Postdoc in Microbial Discovery

Do you want to demonstrate and develop your bioengineering skills and contribute to an exciting European project that aims at radically transforming animal feed from a resource intensive and pollutant-generating activity to a sustainable one? You will isolate and evaluate novel hydrogenotrophic bacteria and engineer the best candidates to maximize their production of peptides designed to perfectly fit the animal's metabolic need.

You will use reactors to enrich hydrogenotrophs from diverse environments, describe their biokinetic performance and their genomic content. Guided by this information, you will design and implement strategies to heterologously express the peptide of interest identified by the other project partners. This will involve leveraging genetic engineering to identify the set of promoters, gene delivery method, etc. to maximize peptide production and recovery.

Experience in the following areas will be an advantage:

• Prokaryotic molecular microbiology, including cloning, recombineering, or other genetic/genomic engineering techniques
• Bioinformatics for sequencing data analysis
• Cultivation and growth analysis of microbial cultures
• Biochemistry, particularly in the context of protein sciences and enzyme engineering

We are looking for a candidate with ambition and curiosity, who is well-organized, structured, and enjoys working collaboratively.

You will join the Integrative Microbial Ecology Research Group led by Senior Researcher Arnaud Dechesne and interact with the other groups from the Section for Microbial and Chemical Ecology. We offer stimulating working conditions in a dynamic, collaborative, and international research environment, with recently renovated laboratory facilities and state-of-the-art equipment in molecular microbiology.

The Integrative Microbial Ecology Research Group primarily investigates how different levels of organization (from genes to (eco)systems) affect microbial traits relevant to human and planetary health, with specific focus on antimicrobial resistance, nitrogen pollution, and micropollutants.

You will work closely with experts in biotechnology and sustainability at the other project partners' groups (especially at DTU Sustain, group on Bio-Based Environmental Technologies led by Borja Valverde Pérez; and at INRAE, Jouy-en-Josas, FR, Group of Jean-Loup Faulon).

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your primary responsibility will be to plan, conduct, report, interpret and disseminate research in bacterial bioengineering in the context of the recently funded European project SYNFEED. You will work with academic colleagues at DTU and abroad.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Explore the diversity of environmental hydrogenotrophic bacteria and link their growth performance to their genomic content
• Develop hydrogenotrophic bacteria as chassis for heterologous protein expression
• Contribute to common activities of the Research Group and the Department, for example via co-supervision of BSc and MSc student projects

You are an experienced researcher in microbiology, biotechnology, or genetic engineering with a solid track record of research outputs. You can communicate in English effectively both orally and in writing. The main criteria for selection will thus be (i) the adequation between your research experience and the expected tasks (ii) your ability to prepare research plans and report and discuss scientific results.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

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 terms of employment
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 two years.

Starting date is May 1st 2025 (or according to mutual agreement). The position is a full-time position.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 23 March 2025 (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:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications
• Two reference letters from previous academic supervisors

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. As the position involves research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, among other things, open-source background checks will be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.