Research Assistant

Are you excited by the idea of turning side streams into delicious new foods? Do you enjoy working hands-on with fermentation, food making, and experimental development, and do you thrive when ideas quickly become action? 

Then this position offers the opportunity to build practical and scientific experience at the intersection of culinary innovation, microbiology, bioprocessing, and sustainable food development in the Fermentation Cultures group at BRIGHT. 

You will join an ambitious and collaborative research environment where traditional and scientific knowledge meet to create sustainable foods for the green transition. In this role, you will help develop new ingredients from soy-based waste streams and take part in the journey from process development and optimization to product prototyping, analysis, stability assessment, and early considerations for industrial application and scale-up

Responsibilities and Qualifications
Your overall focus will be to support the development and optimization of a fermentation-based process for valorising soy-based waste streams into delicious, functional ingredients. You will work closely with researchers in the Fermentation Cultures group and relevant collaborators, contributing to both practical product development and systematic experimental work. The position is especially well suited to a candidate who is curious, hands-on, independent, and motivated by building, testing, tasting, and improving real food prototypes in a fast-moving research environment.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Support the development and optimization of processes for valorization of soy-based side streams into food ingredients. 
• Carry out hands-on fermentation, enzymatic treatments, and microbiological experiments.
• Contribute to prototype development with a strong focus on flavour, texture, and overall eating quality.
• Perform product analyses, including flavour profiling and physicochemical characterization.
• Assess microbial quality, product stability, and shelf life.
• Explore potential industrial applications and contribute to scaling considerations.
• Document experiments, organize data, and contribute to a collaborative and structured research environment.

We are looking for a motivated and action-oriented candidate who enjoys working at the interface of food science, fermentation, and culinary practice. The ideal candidate brings a strong hands-on mindset and is excited by applied research where creativity, initiative, and execution are as important as scientific rigor.

The ideal candidate has:

• A background in culinary arts, food innovation, food science, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with food production, product development, fermentation, or related practical work.
• Interest in sustainable foods, side-stream valorization, and ingredient innovation.
• Some experience with microbiology, enzymatic processing, food analysis, or experimental food science.

In addition, you:

• Take initiative and have a strong “go-getter” mindset.
• Are able to work independently and move tasks forward in a practical and solution-oriented way.
• Enjoy combining kitchen-style experimentation with structured laboratory work.
• Have strong collaborative skills and enjoy working in an interdisciplinary team.
• Are organized and committed to good documentation practices.
• Communicate well in English, both orally and in writing.

As a formal qualification, you must have a master’s degree in life science or gastronomic sciences. 

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 Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

The period of employment is 15 months, full time. The preferred start date is 01.01.2027 or according to mutual agreement. 

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Senior Officer and researcher Loes van Dam via lovada@dtu.dk. 

You can read more at www.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.

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:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc) and Grade Transcripts (in English)
• One letter of reference, with referee’s email and phone number

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.

The Fermentation Cultures group
The Fermentation Cultures group investigates fermented foods as complex microbial ecosystems and as a foundation for developing sustainable foods for the green transition. By combining traditional fermentation practices with ecological and evolutionary perspectives, we draw on both traditional and scientific knowledge to create novel fermented foods and food processes. Our research explores how microbial diversity, genetics, and ecological interactions shape the flavour, texture, functionality, and stability of fermented foods, while also examining the origins of fermentation microorganisms and their co-evolution with human societies and food cultures. Using fermented foods as model systems, we address fundamental questions about microbial ecology, evolution, and host–microbe interactions, including how microbes interact with one another and communicate with humans through the production and perception of flavour.

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.