PhD fellowship in Molecular Cell Biology Full-time

PhD Fellowship In Molecular Cell Biology

The Section for Biomolecular Sciences at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in molecular cell biology of disease-linked gene variants.

Start date is expected to be August 1st, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project is focused on understanding how genetic variation shapes protein function and contributes to disease mechanisms and will involve Deep Mutational Scanning (DMS) along with CRISPR-based genome engineering to systematically assess the function and stability of thousands of gene variants to generate exhaustive quantitative functional landscapes of disease-associated proteins.

We are looking for candidates within the fields of molecular cell biology. Applicants can have a background from Biochemistry or Molecular Biomedicine preferably experienced with basic molecular biological techniques, DMS, FACS and NGS in human cell lines. Prior knowledge of the protein quality control system and human genetics is an advantage.

Our lab provides a collaborative environment with opportunities for both wet-lab and computational training, and access to cutting-edge genome engineering and screening platforms. The group is a part of the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.

Principal supervisor is Professor Rasmus Hartmann-Petersen, Department of Biology, E-mail: rhpetersen@bio.ku.dk, Direct Phone: +45 26941565.

A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Biochemistry or Molecular Biomedicine. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes include:

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in molecular genetics and biochemistry
• Good language skills

Application and assessment procedure: Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
2. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
3. Original diplomas for Bachelor or Master and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
4. Publication list (if possible)
5. Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline is 12th of April 2026, 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 20.

For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.