PostDoc position: Yeast engineering for metabolite secretion

FWF; Wien; On-site; EUR 64,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meal vouchers

Public transport tickets

Flexible working hours

Job summary

FWF Vienna seeks a PhD-level biotechnologist to join a project engineering microbial cells to secrete products into the fermentation broth, simplifying recovery and reducing purification steps. The position offers a competitive package with an annual gross salary of EUR 70.574, paid 14 times a year.

Earliest start is 1st November 2026 at the BOKU Vienna campus, Muthgasse 18. We support equality and provide fully flexible working hours plus meal vouchers or public transport tickets as part of our

Qualifications

• PhD in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or related field.
• Hands-on experience in genetic engineering and cultivation of yeasts.
• Interest in and experience with eukaryotic secretion pathway modulation.
• Experience in analytics (fluorescence microscopy, GC/MS).
• Strong self-management and excellent problem-solving skills.
• Collaboration and communication in an interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Engineer microbial cells to secrete metabolites into the fermentation broth.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to advance the project.
• Translate laboratory findings into scalable bioprocess strategies.

Skills

Genetic engineering

Yeast cultivation

Secretion pathway modulation

Analytics (fluorescence microscopy)

GC/MS

Self-management

Problem solving

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD in Biotechnology

PhD in Microbiology

PhD in Biochemistry

Tools

GC/MS

Fluorescence microscopy

Job description

That’s the project

This project develops a new biomanufacturing strategy to make recovery of intracellular metabolites simpler and more economical. The cell membrane is a bottleneck for product recovery as the lipid bilayer is built to retain metabolites inside the cell. Cell disruption and solvent-based extractions are needed to release the product – together with the entire cell content – driving the complexity and costs of purification. Therefore, the work aims to engineer microbial cells to secrete target products directly into the fermentation broth. If successful, this would reduce bioprocess complexity, avoid toxic solvents, and minimize the release of unwanted cellular material during purification. The project will investigate the biological components needed to support metabolite export and identify how to turn intracellular production into a more efficient, one-step recovery process.

That could be your future

You are working in an enjoyable work climate, have numerous possibilities for further education and personal development. You are part of a challenging and helpful work environment full of team spirit and enthusiasm for your job. You expand your expertise and bridge your science to industry.

We offer you fully flexible working hours and a package of voluntary social benefits (e.g. meal vouchers or tickets for public transport) are also part of our modern corporate culture.

And not to forget: You make your research visible and broaden your network!

That’s important to us

The ideal candidate should hold a PhD degree from a recognized university in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or related fields. We are particularly interested in candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Hands-on experience in genetic engineering and cultivation of yeasts
• Interest in and experience with eukaryotic secretion pathway modulation
• Experience in analytics (fluorescence microscopy, GC/MS)
• Strong self-management skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Collaboration and communication in an interdisciplinary team

That’s what you should know

• The annual gross salary is EUR 70.574.
  This corresponds to a monthly net amount of EUR 3.228 (paid 14 times a year).
• Earliest start: 1st of November 2026
• Work place: BOKU Vienna, Muthgasse 18

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And now it’s your turn! Give us an idea of who you are.

• Application deadline: October 15, 2026

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We hire on the basis of experience and qualifications, taking into account the requirements of the role. It is particularly important to us that our job offers appeal to all people, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, origin, age, nationality, or religion.