Fixed-term

The position Do you hold a PhD in molecular biology (or a related field) and have a strong interest in the molecular mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance development? Are you motivated to conduct interdisciplinary research at one of the northernmost universities in the world? If so, this postdoctoral position may be of interest to you. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow position is available at the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, within the Host–Microbe Interaction (HMI) research group. The position is part of the LacZymes, led by Dr. Christopher Frøhlich, and entitled “Epistasis and Evolution of β-Lactamase-Mediated Antimicrobial Resistance.” The position is a fixed term position for a duration of 3 years.  As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, you will have the opportunity to advance your scientific career and further qualify for academic positions. If you do not already have the educational competence that meets the requirements for an Associate Professor position in Norway, UiT will arrange such competence during the employment period. The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer. If you receive a personal overseas research grant from NFR it is possible to apply NFR for an extension of the fellowship period corresponding to the length of the stay abroad (minimum three months, maximum 12 months). Unless special circumstances indicate otherwise, postdoctoral projects shall be planned with stays abroad. The duration should be at least 6 months. The position’s field of work The successful candidate will join a newly funded Research Council of Norway (FUTURE-AMR) project and work closely with researchers and students to uncover molecular mechanisms of epistasis arising during the evolution of β-lactamases. To address these questions, the project integrates ancestral sequence reconstruction, directed evolution, pre-steady-state and steady-state enzyme kinetics, and X-ray crystallography. Candidates with experience in two or more of these areas are encouraged to apply. The postdoctoral fellow will report to Dr. Christopher Frøhlich and is expected to actively contribute to advancing the field while developing expertise at the interface of molecular biology, enzymology, and evolutionary microbiology. Duties of the position The postdoctoral fellow will work on the following tasks: • Manage your research project • Experimental design and execution • Perform directed evolution and selection • Enzyme production and purification • Biochemical enzyme characterization • Write scientific papers • Presenting your work in national and international arenas Contact For further information about the position, please contact Dr. Christopher Frøhlich: phone:  + 47 46968778 email: christopher.frohlich@uit.no Qualifications Required qualifications PhD in molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, or a related field. Candidates who have not yet defended their PhD must submit parts of your dissertation along with the application, and provide documentation from their supervisor confirming that the defense will be completed before the start of the position. Experience in at least two of the following areas: directed evolution, protein expression and purification, biochemical characterization of enzymes, X-ray crystallography. Documented oral and written English skills. Preferred qualifications Experience in the field of AMR and AMR mechanisms Hands-on experience in next generation sequencing and data analysis Knowledge of a Scandinavian language Experience in writing publications Experience in a biosafety level-2 lab environment Personal characteristics The applicant should be motivated, creative and ambitious, with a strong ability to work problem-solution orientated both in teams and independently. The applicant should be genuinely interested in the field of molecular evolution and AMR as well as scientific dissemination. In the evaluation of which applicant is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience, and personal suitability, in terms of the qualification requirements specified in this position announcement. Emphasis shall also be attached to experience from popularization/dissemination and academic policy and administrative activity. At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). No person may hold more than one fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the same institution. Inclusion and diversity UiT The Arctic University i Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity is a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives. If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics. We offer A highly international, ambitious and friendly work environment A unique opportunity to get experience in a wide range of interesting research topics. Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement Pension scheme through the state pension fund Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services. More practical information for working and living in Norway can be found here: https://uit.no/staffmobility Application Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position. Your application must include: Application letter CV Diplomas and transcripts (all degrees) Documentation of English proficiency. If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position. Contact information to 2-3 references Documentation of educational competence, if available Description of your academic production, stating which works you consider most important Academic works, up to ten. The doctoral thesis is regarded as one work. If you’re in the final stages of your PhD,

