Postdoc in enzyme design for industrial collaboration - DTU Biosustain

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to engineer enzymes using state-of-the-art experimental and computational approaches for an industrial partnership with IFF.
IFF-DTU Collaboration: Pioneering the Future of Biotechnology
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), a global leader in taste, scent, nutrition & bioscience and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have initiated a strategic partnership and created a joint research program with PhD students and postdocs together with researchers at DTU Bioengineering, DTU Biosustain and IFF Scent.

Research Outline: Advanced Industrial Enzyme Technology for more sustainable fragrances
The research focus of the collaboration is advanced industrial enzyme technology. Our goal is to deliver lower impact processes and innovative products built on circular attributes, reducing our dependence on volatile supply chains. The research program will create new fundamental knowledge on the production, action, kinetics, and robustness of specific enzymes, providing new sustainable bio-based processes for an expanded, sustainable scent & taste product portfolio based on new scientific insights.

Join an international multi-disciplinary program
Building on the mutual synergies between DTU and IFF, you will work in an international multi-disciplinary program involving scientific areas of enzyme technology, chemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, analytical chemistry and chemical engineering. The program supports not only strong research, but also education at DTU of future global industrial biotech leaders, offering courses in sustainability management, entrepreneurship, technology change, and economics.

Research Focus of the Postdoc
As part of this collaboration, DTU Biosustain is looking for a postdoctoral researcher that will be designing new enzymes for developing more sustainable bioprocesses for the biosynthesis of natural compounds. We are looking for someone who is independent in planning and designing experiments, who thrives within an interdisciplinary environment at a world-class university, and who is highly motivated for the development of bioprocesses using enzyme-based technologies together with an industrial partner. The project is interdisciplinary, and it involves bioinformatics, enzyme engineering, directed evolution, biocatalysis, analytical chemistry and machine learning.

Responsibilities

• Perform enzyme engineering and directed evolution in model bacteria and yeast.
• Develop high-throughput assays and analytical methods for enzyme screening.
• Optimize biocatalytic transformations using single and multiple enzymes.
• Purify and characterize enzyme variants using biophysical and biochemical approaches.
• Report research results in peer-review scientific publications and international conferences.
• Supervise PhD students and collaborate with other researchers across related projects.

Qualifications

• PhD in biotechnology, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, biophysics, or related area.
• Experience with molecular biology, enzyme engineering and assay development.
• Experience with patent and paper writing as well as teaching.
• Excellent English proficiency in written and oral form.
• Excellent communication skills for working within an international research team.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to work independently and with an interdisciplinary team.

Preferred qualifications but not mandatory

• A strong publication record in peer-review scientific journals and patents.
• Bioinformatics for the evolutionary analysis of enzyme families.
• Basic coding skills in Python or other programing language.
• Experience with visualization and molecular modelling of protein structure and ligands: Rosetta, Schrödinger, AlphaFold2, PyMOL, Chimera, etc.
• Interest in applying machine learning methods to improve enzyme function.
• Interest in collaborating with industrial partner to make a positive impact on planetary health.

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 3 years. The preferred starting date is 1 April 2025, or according to our mutual agreement. The position is full time.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Carlos Acevedo-Rocha at [email protected] - Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=yZDS88IAAAAJ&hl=en

You can read more about DTU Biosustain at https://www.biosustain.dtu.dk/

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 15 January 2025 (23:59 Danish time).

The hiring committee consists of representatives from IFF and DTU and the first round of interviews will be held from 27-29 January 2025.

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

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 Biosustain is an interdisciplinary research centre that develops new knowledge and technology to support the production of biochemicals, natural products and microbial foods using fermentation processes based on microbial hosts or enzymatic processes.

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.

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