Postdoc in Intestinal Microbiology and Ecology

The National Food Institute (DTU Food) offers a 3 years position as postdoc working within the area of diet and intestinal microbiota.

You will be part of the Research group for Gut, Microbes and Health. We offer an ambitious, dynamic and sociable research environment with lots of exiting challenges and opportunities.  

The postdoctoral position is affiliated to the project PRIMA (Personalized dietary Recommendations based on the Interaction between diet, Microbiome and Abiotic conditions in the gut) recently funded by the Challenge Programme under the Novo Nordic Foundation. This project is a cross-disciplinary effort involving top research environments in Denmark and Belgium. The overall aim of the project is to develop personal and improved dietary recommendations based on knowledge about the intestinal environment in a given individual.

Your main task in the PRIMA project will be development and implementation of in vitro models of intestinal bacterial communities as well as rodent models to address responses to specific diets.

Responsibilities and tasks

You will work in a multi-disciplinary team and will be responsible for establishment of model systems for investigation of the impact of abiotic intestinal factors on bacterial metabolism of dietary compounds. Additionally, you will be involved in the supervision of PhD. Master and bachelor students that will be affiliated to the same project. The work will involve:

• Implementation, validation and application of flow-systems and rodent models simulating bacteria in the gut environment of humans.  
• Driving of the in vitro and in vivo work required for establishment of a platform for testing of effects of abiotic factors on bacterial metabolite production.
• Close interaction with another postdoc and two PhD students affiliated to PRIMA at DTU, as well as with researchers affiliated to this project at Copenhagen University and at VIB in Belgium.
• As part of the research group for Gut, Microbes and Health to contribute to the overall activities and development of this group
• Dissemination of methods and results in the form conference contributions and scientific publications

Qualifications
Candidates should have a PhD degree or equivalent.

We expect that you have a background in life science and intestinal microbial ecology. Required skills include:

• Solid understanding of basic microbiology and bacterial growth physiology  
• Knowledge about microbial metabolism and host-microbe interaction
• Experience with in vitro systems simulating the human intestine
• Preferably experience with animal experiments

Additionally, the candidate we seek

• Is ambitious and capable of working highly independently
• Takes responsibility for progress and quality of results
• Is motivated by both personal and team accomplishments
• Thrives on multidisciplinary collaboration

DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and an academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed with the relevant union.

Workplace and period of employment:

• The workplace will be at the Life Science & Bioengineering building 202 specifically designed to accommodate and facilitate our activities. The building is located at the DTU main campus in Kgs. Lyngby at the outskirt of Copenhagen.
• The period of employment is 3 years. Anticipated starting date is May 1^st.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor and research group leader Tine Rask Licht +45 3588 7186. You can read more about DTU Food on www.food.dtu.dk

Please submit your online application no later than 1 March 2020 (23:59 local time).

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill in the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Diploma (MSc/PhD)
• List of publications

Applications and enclosures received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

DTU Food (The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark) works within six technical focus areas: Biotechnology, nutrition, food quality, food safety, food technology and environment & human health. Activities cover a wide range of food products throughout the entire food chain from farm to table, comprising both research activities and research-based consulting and teaching.  

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 11,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. Our main campus is in Kgs. Lyngby north of Copenhagen and we have campuses in Roskilde and Ballerup and in Sisimiut in Greenland.