Five Postdoc positions for microbial CO2 to Protein conversion

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BEMÆRK: Ansøgningsfristen er overskredet

Are you interested in working at the interface between microbiology, biochemistry, and microbial biotechnology, and want to contribute to developing a game-changing biological CO2 to protein process? Then the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center (CORC) at Aarhus University invites you to apply for a 2-year position.
 

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is five 2-year positions. The project will start August 1 2023, and the expected start date of the employment will be as soon as possible thereafter.


Job description


The project will focus on a biotechnological approach to radically change how our society produces food and chemicals, in particular protein. Current agricultural production is inefficient, high CO2 emitting, and relies heavily on fossil carbon resources. We are pursuing a radically different approach to produce protein from CO2 and electricity by using a microbial, and not plant-based, platform in a two-stage microbial fermentation. Renewable power is utilized to split water into H2. H2 plus CO2 is fermented by acetogenic bacteria to produce acetate, which is fed into a second fermentation 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 considerably reduce CO2 emissions while feeding in the future 11 billion people on our planet.

We are looking for 5 postdoctoral research associates with different research experiences, including in anaerobic microbiology, biochemistry, bioprocess engineering (chemical engineering and environmental engineering), and biotechnology. We envision 4 different projects that encompass research on:

  • Accessing CO2 from different point sources for acetogenic fermentation.
  • Stability and productivity of acetogenic bacteria.
  • Integration of the two bioreactor stages
  • Chemostat optimizations and reactor designs.



Your profile


Qualified candidates would ideally have a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in anaerobic microbiology, biotechnology, biochemistry, bioengineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, or related fields.

This project will have high visibility for the NNF CO2 Research Center and includes pertinent interactions with several large Danish companies and international institutions. Each of the 5 successful candidates 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

The Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center (CORC) was established in 2022 and is a mission‐oriented center based at Aarhus University. The center’s purpose is to develop novel science for carbon capture and conversions for storage or utilization to replace fossil carbon and fossil fuel‐intensive processes with sustainable, CO2‐based technologies. The Center comprises a number of research groups at Aarhus University and other institutions nationally and internationally. In total, the center encompasses more than 40 researchers. See more on www.corc.au.dk 

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 is Gustav Wieds Vej 10c, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark and the area of employment is Aarhus University, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering. The candidates will work in a new laboratory of CORC that is headed by Prof. Alfred Spormann (CORC, Aarhus University and Civil and Environmental Engineering/Chemical Engineering, Stanford University) and Prof. Lars Angenent (Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tübingen).


Contact information


For further information, please contact: Prof. Alfred Spormann, aspormann@corc.au.dk, or Prof. Lars Angenent (+49 7071 29 74729), l.angenent@uni.tuebingen.de.
 

Deadline

Applications must be received no later than June 1st, 2023.


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 10C, 8000 Aarhus C

-Ansøgning:

Ansøgningsfrist: 01-06-2023; - ansøgningsfristen er overskredet

Ved skriftlig henvendelse: https://AU.emply.net/recruitment/vacancyApply.aspx?publishingId=0ec42aa3-6432-4b66-ae77-5d8cb42a7909

Se mere her: https://job.jobnet.dk/CV/FindWork/Details/5825706

Denne artikel er skrevet af Emilie Bjergegaard og data er automatisk hentet fra eksterne kilder, herunder JobNet.
Kilde: JobNet