish new industrial routes for essential chemicals in a low-carbon economy through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Are you establishing your career as scientist and are you looking for the best possible foundation for carrying out research on engineering anaerobic microorganisms capable of metabolizing a range of C1 derived substrates for production of biochemicals? You will play a key role in a project coordinated by Professor Alex Toftgaard Nielsen at BRiGHT (Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition) at the Technical University of Denmark.

Responsibilities and qualifications

You will be involved in engineering microorganisms for metabolising selected chemical substrates for production of biochemicals. The goal is to develop microbial production systems that radically change the production of chemicals in our society.

Your primary focus will be to:

• Be involved in isolating and characterizing anaerobic organisms for their ability to metabolize selected substrates.
• Setting up initial metabolic engineering approaches for the selected organisms.
• Engineering selected hosts for biochemicals production.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of researchers.
• Contribute to publishing research findings in high-impact scientific journals.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, as well as project deliverables ensuring high levels of accuracy and presentation.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

We are looking for a candidate with a background in microbial physiology, general microbiology, ideally combined with:

• Hands-on experience with cultivation of acetogenic bacteria.
• In-depth knowledge of molecular and synthetic biology.
• Experience with developing molecular tools for acetogenic bacteria.
• Excellent communication skills and an openness to interdisciplinary teamwork.
• Solid English capabilities are required, and you will be involved in teaching and supervision of BSc and MSc student projects.

Approval and Enrolment

The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education.

Assessment

The assessment of the applicants will be made by Professor Alex Toftgaard Nielsen.

We offer

DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

Application procedure

Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 17 July 2026 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale

You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.