Academic employee for Interactive Outbreak Investigation Training Platform - DTU Food

Do you want to use creativity and gaming to fight antimicrobial resistance? Are you passionate about developing engaging, innovative training for healthcare professionals?

The Research Group for Global Capacity Building at the DTU National Food Institute, is seeking a motivated colleague to join our team in the development of an interactive, game-based learning platform for outbreak investigation. This position is part of the EU-funded Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections (JAMRAI-2), a major European collaboration.

The job
You will be responsible for designing, developing, and refining a dynamic, decision-based interactive game/simulation that trains healthcare professionals in managing outbreaks of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in hospital settings. The platform will be text-driven, role-based, and built around realistic outbreak scenarios, requiring players to make critical decisions as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Your work will directly contribute to strengthening Europe’s capacity to detect, investigate, and contain AMR outbreaks through innovative, accessible training.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop engaging, pedagogically sound narrative content and decision trees for outbreak simulation exercises.
• Design learning modules that reflect real-world challenges in infection prevention and control, epidemiology, microbiology, and bioinformatics.
• Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team of microbiologists, bioinformaticians, epidemiologists, and educational designers at DTU and Statens Serum Institut (SSI).
• Incorporate realistic WGS data analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and epidemiological trace-back into interactive scenarios.
• Create scoring systems, feedback mechanisms, and learning outcomes that align with training goals for healthcare professionals.
• Prepare supporting training materials, guidelines, and user instructions.

Our expectations of you
We are looking for a candidate who has

• A PhD or equivalent in microbiology, epidemiology, public health, bioinformatics, or a related field.
• Documented experience in outbreak investigation and/or designing simulated exercises – such as those conducted for the EURGen-RefLabCap project.
• A strong understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), whole genome sequencing (WGS), and infection control principles.
• Experience in developing training materials, workshops, or e-learning modules.
• Creativity and the ability to translate complex scientific concepts into engaging, interactive learning experiences.
• Excellent written and spoken English; proficiency in additional European languages is a plus.
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international, interdisciplinary team.

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 a 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). 

The position is a full-time position for 24 months. 

Starting date is 1 April 2026 (or according to mutual agreement). The workplace is DTU Lyngby Campus. (or one of the other locations)

Application and contact
Please submit your online application no later than 17 March 2026.  Open the “Apply now” link, fill out the form and attach your motivated application, CV and exam certificates. 

If you would like additional information about the position, please contact Professor, Rene Hendriksen on +45 22 45 07 63, E-mail: rshe@food.dtu.dk.

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.

DTU National Food Institute
DTU National Food Institute conducts research into and disseminates - through advice, innovation and teaching - sustainable and value-creating solutions in the area of food and health for the benefit of society. The vision is to make a difference by generating future prosperity through research into food and health. The institute works to prevent disease and promote health, develop new and better food products for a growing population and create sustainable technological solutions, including biosolutions. The institute’s tasks are carried out in interdisciplinary collaboration within e.g. nutrition, chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, epidemiology, modelling, and technology. This is achieved through a strong academic environment of international top class with correspondingly skilled researchers and employees. The Institute employs approximately 390 staff members.

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.