About the opportunity
Join our team as a computational postdoctoral researcher and help design the next generation of mammalian cell lines for biotherapeutic production. While the biopharma industry relies heavily on mammalian cells to produce complex medicines, they remain metabolically inefficient, necessitating costly, highly complex nutrient feeds. Our project aims to break this dependency by mapping and restoring lost metabolic capabilities directly within these production cell lines. By driving the in silico pathway design and systems-level data analysis, you will guide our experimental engineering to fundamentally simplify biomanufacturing, slash production costs, and enhance the global accessibility of life-saving biotherapeutics. The 3-year appointment is based at DTU Lyngby Campus with a target starting date of 1 January 2027.
Salary and benefits
- Competitive salary based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, with supplements negotiable in accordance with DTU's salary structure for scientific staff.
- A rewarding and challenging job in an international, inclusive, and stimulating academic environment.
- Opportunities for professional development, high-impact scientific publications, conference presentations, and mentoring of students.
Who can apply?
- Hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) as a formal qualification.
- Demonstrated experience working with mammalian genome-scale metabolic models and constraint-based modeling frameworks (e.g., COBRApy).
- Strong proficiency in analysis of multiomic datasets to extract actionable biological insights.
- Experience with structural bioinformatics, molecular docking, or cheminformatics approaches to predict and model protein-ligand/protein-metabolite interactions.
- High proficiency in standard programming languages used in bioinformatics (e.g., Python, R) and familiarity with version control (e.g., Git).
- A strong history of scientific output, demonstrated by first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
- Direct experience with mentoring trainees at the BSc, MSc, and PhD level in mammalian cell culture and genetic engineering techniques.
Required documents
- Application (cover letter)
- CV (including a link to your GitHub repository to highlight relevant coding experience, if applicable)
- Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD in English)
- List of publications
When to apply
- Application deadline is 11 September 2026 at 23:59 Danish time.
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
How to apply
- Open the online application link by clicking 'Apply Now'.
- Fill out the online application form.
- Attach all required materials as one single PDF file in English.
Additional information
- Open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates due to research involving critical technology subject to security and export control rules.
- For further information, contact Hooman Hefzi, Associate Professor, via email at hoohef@dtu.dk.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Strong background in mammalian genome-scale metabolic modeling and constraint-based frameworks like COBRApy.
- Proven expertise in multi-omics data analysis and structural bioinformatics for protein-ligand interaction modeling.
- Experience mentoring students in genetic engineering and mammalian cell culture techniques.
What should you think carefully about?
- The role is strictly on-site at DTU Lyngby Campus, requiring relocation if you are not currently based in the area.
- Candidates should be aware that open-source background checks may be conducted due to the project's involvement with critical technology and export control rules.
- The position is a fixed 3-year term starting in early 2027, which requires long-term planning.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This position is ideal for a researcher aiming to bridge the gap between computational systems biology and industrial biomanufacturing. By leading the in silico design of mammalian cell lines, you will gain high-level experience in a project with direct potential to reduce production costs and improve global access to biotherapeutics, making it a strong step for a career in either high-impact academic research or the biopharma industry.
Our take
Researchers with a solid foundation in metabolic modeling and a desire to see their computational work translated into tangible biomanufacturing improvements should prioritize this application.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
Official-source verified
