PhD fellowship in Plant Biochemistry

The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in microalgae synthetic biology, financed by a Sapere Aude grant from the Independent research council Denmark.

The start date is 1 February 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project
Microalgae have played a monumental role in transforming Earth's atmosphere from one rich in carbon dioxide (CO₂) to one abundant in oxygen (O₂). This transformation, which unfolded over billions of years, set the stage for the evolution of complex life forms.

Today microalgae is used in biomanufacturing of food ingredient including omega-3 fatty acids, and pro-vitamin that made from CO2 using only seawater, inorganic salts and sun light. This project will employ genome engineering to improve algae biomanufacturing and expand the range of products that can made using these light driven biofactories.

Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics or biotechnology, who wish to join a dynamic research group working on microalgae molecular biology. Applicants can have a background in elucidation/characterization of metabolic pathways, microalgae molecular biology/biochemistry, metabolic engineering or synthetic biology.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?
The successful applicant will join the Andersen-Ranberg group, which specializes microalgae molecular biology. The N. oceanica acetate metabolism engineering will be carried out in collaboration with the Nour-Eldin group.

The A-Ranberg group is a part of the Section for Plant Biochemistry, which hosts several research groups working on synthetic biology, plant natural product biosynthesis, including cyanogenic glucosides, terpenoids, and saponins. The Section belongs to the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, which hosts eight Sections spanning from molecular biology to crop science and environmental chemistry.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories, plant growth facilities, and a metabolomics platform hosted within the Section.

The principal supervisor is Associate Professor Johan Andersen-Ranberg, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, [email protected].

The PhD programme
A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

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Getting into a position on the PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the programme
To be eligible for the PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. chemistry, biochemistry or molecular biology. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

The terms of employment and salary are in accordance to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in PhD program

• Carry out an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in the research field
• Excellent English language skills

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Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

1. Motivated letter of application, including any preferences for working on biosynthesis or transport
2. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
3. Original diplomas for BSc and MSc degrees and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in a language other than English or Danish. If the latest degree has not been completed, please include a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records and a written statement from the institution or supervisor.
4. Publication list (if possible)
5. Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:
The deadline for applications is 17 November 2024, 23:59 GMT+1.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.