Postdoc in Techno-Economic and Environmental Assessment of Gas-Fermented Food Products - BRIGHT

Are you passionate about using process engineering and sustainability assessment to advance low-carbon food and biomanufacturing? 


Join us at DTU BRIGHT and contribute to Europe ecosystem of research projects establishing an integrated European ecosystem for gas precision fermentation. The position connects AIR2FOOD's CO₂-to-food demonstrators with BRIGHT's broader BioSolutions portfolio through shared modelling, assessment, and decision-support capabilities.


Your job is to develop process models and integrated techno-economic assessment (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) workflows that guide sustainable scale-up. You will contribute to DTU's leadership of AIR2FOOD's sustainability-by-design work package and extend the methods across selected BRIGHT BioSolutions. Working with international academic and industrial partners, you will translate experimental data into transparent models, decision-relevant indicators, and semi-automated Python tools.

Your primary tasks: 

• Develop decision-support models for CO2-Food BioSolutions, linking process, environmental, economic, supply-chain, and market information.


• Model upstream, bioreactor, and downstream operations using mass and energy balances, thermodynamic constraints, and scale-up principles.


• Generate production inventories for AIR2FOOD's product demonstrators and for relevant BRIGHT missions.


• Develop process simulations in tools such as SuperPro Designer and BioSTEAM using partner data and scientific literature.


• Perform integrated TEA and ISO-aligned LCA using shared inventories and functional units, supported by scenario, sensitivity, and uncertainty analyses.


• Build reusable, semi-automated TEA/LCA workflows in Python with clearly defined data formats, inputs, outputs, and interfaces.


• Curate, validate, document, and version-control models and FAIR data using GitHub and DTU's research-data infrastructure.


• Collaborate across the AIR2FOOD consortium demonstrators and BRIGHT Missions, translating results into publications, deliverables, tools, presentations, and actionable recommendations.

Our expectations of you:

• A strong background in chemical or bioprocess engineering.


• A documented track record in process modelling using graphical and code-based tools; please highlight relevant projects in your application.


• Advanced knowledge of TEA and LCA; value-chain or market-analysis experience is an advantage.


• Strong programming and data-integration skills, preferably in Python, including reproducible workflows and version control.


• Excellent analytical, publication, communication, and collaboration skills, with a commitment to excellence, teamwork, integrity, respect, and stewardship.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent). 

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 Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. 


In addition, supplements can be negotiated in accordance with DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures. 


Starting date is 1 November 2026 or according to mutual agreement. The position is a fulltime position for a 3 year employment period.


You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Sumesh Sukumara via email, [email protected].


You can read more about BRIGHT at https://bright.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.

Application procedure 

Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 17 August 2026 (23:59 Danish time). 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:

• Application (cover letter)


• CV


• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)


• List of publications

Applications 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. 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
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) is a major initiative based at DTU that aims to accelerate the development of biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy. 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.

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.