Microbial Strain Engineer

Interest in microbial cell factory development?

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Microbial Strain Engineer to join our team and contribute to cutting-edge strain development initiatives. The successful candidate will play a key role in executing large-scale biofoundry projects, advancing internal technology development efforts, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams across the biofoundry. This role offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment focused on delivering innovative, high-impact solutions.

Enable strain development pipelines towards creating microbial cell factories

As a Microbial Strain Engineer at DNA Foundry, part of BRIGHT Biofoundry, you will be involved in several projects to enable creation of microbial cell factories. There are lot of opportunities to learn and develop new technologies through different projects and close collaboration with interdisciplinary teams in biofoundry.

Primary areas of responsibility:

• Develop, optimize and implement strain engineering workflows for different strain types.
• Contribute to standardization and development of modular high-throughput workflows 
• Create engineered plasmids and genome edited strains using automated workflows
• Implement advanced molecular biology techniques 
• Perform nanopore sequencing for support projects
• Maintenance of inventory and instruments including flow cytometers, FACS and nanopore sequencing.

Our expectations of you

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate with a strong background in microbial strain development, synthetic biology and high-throughput workflows. The ideal candidate should have a demonstrated experience in microbial strain engineering and screening.

Additional your CV comprises:

• Proven track record of working with strain engineering ideally with different strain types
• Expertise in wide range of techniques: CRISPR based genome editing, using integrative plasmids, DNA assembly methods, selection/counter-selection methods and promoter/RBS engineering.
• Experience with nanopore sequencing
• Experience in implementing high-throughput strain screening workflows
• Experience using automation instruments like liquid handlers and colony pickers
• Experience with benching registries, templates, ELNS and workflows.
• Experience with flow cytometry and FACS

What we offer in return

We offer an interesting and challenging job in an international atmosphere with the focus on research, teaching, innovation and scientific advice for the benefit of the surrounding community. We place emphasis on a high level of professionalism among our staff, so skills development is an integral part of our organization. We offer great flexibility in the position. In the area of technical and natural sciences, DTU is one of the leading research and education institutions in Europe.

Salary and appointment terms

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC), or the OAO-S Joint Agreement. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The position is a full-time position with 37 working hours a week in average. Starting date is 1 January 2026 or as soon as possible. The position is permanent.  

Further information 

If you would like additional information about the position, please contact Head of DNA Foundry, Viji Kandasamy on  

You can read more about DNA Foundry at  and about The BRIGHT Biofoundry at  

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure

Please submit your online application no later than 16 December 2025. Open the "Apply now" link, fill out the form and attach your motivated application, CV and exam certificates. 

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 DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Bioresearch Institute for the Green Transision (BRIGHT)
Recent progress in our ability to read and write genomic code, combined with advances in automation, analytics and data science, has fundamentally changed the scope and ambition of harnessing the potential of biological systems. Big data approaches and analysis of biological systems are key research instruments at the Center. DTU Biosustain utilizes these advances for microbial cell factory design to foster sustainable lifestyles in relation to three application areas: Sustainable Chemicals, Natural Products, and Microbial Foods.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.