PhD Candidate in Microbiome Science and Engineering

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NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

   

About the job

We invite applications for one PhD position focused on advancing microbiome science and engineering through either (1) the development of mixed microbial cultures for sustainable ingredient production or (2) investigating gene transfer mechanisms within complex microbial communities. This project funded by the Faculty of Natural Sciences (NV) aims to unravel microbial ecophysiologies, selection and interactions in communities, underlying the development of microbial community engineering concepts for circularity, nutrition and health.

Ideal applicants should have a background in biotechnology, systems biology, biochemical engineering, ocean resources, health and life science, microbiome science, microbiology, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, computational biology, or a combination of some of these fields, with a strong interest in engineering microbial communities using both wet-lab and dry-lab approaches. The research route will be chosen from the two topics mentioned based on the expertise and motivation of the successful applicant.

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree, through our doctoral program in Biotechnology (PHBIOT). Your immediate leader is Prof. Dr. David Weissbrodt, full professor at the Research Division “Analysis and Control of Microbial Systems” (ACMS). Depending on research targets, you will be able to bridge to colleagues from other IBT divisions and NTNU departments, Centre for Digital Life Norway, NTNU Food Forum, immediate stakeholders, as well as national and international partners (e.g., EU COST Action PurpleGain).

Our labs are equipped for experimental, analytical and computational investigations in fermentations, microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, multi-omics, bioinformatics, and modelling.

Duties of the position

• Build motivation for personal development in science on a high-level research project.
• Develop scientific creativity and critical thinking in collaboration within a research team and interaction with research and industrial partners.
• Report and valorise the research work through scientific articles, presentations and outreach.
• Contribute to the research-based education of the future generation of biotechnologists.
• Readiness to relocate in Trondheim and interact within the Norwegian research environment.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant background in biotechnology complemented by scientific motivation, a relevant theoretical and laboratory skillset, and hands-on experience combining microbial fermentations, systems (micro)biology, microbial ecology, ecophysiology, bioanalytics, bioinformatics, and/or computational biology.
• Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level. You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale (link 1, link 2). If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education. Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented at the start of the PhD position.
• You must have very good communication skills in both written and oral English, testified by a certification (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, CAE, CPE) or an equivalent qualification. 
• Self-motivation in collaborative scientific writing is essential for making research concepts and results timely accessible to the scientific community for knowledge utilisation.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to doctoral program in Biotechnology (PHBIOT) of the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant 

Preferred selection criteria

• Interdisciplinary knowledge in biotechnology and systems (micro)biology.
• Interest and prior experience with pure-culture, co-culture and/or mixed-culture biotechnologies.
• Skilled in experimental designs, wet-lab experiments with bioreactors or microbial cultures, microbiology methods and molecular biology analyses, and dry-lab computations in bioinformatics or mathematical modelling.

Personal characteristics

• Enthusiasm for science and a career in research.
• Driven by scientific curiosity, critical thinking, creative designs, and scientific writing.
• Self-driven, focused, organised, proactive, communicative, collaborative, and productive.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• employee benefits

Salary and conditions

As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 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 3 years, with the possibility of 1 year extension due to participation to 25 % teaching duties depending on qualifications. The PhD thesis will have to be submitted, and preferentially defended, during this period. To qualify for teaching duty, confidence in a Scandinavian language is needed for interaction with students in bachelor courses and practical labs.

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Biotechnology (PHBIOT) within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period. 
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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 fully funded by the Faculty of Natural Sciences at NTNU within the research fund of Professor David Weissbrodt.

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

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English. Your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the position thematic and criteria specified above. 

The application must include: 

• Short motivation letter that comprises a specific paragraph of 10 lines where you shortly develop a research question and methodology in connection with the position thematic and your research interest.
• CV and certificates 
• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted or a letter from your Master program director that you are on track to obtain your master degree by the start of the PhD position. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• An abstract of your master's thesis (max. 500 words) highlighting the background, knowledge gap, research question, methodology, results/findings, and knowledge utilisation potential. 
• If your MSc supervisor agrees, you can attach your MSc thesis or material (e.g., poster).
• If you have, publications and other scientific work must follow the application.We will consider joint works if you enclose a short description of your contribution.
• Name and contact information of three references (phone, e-mail) whom we can contact if you are short-listed for the position. 

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, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well.

We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short 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 our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.

NTNU is working actively to promote equality and has a number of resources to this end.

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 Prof. David Weissbrodt (david.weissbrodt@ntnu.no).  If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact our HR manager Cecilie Skagfjord (cecilie.skagfjord@ntnu.no).

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

Application deadline: 01.12.2024

The short-listed candidates will be interviewed in December 2024 or January 2025. The PhD position is expected to start during the spring/summer semester 2025.