A 21-month postdoctoral position is available in organic synthesis and drug development at the Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, starting as soon as possible. The project will be supervised by Associate Professor Katrine Qvortrup and is funded by the Sygeforsikring Danmark. The project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between DTU, the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet and aims to develop a novel antimicrobial drug with a new mode of action for treatment of resistant bacterial infections.

Responsibilities and qualifications

The main responsibilities are to design and develop up-scale synthetic procedures for our lead compound as well as investigation of formulation variables. The research project relies heavily on the ability to synthesize complex chemical structures and to investigate and understand chemical-physical and biological properties of chemical structures.

You will work in a dynamic/intercultural/highly motivated team with 4 PhD-students and 2 postdoctoral researchers and collaborate with experts in pharmacology and cell biology. You are expected to work independently and coordinate your research with the other team members. Undergraduate research projects will be integrated in the project, and you are expected to interact with and co-supervise those projects.

You should have a PhD degree in chemical biology with a strong theoretical and experimental background in organic chemistry. We are looking for a profile with:

A desire to work in an interdisciplinary environment.
A documented track record in the chemical synthesis of complex organic structures.
Experience with UV-Vis analysis are considered a strong advantage.
A strong commitment to research.
Enthusiasm for working with research students.
Independence and good communication skills.

Most importantly, you should be highly motivated and should be confident in both written and spoken English. You should strive towards scientific excellence, be ambitious and hard working. Only applicants, who seek to be among the brightest in their field and do science at the highest international level, will be considered.

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 Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 21 months. The position is available from April 01, 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Katrine Qvortrup, tel.: +45 31216621, kaqvo@kemi.dtu.dk.

You can read more about the department” at www.kemi.dtu.dk and more about the research group at www.kemi.dtu.dk/KQ.

Application procedure

Please submit your online application

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

A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
Curriculum Vitae
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.

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 mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,400 students and 5,800 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.