Research Assistant in anaerobic acetogenic organisms - BRIGHT

Are you interested in a Research Assistant position focusing on characterizing anaerobic microorganisms capable of metabolizing a range of substrates for production of biochemicals? 

You will play a key role in 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 identifying and isolating 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 tasks will be to:

• Characterize anaerobic organism for their ability to metabolize selected substrates. 
• Isolate and further characterize strains through physical characterization, genome analysis and metabolite analysis. 
• Setting up initial metabolic engineering approaches for the selected organisms.
• 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.

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

• Hands-on experience with microbial cultivation and isolation of especially anaerobic bacteria.
• Experience with cultivation of acetogenic bacteria.
• In-depth knowledge of molecular and synthetic biology.
• Excellent communication skills and an openness to interdisciplinary teamwork.

Solid English capabilities are required for writing documentation and for communication with

As a formal qualification, you must have a master’s degree in engineering 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 Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

The period of employment is 12 months.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information                                            

Further information may be obtained from Alex Toftgaard Nielsen, altof@dtu.dk

You can read more about Bacterial cell factories here and BRIGHT here

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 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 28 April 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:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc)

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 Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) at DTU.
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 Institute. BRIGHT utilizes these advances for mission driven microbial cell factory design to foster sustainable lifestyles in relation to three application areas: Sustainable materials, Microbial Foods, and Net-zero agriculture.

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829
DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.