Postdoc in development of new oxidoreductases for industrial manufacturing processes - DTU Bioengineering

As part of a joint research collaboration between IFF and DTU, we are looking for a postdoc to join our international multidisciplinary team for development of new enzymatic process for industrial implementation. Focus is on discovery, expression, engineering, and optimization of oxidoreductases.
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 Focus: 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.

As part of this collaboration, DTU Bioengineering is looking for a postdoctoral researcher that will be designing and producing new enzymes for developing more sustainable bioprocesses for the biosynthesis of natural compounds/fragrances. 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 overall project is interdisciplinary, and it involves bioinformatics, enzyme engineering, directed evolution, biocatalysis, analytical chemistry and machine learning.

Responsibilities

The focus of the postdoc work mainly relates to development of novel target reactions, including accomplishing the cloning and efficient recombinant production of new microbial enzymes (including membrane-associated enzymes) and support the functional and kinetic characterization of the target enzymes.

The postdoc will be heavily involved in the enzyme selection and will be responsible for planning, organizing, and accomplishing the synthetic gene design, expression, and practical production of the relevant enzymes. Further, the postdoc will collaborate with PhD fellows on the experimental biochemical characterization of enzymes to provide data for structure-function elucidation and enzyme robustness engineering.

Qualifications

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

In addition, required qualifications are:

• Documented theoretical and practical experience with enzymes, preferably both bacterial and fungal oxidoreductases and/or membrane bound enzymes, molecular biology, and notably recombinant microbial protein production and enzyme assays. The documentation should be authorship of minimum two recent research articles within this field.
• Strong technical, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills, as well as exceptional reliability.
• Interest in industrial applications and teamwork mentality.
• Fluent English in speaking and writing.

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 (36 months). The starting date is 1 April 2025 (or according to mutual agreement).

You can read more about

career paths at DTU here.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Birgitte Zeuner (

[email protected]) or Professor Anne S. Meyer (

[email protected]).

You can read more about DTU Bioengineering at

www.bioengineering.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 5 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.

The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) is an international leader in the areas of biotechnology and biomedicine. Our engineering approach to all aspects of biotechnology and biomedicine positions us as a valuable player with unique competences in a growing bio-based economy and with health systems transforming towards personalized medicine. We have a clear focus on the needs in the life science industry and point towards innovation, new businesses, and scientific services for the benefit of society. The department has extensive collaborations with national and international research units and industry. DTU Bioengineering has approx. 300 employees, of which 2/3 are scientific staff. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.

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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