PhD scholarship within microbiology and bioprocess development

About the position

The Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science (KBM) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has vacant a 3-year PhD position in the field of fermentation processes for food and feed applications. The position is funded by NMBU.

The goal of the project is to assess cultivation of bacterial strains on methanol and to develop fermentation processes and downstream processing to make microbial food/feed. 

The position is placed in the BioRef research group (https://www.nmbu.no/en/research/groups/bioprocess-technology-and-biorefining-bioref) consisting of 15 people. 

The group has several ongoing projects involving fermentation processes, both aerobic and anaerobic. It has access to excellent bioreactor facilities from 1 L to 100 L scale and relevant equipment for downstream processing. 

The group has a strong publication record in the fields of fermentation processes, applied enzymology and biogas research. It has a close cooperation with other research groups at the Faculty, spanning research on topics like microbial physiology, fundamental enzymology and food science. This project will involve direct collaboration with the Microbial Ecology and Physiology (MEP) group. 

Main tasks

• Basic microbiology
• Isolation and characterization of environmental bacterial strains
• Cultivation of bacteria in bioreactors
• Develop fed-batch fermentation processes
• Production of microbial biomass
• Development of downstream processing pathways
• Characterization of biomass using advanced analytics
• Write and publish high-level scientific publications

These tasks will be conducted in a vibrant research environment with multiple ongoing projects at the Faculty.

Qualifications

Required academic qualifications:

• Master degree in microbiology, biotechnology or bioprocess technology
• Laboratory skills in microbiology
• Experience with running fermentations in bioreactors

Experiences and skills related to some of the following topics are desirable:

• Cultivation and physiological characterization of bacteria
• Experience with using methanol as a growth substrate
• Fed-batch fermentation processes
• Hands-on experience with downstream processing of microbial biomass
• Knowledge of drying processes
• Development of novel feed/food
• Relevant analytical methods
• Knowledge of a Scandinavian language

Personal qualities:

We are looking for a candidate who is ambitious, curious, motivated and able to work in a strong research environment. The ideal candidate will combine the following personal qualities:

• Hard-working and accurate
• Creative and independent
• Ambitious
• Genuinely interested in scientific research and its industrial applications
• Good social and collaborative skills 
• Good communicative skills, orally and written, in English, and, preferably in a Scandinavian language

Remuneration and further information

Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 536 200 – 575 400 depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Employment is conducted according to national guidelines for University and Technical College PhD scholars.

For further information, please contact professor Svein Horn at svein.horn@nmbu.no, or check out previous publications: https://scholar.google.no/citations?user=BPBGPBEAAAAJ&hl=en

Information for PhD applicants and general Information to applicants

Application

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply for this job' button above. This will route you to the University's Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Application deadline: April 21, 2025

Your CV must be entered in JobbNorge's CV form and not just included as an attachment. This is to be able to comply with the regulations of §15 of the Public Administration Act.

In the application, the candidate must confirm that information and documentation (in the form of attachments) submitted via the job application can also be used by NMBU in a possible admission process.

Applicants invited for an interview are expected to present original diplomas and certificates.

The following documents must be attached to the application:

• Application letter (maximum 1 page). This must be specific and motivate why you apply for this position.   
• Complete CV 
• Certified copies of academic diplomas and certificates. (i.e. Diploma, transcript. Diploma supplement for both bachelor and master). Diplomas, transcripts and diploma supplements that are not in Norwegian or English must be uploaded in the original language. An English translation of these documents must also be attached.
• Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement, or a similar document, which describes in detail the study program and grading system.
• Documentation of proficiency in written and oral English in accordance with NMBU PhD regulation section 5-2 (3). 
• Names and contact details for two references
• Additional relevant documentation of professional knowledge (for example, list of scientific works). If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution for publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

About the faculty

The Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science (KBM) has about 180 employees, 80 PhD students and 500 BSc and MSc students. The faculty has 11 research groups within chemistry and biochemistry, microbiology and microbial gene technology, bioinformatics and data analysis, food science and nutrition. The Faculty has a state-of-the-art infrastructure for research and education: A biorefinery lab, proteomics platform, fermentation lab, a murine facility, platform for studies of microbial regulation of GHG release and a small-scale pilot plant for processing of food, incl. a microbrewery. Additionally, KBM has a strong competence in enzymology, fermentation and biorefining. KBM aims at a strong research position and collaborates in networks and research projects both nationally and internationally. 
For further information please follow this link: https://www.nmbu.no/en/faculty/kbm

DIVERSE INFO

Kilde: NAV stillingsannonser
https://arbeidsplassen.nav.no/stillinger/stilling/2c63984d-9959-428f-8dec-5f1f6597bdcd
IMPORTAPI
https://www.jobbnorge.no/ledige-stillinger/stilling/277844