PhD Scholarship in Synthetic Biology of Actinobacteria (BRIGHT), Technical University of Denmark

Job Description

DTU is offering a PhD scholarship in synthetic biology at its BRIGHT institute. You will build new genetic tools for Actinobacteria that make farm-relevant natural products. The post includes a 3 to 6 month stay at KAIST in South Korea. Apply by 1 November 2026.

At a glance

• Position: PhD scholarship, 3 years (requisition 8312)
• Where: BRIGHT, DTU, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
• Start: 1 March 2027, or by agreement
• Pay: Danish collective agreement; the ad gives no figure
• Assessor: Dr Tetiana Gren
• Apply: 1 November 2026 (23:59 Danish time)

What the DTU synthetic biology PhD student will do

• Design, test and use new genetic engineering methods with your supervisor
• Apply them to model and new Actinobacteria strains
• Sequence, assemble and analyse genomes
• Produce and analyse metabolomic data from Actinobacteria
• Spend 3 to 6 months in Prof Hyun Uk Kim’s group at KAIST to learn computational and modelling skills

Why this role matters

Actinobacteria make many natural products used in farming and medicine. Most strains are hard to engineer. Better tools can unlock new compounds for net-zero agriculture, one of BRIGHT’s three focus areas.

What DTU is looking for

• A two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS) or an equivalent degree
• Strong organisation and project management skills, and a liking for building new methods
• Fluent spoken and written English, and good IT skills

Nice to have

• CRISPR-based editing or homologous recombination in microbes, ideally Actinobacteria
• Metabolomics of Actinobacteria
• Secondary-metabolite biosynthesis and biosynthetic gene cluster analysis
• Fermentation or bioprocess development, and an interest in computational skills

Pay and location

Pay follows the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The ad gives no figure and links to DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff. The PhD lasts 3 years. It is funded by a DTU Alliance PhD grant with KAIST. DTU says open-source background checks may be run, because it works on critical technology.

How to apply

Apply through the official DTU page. The closing date is 1 November 2026 (23:59 Danish time). Use “Apply now” and upload one PDF in English with a cover letter, CV, grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diplomas with the grading scale, and one reference letter with the referee’s email and phone. You may apply before you finish your master’s. Questions go to Tetiana Gren (tetgre@dtu.dk).

See all our PhD positions, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.