Research Coordinator (Academic Officer) to a new, unique organisation - BRIGHT

Do you want to impact how we facilitate a mission-based research programme in a university context?

If you have a degree in bioprocess or chemical engineering and wish to play a key-role in establishing a collaborative framework for mission driven activities in a traditional academic university setup, this role could be exactly what you have been looking for.

You will have the opportunity to work closely with research projects without being a researcher yourself. You will expand your skill set in research coordination and operate from a central position of nearly all business-critical decisions, with the opportunity to make a tangible personal impact – for example, on how our Mission Lead teams work.

You will do this in a new type of research organization, where the mission is to combine the very best of academia and industry. By joining the Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) at the Technical University of Denmark, you will play a pivotal role in delivering projects and initiatives that promote sustainability of society and the planet.

You will support researchers who are passionate about sustainability and reducing environmental impact through biomanufacturing. Your coordination support and administrative project management will assist BRIGHT in advancing technologies for developing robust microbial cell factories and scalable bioprocesses that convert CO₂-derived feedstocks into high-volume chemicals (referred to as the ‘BRIGHT Mission 1B programme’). This multi-year, mission-based initiative consists of joint efforts between multiple groups covering the entire innovation pipeline, from metabolic tools and design, strain engineering, process design, fermentation, downstream processing, multi-omics, techno-economic validation, and business development. We aim to establish new industrial routes for essential chemicals in a low-carbon economy through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Coordination, facilitation, and preparation of advanced reports on scientific outputs At BRIGHT, every research project is designed “with the end in mind” for the knowledge gained. If a project does not have the potential to lead to development of a sustainable bioproduct, it will not be initiated. This is exactly why we aim to bridge academia and industry in a way never seen before —and you will play a key role in turning this vision into reality.

The BRIGHT research program is organized into three missions, each with specific deliverables. Each mission is jointly led by a leadership team consisting of a Technology Lead (professor) and a Business Lead (industry expert/business developer). Each mission includes a number of dedicated research projects.

Your primary focus will be to support the mission leadership team of Mission 1B (aimed at bio-based production of commodity chemicals) and ensure overall alignment across projects. A key part of your role will be to develop and implement a Mission management framework with best practices – developed in close collaboration with the mission leadership team and the Center’s Support Units.

Your primary tasks will be to

• Assist mission leadership teams with scientific coordination meetings incl. preparation and follow-up
• Drive systematic follow-up on management decisions across all projects
• Gather and prepare materials for decision-making – status reports, data overviews, and similar
• Prepare advanced reports on scientific outputs from research groups and group leaders
• Support smooth collaboration with external industry partners – coordination, follow-up, etc.
• Ensure alignment, identify synergies, and foster cooperation across all three missions
• Support external fundraising goals to help mission teams identify relevant funding opportunities and prepare robust applications.

You can expect approximately 7- 10 travel days per year to meet partners, attend relevant conferences, and similar activities.

As a result of your integration into the research environment, you will also be the go-to person for general research coordination tasks at BRIGHT, such as nominations for research awards, coordinate scientific seminars, contribute input to BRIGHT’s communication officers on disseminating mission research internally and externally, including filtering of external communications to ensure that beneficial info reaches the relevant researchers.

Master’s degree or PhD with insight into bioprocess or chemical engineering research In this role, you must have hands-on knowledge of how researchers work and think, enabling you to communicate effectively within a research environment. As a support function, you should naturally thrive in a facilitating and enabling role.

As you will be joining a newly established organisation with a unique mission, you must be comfortable working in a setting without previously established SOPs and templates for everything – your role will be to develop best practices for research coordination and leadership team support. Your function will be coordination and leadership support in an organization operating on the interphase between a traditional university layout and a mission driven set-up. This, combined with your cross-organisational focus, requires strong overview and a highly structured approach to your work. At the same time, you should be pragmatic, solution-oriented, and patient in driving long-term results in a complex environment.

Additionally, your CV includes

• A Master’s degree or PhD within a natural science discipline and experience with bioprocess engineering
• Experience collecting, assessing, and presenting university/research performance KPIs
• Experience working in a complex stakeholder environment
• Fluency in written and spoken English (Danish is an advantage but not required)

Your new team You will work closely together with the Mission 1B Technology Lead and Business Lead. Organisationally, you will be part of the Center’s Strategic Support Organisation. We are 12 dedicated colleagues committed to high standards of service and professionalism. Together, we are responsible for executive management support, fundraising, project administration, finance, people operations, and communications.

Our work environment is friendly and welcoming, and here the word “we” is far more important than “me.” We actively support your individual professional development through coaching, relevant training, task-specific courses, etc..

Salary and terms of employment The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). You are employed as an Academic Officer. In addition, supplements can be negotiated in accordance with DTU’s salary structure for academic staff employed in technical-administrative positions at DTU (AC TAP): https://www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures

Starting date is 01-10-2026 (or according to mutual agreement). The position is a full-time position.

Application and contact Please submit your online application no later than 16 August 2026 . Open the “Apply now” link, fill out the form and attach your application in English as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration including CV, cover letter, diploma and if relevant list of publications.

If you would like additional information about the position, please contact Head of Administration, Hanne Varmark, at +45 9351 0658 or Mission 1B Technology Lead, Professor Alex Toftgaard Nielsen at altof@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 .

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position

About BRIGHT – The Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition At BRIGHT we aim to accelerate the development of biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy. We will unlock the potential of bioproduction by focusing on three areas: sustainable materials, microbial foods and microorganisms for net-zero agriculture. BRIGHT serves as a hub for academic and industrial partners working together to unlock the potential of bioproduction. BRIGHT focuses on three main areas: Sustainable materials (Developing bio-based alternatives to fossil-derived materials), Microbial foods (Innovating food production through microbial technologies), and Microorganisms for net-zero agriculture (Creating solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture). The goal is to develop and scale innovative biosolutions within these areas, ultimately creating sustainable and competitive alternatives to fossil-based products and processes that can make significant contributions to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Read more here .

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829 DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.