Are you ready to shape the future of sustainable agriculture? Join DTU Bioengineering as a postdoctoral researcher in the Initiative for Biofertilizer Innovation and Science (IBIS) and contribute to building a world-class research hub focused on advancing microbial solutions for a sustainable future. DTU Bioengineering is excited to announce a 3½ year postdoctoral researcher position, as part of the newly launched global initiative for Biofertilizer Innovation and Science. IBIS is a bold, five-year open-science initiative with the ambition to revolutionize whole-cell biosolutions in agriculture (BioAg). Our goal is to advance the fundamental understanding of what makes an effective biofertilizer and to develop the enabling technologies and translational framework needed to bring robust and affordable microbial solutions to farmers across the globe. The initiative is supported by 210 million DKK (approximately 30 million USD) in combined funding from the Gates Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Central to the initiative is the development of an open R&D playbook—freely accessible to researchers worldwide—to accelerate the discovery, maturation, and deployment of scientifically validated microbial biofertilizers. DTU is coordinating the newly established IBIS consortium, which brings together leading partners from across Europe, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Each partner contributes unique expertise and experimental capacity spanning the entire biofertilizer R&D pipeline—from laboratory research to field implementation. Together, the consortium will build a comprehensive Biosolutions Development Pipeline for microbial biofertilizers (whole-cell biosolutions), covering all key stages: discovery, characterization, fermentation, formulation, in planta performance, and in-field evaluation. DTU will host the laboratory phase of the pipeline, harnessing advanced robotic workflows and high-throughput screening technologies. Field trials and upscaling activities will be carried out through partner institutions across both the Global South and North, ensuring real-world testing across diverse agricultural contexts. Beyond the research itself, IBIS aims to implement standardized experimental protocols, harmonized data formats, and transparent documentation practices—laying the foundation for reproducible and collaborative research in biofertilizer innovation. The IBIS development pipeline is designed to enable high-throughput benchmarking and advancement of new whole-cell–based biosolutions, supporting their journey from discovery to market launch. The IBIS consortium will use the pipeline to systematically evaluate hundreds of microbial biofertilizer strains, generating large-scale datasets across all stages—from laboratory experiments (thousands of strains) to in-field testing. The scale and standardized approach will create a unique foundation for advanced data analysis, including AI, machine learning, and statistical modelling, aimed at uncovering the key traits that define successful microbial biofertilizers, and to develop predictive models that can guide the rational design of next-generation BioAg products tailored for diverse agricultural systems around the world. This postdoctoral researcher position offers a unique opportunity to join a dedicated, international team of scientists working within the IBIS initiative at DTU and its partner institutions worldwide. You will work collaboratively to address foundational biological questions about the biology of microbial biofertilizers, enabling the efficient engineering and development of solutions. Your contributions will include developing and implementing new robotics-assisted high throughput assay to screen for and characterize microbial biosolutions as an essential part of the Biosolutions Development Pipeline. You will further use the data generated to help us identify and characterize the functional traits that are key for the manufacturability and in field performance of microbial biofertilizer. Your responsibilities: Experience designing automated workflows that generate structured, traceable experimental datasets, with strong attention to data quality and reproducibility Design, develop, and implement new robotic-based phenotypic assays to characterize microbial strain capabilities, robustness, and performance-relevant traits. Strong understanding of microbial physiology and phenotypic traits relevant to strain performance Run and optimize phenotypic screening and characterization workflows to generate large standardized data sets. Focus of scientific work: Identify and quantify traits that may serve as diagnostic predictors of strain performance in manufacturing and under field conditions. Analyze assay outputs to define biologically meaningful trait signatures associated with robustness, manufacturability, and efficacy. Use assay-derived data to address fundamental questions about which microbial traits best predict success across laboratory, fermentor, and field contexts to help develop predictive models for translation from in vitro to real-life environment. Work closely with colleagues in microbiology, fermentation, formulation, automation, and data science to integrate assays into the broader biosolutions development pipeline. Document methods, validation criteria, and workflows to ensure reproducibility and long-term platform utility. Contribute to the department’s teaching via e.g. lectures in courses, supervision of project groups and BSc and MSc thesis work. Your profile: PhD in experimental microbiology focused on bacteria and fungi. Experience with high-throughput screening (HTS) platforms and assay miniaturization Track record of designing, optimizing and troubleshooting automated workflow using liquid handling systems (Tecan, Hamilton, Opentron). Solid experience with translating manual protocols to robotics-assisted workflow. based on your understanding of experimental design, and the importance of reproducibility, and quality control when working with biological systems. Proficient in Python for instrument control, workflow scripting, and data processing. Strong problem-solving mindset with focus on scalability, robustness, and efficiency. Furthermore, you have effective communication, collaboration, and people skills, enabling effective interaction across diverse scientific teams and disciplines. As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent). We offer 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 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 upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3½ years. Start date is 1 June 2026, or soonest thereafter. The position is a full-time position. You can read more about career paths at DTU here. Further information  For further information, please contact ibis@dtu.dk; Attn: Rasmus Frandsen (Director of IBIS). You can read more about DTU Bioengineering at www.bioengineering.dtu.dk. If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Application procedure  Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 19 April 2026