PhD Student in Aptamer-Enabled, Animal-Free Bioanalysis

Novo Nordisk A/S; Måløv; On-site; DKK 408,000 - 488,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk A/S in Denmark seeks a PhD Student in Aptamer-Enabled, Animal-Free Bioanalysis to lead the discovery and automation of aptamer-based bioanalytical methods. You will apply in vitro evolution and nanotechnology tools to create DNA/RNA binders and test them against existing assays.

You will participate in a two-site program, starting in Aarhus and spending substantial time in Måløv, under joint supervision from academic and Novo mentors, with publishing and PhD completion as key

Qualifications

• MSc in molecular biology, molecular medicine, chemistry, biochemistry, nanoscience or related field.
• Experience or strong interest in nucleic acid research and aptamer development.
• Able to work independently with supervision and collaborate across disciplines.
• Fluent English in written and spoken communication.

Responsibilities

• Generate and characterise DNA- and RNA-based aptamers.
• Develop and optimise bioanalysis methods.
• Automate aptamer generation and assay workflows.
• Benchmark new assay formats against established methods.
• Document results and support PhD requirements.

Skills

Nucleic acid research

Aptamer development

English fluency

Laboratory work

Education

MSc with BSc training

Job description

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PhD Student in Aptamer-Enabled, Animal-Free Bioanalysis

Category: Education

Location: Måløv, Capital Region of Denmark, DK

Department: CMC Development & Scaling, Global Manufacturing & Supply

Your impact begins here

Take scientific ownership of a new analytical technology built on aptamers: functional DNA or RNA binders. As PhD Student in Aptamer-Enabled, Animal-Free Bioanalysis, you will turn aptamer discovery into automated, reproducible methods and test them against established assays. Your work could help reduce reliance on animal-derived reagents in the assays that support clinical drug candidates, and bring new science into pharmaceutical practice.

What you’ll bring

You are a curious, self-driven scientist who is excited by applied research between academia and industry. You have:

• A relevant MSc degree, supported by BSc-level training, in molecular biology, molecular medicine, chemistry, biochemistry, nanoscience or a closely related discipline. Recent graduates and candidates expecting to complete their MSc by the end of Q1 2027 are welcome to apply.
• A strong interest or experience in nucleic acid research, aptamer development, bioanalysis and laboratory work.
• An organised, flexible approach to complex experimental work, and the confidence to drive a project independently while using academic and industrial supervision.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across disciplines and organisations, and fluent written and spoken English.

Useful, but not essential:

• Experience with in vitro selection, enzymatic nucleic acid synthesis and purification, biophysical characterisation and/or next‑generation sequencing analysis.
• Experience with bioanalytical assay development, laboratory automation or liquid handlers, or knowledge of protein‑protein interactions and protein purification.

What you’ll do

You will own the scientific direction of the project within the agreed scope, supported by your supervisors. You will:

• Generate, select and characterise DNA- and/or RNA-based aptamers using nucleic acid chemistry, in vitro evolution and nanotechnology tools.
• Develop and optimise fit‑for‑purpose bioanalysis methods, assessing specificity, robustness, reproducibility, throughput and transferability.
• Automate aptamer generation, screening and assay workflows on liquid‑handling platforms.
• Benchmark new assay formats against established analytical methods.
• Assess how novel assays could be introduced in pharmaceutical development and quality control, including GxP and regulatory expectations.
• Document and publish your results, complete your PhD requirements and share your learning across Aarhus University and Novo.

Who you’ll work with

In Global Manufacturing & Supply, colleagues work across the value chain from drug and device development to marketed Novo products. You will join CMC Bioanalysis in Måløv, part of CMC Development & Scaling, which develops assays for cell banks, in‑process samples, drug substance and drug product across the global clinical project portfolio. Your future team has 18 colleagues with deep biological‑assay expertise, a can‑do mindset and strong team spirit.

You will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Natural Sciences at Aarhus University, joining a nucleic acid research environment working across DNA, RNA and XNA. Academic and industrial supervisors will support you throughout, and supervision meetings continue whether you are in Aarhus or Måløv. This project moves between two research environments. You will start in Aarhus, then spend a substantial period in Måløv. The order and length of each period may change as the science progresses.

What you can expect here

You will be trusted to own your project and supported to do it well. Expect interdisciplinary training, access to expertise across Aarhus University and Novo, and relevant courses, seminars and research meetings. You will gain first‑hand insight into the pharmaceutical product life cycle and the quality and regulatory framework for biological and recombinant products.

Salary:For this role, the Monthly Base Salary is 40.145,48 DKK, corresponding to the years of employment as PhD Student.

Incentives and Benefits:The salary package may include short‑term and/or long‑term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks.

Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here .

Your impact begins today.

Apply by 8 November 2026.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.