PhD scholarship in Microbial Food Engineering - BRIGHT

Do you want to design the microbial foods of the future? You will use metabolic engineering, advanced analytics, machine learning, and fermentation technologies to create novel, well-tasting sustainable meat alternatives based on edible yeasts. The project is a part of the Microbial Foods mission at BRIGHT.

Responsibilities and qualifications

You will design and carry out experiments, analyze the data, publish the results, and present them at international conferences. You will participate in relevant courses equivalent to a total of 30 ECTS. You will have a 3-6 month research stay at a collaborating institute abroad. You will also contribute to teaching MSc/BSc courses and supervising students. You will work in close collaboration with other members of the Yeast Metabolic Engineering group and many colleagues at the BRIGHT Institute.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemical engineerin, molecular biology or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

• You are scientifically curious, creative, and result-oriented.
• In your experimental work, you are efficient and generate publication-quality data.
• You have hands-on experience with metabolic engineering of yeasts.
• You are a team player and thrive in a multicultural environment.
• You have an excellent command of English and strong scientific writing skills.

Approval and Enrolment

The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education .

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 appointment terms

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please see DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures

The period of employment is 3 years. Start date is 01-01-2027 or according to mutual aggreement.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Irina Borodina, [email protected]

You can read more about us at https://bright.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 . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “ PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure

Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 20 October 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:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale

You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

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.

About BRIGHT – The Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) is a major initiative based at DTU that aims to accelerate the development of biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy. BRIGHT serves as a hub for academic and industrial partners working together to unlock the potential of bioproduction.

BRIGHT focuses on three main areas: Sustainable materials (Developing bio-based alternatives to fossil-derived materials), Microbial foods (Innovating food production through microbial technologies), and Microorganisms for net-zero agriculture (Creating solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture).

The goal is to develop and scale innovative biosolutions within these areas, ultimately creating sustainable and competitive alternatives to fossil-based products and processes that can make significant contributions to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

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.