PhD Researcher in Microbial Engineering

Job summary

This position involves conducting research on engineering anaerobic microorganisms to metabolize C1 derived substrates for the production of biochemicals. The role is part of a multi-year initiative aimed at developing microbial cell factories and scalable bioprocesses that convert CO₂-derived feedstocks into essential chemicals, contributing to a low-carbon economy.

Qualifications

• A two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or equivalent academic level.
• Background in microbial physiology and general microbiology.
• Hands-on experience with cultivation of acetogenic bacteria.
• In-depth knowledge of molecular and synthetic biology.
• Experience in developing molecular tools for acetogenic bacteria.
• Excellent communication skills and openness to interdisciplinary teamwork.
• Proficiency in English, with involvement in teaching and supervising BSc and MSc student projects.

Responsibilities

• Isolate and characterize anaerobic organisms for their ability to metabolize selected substrates.
• Set up initial metabolic engineering approaches for selected organisms.
• Engineer 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, and project deliverables with high accuracy.

Education

• A master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field is required.

Tools

• Experience with molecular and synthetic biology tools for microbial engineering.