PhD scholarship in engineering food safe chassis strains - BRIGHT

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet; Ørsted; On-site; DKK 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet offers a PhD student position in Microbial Strain Engineering within the BRIGHT Mission 2 program at DTU. You will engineer fungal chassis and optimize fermentation processes to reduce toxins while exploring AI-enabled design frameworks.

The role collaborates with regulatory and safety teams, and requires a Master’s degree in microbiology or related field, strong English, and hands-on experience with CRISPR and fermentation, in a large interdisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• Two-year Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in microbiology, food science, molecular biology or related field.
• Experience with CRISPR-based editing or homologous recombination in microorganisms.
• Fluent in English; good IT literacy.
• Ability to work independently and in large interdisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute genetic edits in filamentous fungi to attenuate mycotoxin biosynthesis.
• Characterize strains phenotypically and analytically with safety focus.
• Investigate how fermentation conditions affect secondary metabolites.
• Deliver toxin-attenuated strains for downstream prototype development.

Skills

Genetic engineering

Fungal biology

Bioprocess development

AI in research

Education

Master's degree (120 ECTS) in microbiology, food science, molecular biology, synthetic biology, mycology or related

Tools

CRISPR editing

Homologous recombination

Job description

Are you excited by the challenge of engineering fungal cells to become the foundation of a new global food category? Passionate about combining genetic tools with fermentation science to make food-grade chassis measurably safer? Interested in working in a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary research environment tackling food-system challenges? Then join us as our new PhD Student in Microbial Strain Engineering!

This position is a part of BRIGHT's mission- oriented Microbial Food research programme (“referred to as Mission 2”), which aims to build an AI-powered framework for the rational design of microbial foods that meet four targets: consumer acceptance, health, sustainability and scalability. The first phase focuses on two fungal chassis, Aspergillus and Yarrowia, characterizing more than 500 prototypes through multi-omics, sensory analysis, life-cycle assessment and safety testing. Predictive models for flavor, texture, nutrition and process scale-up are trained iteratively through active learning. The scientific scope spans strain engineering, adaptive laboratory evolution, solid- and liquid-state fermentation, sensory and consumer research, and pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of safety, bioavailability and cardiometabolic health, in collaboration with national and international partners.

You will work with regulatory and food safety experts and interact closely with strain engineering colleagues across BRIGHT and DTU, to attenuate biosynthetic gene clusters implicated in toxin production and to tune fermentation conditions that suppress secondary-metabolite formation. The engineered chassis and process variants you deliver will feed directly into the food prototype development providing a basis for next generation sustainable and healthy microbial foods.

The job

As our PhD Student in Microbial Strain Engineering, you will:

• Design and execute genetic edits in filamentous fungi (Aspergillus) to attenuate biosynthetic gene clusters associated with mycotoxin production
• Characterize the resulting strains phenotypically and analytically, in tight coordination with the safety and analytical chemistry workstream
• Investigate how fermentation conditions modulate secondary-metabolite formation, and identify combinations of genetic and process changes that reproducibly reduce risk
• Contribute to the delivery of toxin-attenuated strain variants suitable for downstream prototype development

What we’re looking for

You will have a two-year Master’s degree (120 ECTS points) in microbiology, food science, molecular biology, synthetic biology, mycology or a related discipline, 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:

• have experience with CRISPR-based editing tools and/or homologous recombination strategies in microorganisms
• have familiarity with secondary-metabolite biosynthesis and biosynthetic gene cluster analysis
• have some exposure to fermentation and/or bioprocess development
• be able to work both independently and as part of a large collaborative team
• be comfortable in an interdisciplinary environment spanning genetics, chemistry, fermentation, and regulatory science
• be patient, meticulous, curious, and collaborative — key qualities for engineering work in a shared platform
• strong desire for utilizing AI in the development of your research

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 applicants will be made by Prof Morten Sommer.

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. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 3 years, full time. Start date 01-01-2027 or according to mutual agreement.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information

For additional information about the position, please contact Prof Morten Sommer at [e-mail]

You can read more about BRIGHT below, and 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. 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.

Location

Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Apply Before

2026-09-27T21:59:00+00:00

BRIGHT Mission 2: Microbial Foods

BRIGHT Mission 2 aims to build an AI-powered framework for the rational design of microbial foods that meet four targets: consumer acceptance, health, sustainability and scalability. The first phase focuses on two fungal chassis, Aspergillus and Yarrowia, characterizing more than 500 prototypes through multi-omics, sensory analysis, life-cycle assessment and safety testing. Predictive models for flavor, texture, nutrition and process scale-up are trained iteratively through active learning. The scientific scope spans strain engineering, adaptive laboratory evolution, solid- and liquid-state fermentation, sensory and consumer research, and pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of safety, bioavailability and cardiometabolic health, in collaboration with national and international partners.

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.

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.

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.