Postdoc in “Applied Plant Biochemistry for the Green transition”

The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science at University of Copenhagen is offering a 2½ year (30 months) Postdoctoral Fellowship commencing 1 November 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Postdoc’s duties will include research within plant biochemistry and analytical chemistry as well as teaching. The post may also include performance of other duties.

Description of the scientific environment
The postdoctoral position is financed by the Novo Nordic Foundation and related to the “EcoSap: triterpenoid saponins as green solutions for future sustainable food production ” project and are led by Professor Søren Bak. An assistant professor, a postdoc and two PhD student are already employed, and the project collaborates closely with other research groups at the department and internationally. The successful candidates will be joining an active, diverse and multi-disciplinary research environment seeking to understand how we can learn from nature to defend agricultural plants from especially herbivores. The candidate is expected to collaborate with and co-supervise younger members of the project group. The section has state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, a metabolomics platform, and in-depth experience in plant biochemistry and plant specialized metabolites.

The successful applicant will be based within the Molecular Evolution of Specialized Metabolism research group in the Plant Biochemistry Section at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences . The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences is a large department (>450 employees) dedicated to plant, microbial, and environmental sciences. Further information on the Faculty of Science is linked at https://www.science.ku.dk/english/about-the-faculty/organisation/ .

Project description
World agricultural food and feed production suffers greatly from losses to insect pests. We need alternative green solutions to protect our crops to secure food and feed production. The focus of the EcoSap project is to learn from nature how to protect a future sustainable food production system. We have identified a class of compounds called saponins that can target insect species that are resistant to most synthetic insecticides.The project goes from basic science of how saponins are biosynthesized, stored, their mode of actions to exploring the possibilities of upscaled production of saponins, to their ecotoxicological evaluations and to understand the fate of saponins if applied as biopesticides to soil environments. You will therefore be working together in a multidisciplinary team with specialist within plant specialized metabolites, plant biochemistry, soil chemistry, ecotoxicology, membrane physiology, and microbiology. The EcoSap project is at the very forefront of the Green Transition agenda, and will contribute to positioning plant specialized metabolites as a logical approach to support productivity and resilience of agricultural production systems.

Key scientific qualification areas

The ideal candidate has a background in biochemistry and molecular biology.

The aim of the positions is to expand our molecular tool box for genes encoding for enzymes in saponins biosynthesis. The molecular tool box will be used for tailor production of saponins in planta as well as in vitro for studying structure-activity-relationships to uncover the role of saponins in plant-insect interactions.

• Enzyme biochemistry and pathway elucidation
• Plant molecular biology
• Metabolomics and analytical chemistry.
• Bioinformatics including molecular phylogeny
• Experience on heterologous expression in yeast and/or E. coli
• Plant-insect interactions
• Knowledge of natural product metabolism
• Strong publication record

Key personal skills:

• Enthusiasm and good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate with others including supervision and mentoring of students
• Proven ability to write scientific papers and interested in grant writing.
• Language skills, English.
• Broad curiosity in biological questions and open-mindedness to cross-disciplinary research
• Curiosity driven interdisciplinary approach to science and a generous and open mindset
• Ability to work independently and manage your research project
• Ability to critically review research results generated as part of the project
• Engagement in Departmental and Laboratory activities including lab duties, teaching and dissemination of your research
• Ensuring GLP and general safety operations

Formal requirements
Applicants should hold a PhD degree in biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, plant biology or analytical chemistry, and should be fluent in both spoken and written English. Previous publications and relevant postdoc experiences, including teaching, will be included in the assessment of your qualifications.

Terms of employment
The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

The application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Application Procedure
The application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include

• Cover Letter (detailing your motivation and background for applying for a specific project)
• Curriculum vitae
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• Research plan regarding the project
• Complete publication list
• Separate reprints of up to 3 particularly relevant papers
• Teaching experience and other relevant experiences

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

The deadline for applications is 11 September 2022, 23:59 GMT+1.

Applications received after the deadline for applications will not be considered.

After the expiry of the application deadline, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee. Afterwards an assessment committee will be appointed to evaluate the selected applications. The applicants will be notified of the composition of the committee and the final selection of a successful candidate will be made by the Head of Department, based on the recommendations of the assessment committee and the interview committee.

The main criterion for selection will be the research potential of the applicant and the above-mentioned skills.

Questions
For specific information about the position, please contact Professor Søren Bak, e-mail: [email protected] , Section for Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.