Institute Director for DTU Bioengineering

Do you want to lead one of Europe's strongest research environments in biotechnology and biomedicine?

DTU Bioengineering is an internationally recognised institute with strong research environments, substantial external funding and close collaborations with universities, hospitals, authorities and the life science industry. We are seeking a visionary and unifying institute director who can further develop the institute's international standing and create a shared research, education, innovation and societal value direction.

Research and innovation for the health of the future and the bioeconomy

DTU Bioengineering is DTU's institute for biotechnology and biomedicine. The institute develops new knowledge and technological solutions that contribute to the development of future healthcare, personalised medicine, sustainable production and the bio-based economy. The research ranges from microbiology, molecular biology and synthetic biology to bioprocesses, drug development and advanced bioanalytical technologies. The institute comprises five research sections and four centres and is home to a number of advanced research facilities that support research at international top level.

DTU Bioengineering also plays a central role in DTU's education and contributes to educating the engineers and researchers of the future at bachelor, diploma, master's and PhD levels. The institute is characterised by a close interplay between research, education and innovation and collaborates broadly with both national and international partners.

A strategic leadership role with impact

As institute director you will be the cohesive leadership linchpin for DTU Bioengineering. The institute rests on a strong foundation of research excellence, innovation, international collaborations and close interaction with the life science industry. A central task will be to further develop and consolidate these strengths with a focus on quality, coherence and sustainable development across the institute's academic environments.

As an empathetic top leader with an eye for diversity and inclusion, you should be able to unite employees and leaders around DTU's new common strategic direction. Together you will continue to support the institute's development and strengthen DTU Bioengineering's position as an international front-runner in biotechnology and biomedicine.

In addition to setting an ambitious strategic direction for the institute's research, education and innovation and further developing the institute's international position and academic strengths, you will have particular responsibility for:

• Create strong collaborations across DTU as well as with national and international universities, hospitals, companies and authorities
• Ensure attractive frameworks for bringing external research funding home
• Recruit and develop research and leadership talents at all levels
• Strengthen the quality and strategic importance of teaching
• Ensure close interaction between research, teaching and administration so the institute's core tasks are supported effectively and professionally
• Support a diverse, inclusive and international working environment characterized by high professionalism, well-being and collaboration
• Actively participate in DTU's director's circle and contribute to the university's overall strategic development

A key part of the task will be to create the best conditions for cross-cutting collaboration and knowledge sharing across the institute's research areas while supporting the culture of engagement, collaboration, integrity, openness and transparency as well as mutual respect and recognition that the institute is built on.

Your profile – visionary research leader with strong leadership

We seek a leader who understands the university's overall mission and sees excellent research, innovation and education as mutually reinforcing activities.

You are an internationally recognised researcher in one or more of the institute's fields with solid experience from a research or university environment, where you have experience building and developing a research group or environment. You have demonstrated experience with strategic leadership, attracting external research funding and the ability to create followership among highly specialised research environments.

You are a visible and trusted leader who creates engagement around common goals and can translate visions into concrete priorities and results.

We place particular emphasis on the fact that you have

• Solid leadership experience from an academic environment and understanding of the particular conditions that characterise leadership in a university context
• Extensive knowledge of the national and international research landscape
• Experience with strategic development and prioritisation in complex organisations
• A strong national and international network
• Ability to create followership, coherence and common ambitions
• Experience with or close collaboration with the life science industry would be an advantage
• Strong communicative skills and the ability to communicate clearly in English as well as Danish or another Scandinavian language

As a person you balance strategic vision with presence and engagement. You lead through trust, involvement and clear direction and have a eye for both people, culture and results.

What DTU offers you

As institute director for DTU Bioengineering you will take on a central and strategic leadership role at one of Europe's leading technical universities. You become part of a strong professional and managerial community and join DTU's director's circle, where you actively contribute to the university's overall strategic development.

DTU works deliberately to develop and strengthen leadership at all levels. Our leadership basis rests on four cornerstones: professional leadership, resource management, results-driven personnel leadership and strategic leadership. As institute director you are expected to bring your personal leadership into play and create results through collaboration, involvement and clear direction. You can read more about DTU's leadership role and leadership basis on our website.

Salary and terms of employment

The appointment is on a limited term and on terms corresponding to the Circular on institute directors and deans at universities as well as the AC collective agreement.

The position is a full-time role with primary workplace at DTU Lyngby Campus.

Application and contact

We must receive your online application no later than October 30, 2026. Open the link "Apply now", where you fill in the application form and attach a motivated application, CV and certificates.

If you want more information about the position, you are welcome to contact Rector Anders O. Bjarklev at 4525 1000.

Applications received after the application deadline will not be considered.

All qualified regardless of age, sex, disability, race, religion or ethnic origin are encouraged to apply. As DTU conducts research in critical technology, with special rules for security and export control, an open source background check may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) is internationally leading in biotechnology and biomedicine. Our engineering approach to all aspects of biotechnology and biomedicine makes us a valuable actor with unique competencies in a growing bio-based economy and in a health system moving towards personalised medicine.

We have a clear focus on the needs of the life science and biotechnology industry and contribute to innovation, new companies and scientific services for the benefit of society. The institute has extensive collaborations with national and international research institutions as well as industry. DTU Bioengineering has about 400 employees, of whom two thirds are scientific staff.

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829

DTU is one of Europe's leading technical elite universities. With research and education of international top class we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and contribute to securing Europe’s global lead in sustainable technology development. Since H.C. Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has been the same: We develop and apply natural science and technical science for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students and 6,500 employees.

We operate in an international environment and have an inclusive, developing and informal work culture. DTU has campuses all over Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities in the world.

Location

Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Apply Before

2026-10-30T22:59:00+00:00