BEMÆRK: Ansøgningsfristen er overskredet
Are you interested in working at the interface between applied microbiology, bioprocess engineering, and microbial biotechnology, and want to contribute to developing a game-changing biological CO2 to protein process? Would you be excited to work on an interdisciplinary team to perform research with a 200-L pilot plant? Then the Biological and Chemical Engineering department at Aarhus University invites you to apply for a fulltime 2-year postdoc position.
Expected start date and duration of employment
This is a 2-year position, starting from September 1st, 2024, or soon thereafter.
Job description
The project will focus on a new, disruptive biotechnological approach to change how our society produces food, in particular protein to feed a 10-billion world population. We are pursuing a radically different approach to produce protein from CO2 and electrical energy by using a microbial-, and not plant-based, platform in a two-stage anaerobic microbial fermentation system. Renewable energy is utilized to split water into H2 and O2. Acetogenic bacteria ferment H2 plus CO2 to produce acetate in the first fermentation stage, which is fed into a second fermentation stage to produce many different protein products in aerobic fungi. Shifting from animal-based protein production to efficient and versatile biotechnology-based protein production is required to feed the world.
We are looking for a postdoctoral research associate that can perform research with an already designed 200-L pilot plant. For this we envision a person that is trained as a bioprocess engineer from within the fields of biotechnology, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, or the ones alike. The person would not only work on how to best integrate the two fermentation stages to reduce chemical inputs, but also on how to achieve the highest carbon conversion efficiency possible from CO2 to protein at the pilot-plant scale.
Your profile
Qualified candidates would ideally have a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in anaerobic microbiology, biotechnology, bioengineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, or related fields.
This project will have high visibility for the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering and the NNF CO2 Research Center (CORC) and includes pertinent interactions with several international institutions. The successful candidate is expected to be involved in managing the project, which includes the supervision of bachelor and master students. Furthermore, they will closely interact with collaboration partners. Therefore, very good English language skills are necessary. Other requirements include working independently and in teams, exhibiting excellent management and communication skills, and being self-motivated. The candidates will be able to present their results in international journals and conferences.
Who we are
Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering (www.bce.au.dk)
In the Microbial Conversion Technologies research group in Aarhus, we focus on the use of microorganisms for solving some of the great societal, environmental and technical challenges that we as a society has to deal with.
Our main focus is Power-to-X or, more specifically, Power-to-Gas technologies for the conversion of renewable electricity from wind turbines or solar cells to methane through the process of bio-methanation. The produced methane – or biomethane - can be used for production of electricity and heat, heavy transportation or further processing to renewable chemicals.
What we offer
- an excellent research infrastructure, laboratories, and access to shared equipment
- an exciting interdisciplinary environment with many national, international, and industrial collaborators
- a research climate encouraging lively, open, and critical discussion within and across different fields of research
- a work environment with close working relationships, networking, and social activities
- a workplace characterized by professionalism, equality, and a healthy work-life balance
- to make a high impact on solving climate change
Place of work and area of employment
The place of work Gustav Wieds Vej 10D, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark and the area of employment is Aarhus University, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering. The candidates will also work at Aarhus University’s Viborg campus where the pilot plant will be housed. The candidate will work with several researchers in the BCE department including Prof. Lars Ottosen, Prof. Lars Angenent, and Prof. Michael Kofoed.
Contact information
For further information, please contact: Prof. Lars Ottosen, email: ldmo@eng.au.dk, or Prof. Lars Angenent, email: lta@bce.au.dk.
Deadline
Applications must be received no later than March 15th, 2024.
Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.
Letter of reference
If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.
Formalities and salary range
Technical Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.
Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.
Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.
Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.
Aarhus University
Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/
INFORMATIONER OM STILLINGEN:
- Arbejdspladsen ligger i:
Aarhus Kommune
-Virksomheden tilbyder:
-Arbejdsgiver:
Aarhus Universitet, Gustav Wieds Vej 10D, 8000 Aarhus C
-Ansøgning:
Ansøgningsfrist: 15-03-2024; - ansøgningsfristen er overskredet
Se mere her: https://job.jobnet.dk/CV/FindWork/Details/5998986