PhD Scholarship in Synthetic Biology of Actinobacteria, Producers of Agriculturally Relevant Metabolites

Are you interested in developing the newest generation of genetic engineering and synthetic biology methods for natural product producing microorganisms? Passionate about learning new techniques in the cutting-edge environment, while contributing to the green transition movement? Then this PhD position is for you! 

Responsibilities and qualifications
This PhD position is funded by DTU Alliance PhD grant in collaboration with Prof Hyun Uk Kim (KAIST, South Korea). PhD student will have a unique opportunity to spend 3-6 months research stay in Prof Kims working group in order to gain relevant computational and modelling skills.

In this position you will work closely with specialists in synthetic biology, metabolomics and natural products chemistry, developing new methods for engineering of natural product producing Actinobacteria, in particular those that produce agriculturally relevant metabolites. 

Among others in this job, you will: 1) together with supervisor design, test and implement new genetic engineering methods; 2) apply them to model and novel Actinobacteria strains; 3) sequence, assemble and analyse genomes; 3) generate and analyse metabolomic data of various Actinobacteria. 

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree. You will have excellent organizational and project management skills and enjoy developing new methods. You will be fluent in spoken and written English and have literacy in common IT systems.

The ideal candidate will also:

1. have experience with CRISPR-based editing tools and/or homologous recombination strategies in microorganisms and/or Actinobacteria in paricular
2. have experience with metabolomics of Actinobacteria
3. have familiarity with secondary-metabolite biosynthesis and biosynthetic gene cluster analysis
4. have experience in fermentation and/or bioprocess development
5. be able to work both independently and as part of a large collaborative team
6. interested in learning new computational 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. 

Assessment
The assessment of the candidates will be made by Dr Tetiana Gren.

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 should be 01-03-2027 or accoording to mutual aggreement. 

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Tetiana Gren (tetgre@dtu.dk).

You can read more about BRIGHT 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 1 November 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
• 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.

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.