4 PhD positions in AI-accelerated development of PFAS-free polymer-based battery materials cells in Self-driving Laboratories - DTU Energy and BRIGHT

Are you interested in a career in AI for materials and in accelerating the green transition? If so, we have a number of positions at DTU that might just right for you. 

The four PhD positions at DTU Energy are part of BRIGHT's mission-oriented Novel Biomanufacturing-Enabled Materials research programme, referred to as Mission 1A, which aims to create new classes of PFAS-free functional biomaterials through biotechnology. The mission's current focus are proteinaceous materials with defined composition, programmable chemistry and controlled assembly as sustainable alternatives to persistent fluorinated materials. The scientific scope spans AI-guided protein and peptide design, microbial engineering, non-canonical amino acid biosynthesis and incorporation, cell-free prototyping, fermentation, purification, materials processing, analytical quality control and structure-function characterization. The programme focuses on building an integrated pipeline from molecular design to scalable biomanufacturing and material testing, with explicit attention to manufacturability, cost, sustainability and industrial translation. Batteries provide the first proof-of-concept application, because PFAS-containing materials are currently used in several battery components and because this sector imposes strict requirements for stability, processability and performance. The broader ambition is to establish a versatile biomanufacturing platform for advanced PFAS-free materials with future relevance across energy technologies, coatings, electronics and other high-value applications.

You will work closely with experimental and computational colleagues in BRIGHT and in DTU Energy, as well as with our international collaborators, e.g., on the use cases on advanced battery materials in MaterialsCommons for Europe and on the development of Self-driving Laboratories (SDLs) at the Pioneer Center CAPeX. 

Responsibilities and qualifications
All four positions are centered on the application of novel PFAS-free proteins and polypeptides for applications in sustainable batteries. The design space for finding optimal compositions and synthesis conditions for such polymers for use as, e.g., electrolytes, binders and additives is vast, we are combining self-driving labs, high-throughput machine learning simulations, and agentic AI to transition to digitalization-based autonomous development of high-performing PFAS-free polymer materials for high-performant batteries, i.e., high electrochemical stability, ionic conductivity, coulombic efficiency, and cyclability at a low cost. The positions will target for areas specifically

1. Development of automated setup for high-throughput testing of solid polymer electrolytes and binders, e.g., chemical and electrochemical stability, preparation and film casting. 
2. Development of automated setup for in situ polymerization of sodium/sodium-based based battery materials
3. Self-driving lab modules for autonomous testing of mechanical properties of polymer-based battery materials, interfaces and layers
4. Self-driving lab modules for assembly and testing of advanced (e.g., solid-state and anode-less, sodium-based button and coin cell batteries.

Qualifications:

• Good working knowledge of electrochemistry.
• Ability to work independently and plan and carry out complicated tasks.
• Good communication skills in English, both written and spoken.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, capable of identifying new directions and opportunities within the project.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience with self-driving laboratories or building custom experimental hardware
• Experience in polymer or battery chemistry 
• Experience in machine learning or computational chemistry/materials science
• Experience in Python programming and version control/git

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment 
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education. 

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 appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please see DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures

The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

The positions are full-time positions. The preferred starting date is 1 February 2027 (or according to mutual agreement).

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor, Director Tejs Vegge: teve@dtu.dk and Professor Johan Hjelm: johh@dtu.dk 

You can read more about DTU Energy at www.energy.dtu.dk./

Find more information about BRIGHT: https://bright.dtu.dk/, MaterialsCommons: https://www.materialscommons.eu and The Pioneer Center CAPeX: https://www.capex.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. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU. 

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 15 December 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:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae 
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• Up to two letters of recommendation

Please indicate which of the positions you would potentially be interested in (you can select all).

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

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.

The Department of Energy Conversion and Storage (DTU Energy) focuses on research and development of functional materials, components, and systems for sustainable energy technologies. The technologies include fuel cells, electrolysis, power-to-x, batteries, and carbon capture. The research is based on strong competences on electrochemistry, atomic scale and multi-physics modelling, autonomous materials discovery, materials processing, and structural analyses. We also focus on educating engineering students at all levels, ranging from BSc, MSc, PhD to lifelong learning students. We have about 300 dedicated employees. Read more about us at www.energy.dtu.dk.

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.