Postdoctoral Fellowship in Synthetic Biology

Updated: over 1 year ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 17 Oct 2022

About the position 

The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions.  

We are seeking  candidates with strong interest in bioengineering holding a PhD degree (or having submitted the PhD thesis) in biotechnology, biochemistry or related fields.

The research activities will be  part of the PolySpore project funded by the NovoNordisk Foundation. In the project we will develop novel biological and hybrid materials as well as new data-storage concepts using bacterial spores. The researcher will work on genetically optimizing and manipulating spores of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis to present and produce load bearing proteins and characterize the resulting product, as well as to work on light driven catalysis using enzymes and upconverting nanoparticles.

Some aspects of the project are examined in collaboration with partners from France and Lithuania.

Your immediate leader is Assoc.Prof. Johannes Kabisch.

Duties of the position

  • Genetic engineering of Bacillus subtilis to present heterologous proteins
  • Genome engineering of B. subtilis to optimize spore display
  • Production and and characterization of hybrid materials
  • Data analysis
  • Preparation of manuscripts
  • Presentation of results at group meetings and scientific conferences

Required selection criteria

  • You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in moleclar biology, biochemistry, or related fields. If you can document that the PhD thesis has been submitted, your application can be assessed even if you have not yet defended your dissertation. Documentation of the obtained doctoral degree must be presented before you can take up the position. 
  • You must have a master’s degree in biology, biochemistry, or a related field.
  • Good written and oral communication skills in English
  • Good analytical skills
  • Motivation for solving scientific problems
  • Experience with genetic engineering and microbial cultivation

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

  • Preference will be given to candidates with prior experience genetic engineering of bacteria and/or production and characterization of load bearing proteins.
  • Experience with data-analysis skills in e.g., R, Python
  • Publication track record

Personal characteristics

  • The successful candidates can take responsibility for progress and can work independently.
  • Adapts behaviour to achieve goals, overcome setbacks or solve a challenge.
  • Learns from experiences and feedback from others.
  • Has good communication skills and can collaborate closely with other members of the research group.
  • The candidates must be diligent and able to show initiative on behalf of their own work.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer 

  • Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment. We have state-of-the-art infrastructure.
  • The possibility to gain international experience through research stays in Lithuana or France
  • An open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues.
  • A work environment where everyone must behave in a way that is based on respect for their colleagues and work partners, regardless of gender, cultural background, ethnicity, or other characteristics.
  • Favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
  • Employee benefits

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 563 500 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2 % is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

The period of employment is 2,5 years.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants , and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application 

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include : 

  • CV and certificates
  • transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your Ph.D, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted
  • A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, or have recently submitted your thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
  • Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 5 repesentative works)
  • Name and contact information of three referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education. Description of the documentation required can be found here . If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. 

General information 

Working at NTNU 

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.  

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Assoc.Prof. Johannes Kabisch, email: [email protected] .

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 17.10.2022

NTNU

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Biotechnology and Food Science

Our activities contribute to increased exploitation of existing and new ingredients for sustainable food production as well as next-generation energy solutions and medical technology. We educate graduates for a wide range of careers in industry, public administration and academia. The Department of Biotechnology and Food Science  is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences .

Deadline 17th October 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Gløshaugen



Similar Positions