Deadline: 21-Aug-2025
The Novo Nordisk Foundation invites applications for the Postdoctoral Fellowships in Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Biotechnology to support outstanding young scientists in developing their independent research areas.
Focus: The proposed research must address major challenges within Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Biotechnology, with a strategic perspective addressing major research questions within these fields. The research should be fundamental in character but have a strategic outlook to scaling potential(s), contribute to sustainability and, if relevant, increase productivity. The proposed research must involve a clear element of biotechnology.
One or more of the following topics should preferably be included in the research: use or engineering of biological/biotechnological tools and systems for synthesis and production of valuable products such as chemicals, proteins and materials; development of technologies and processes that can be utilized directly for bioproduction; improvement of the efficiency of biomanufacturing; use or engineering of biological/biotechnological tools and systems to protect or improve the environment; understanding, protection or manipulation of natural or industrial ecosystems related to application of biotechnology; and data science promoting research within industrial or environmental biotechnology, including related ecosystems research.
These prestigious fellowships are open to candidates who have obtained a PhD or equivalent degree within six years of the application deadline or are PhD students who will defend their thesis before April 1, 2026. Applicants must be based at a university or other non-profit research institution in Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden, with the possibility of conducting part of the research at an institution abroad.
The grant period ranges from one to three years, with funding up to DKK 3.3 million for a three-year project, and in some cases up to DKK 3.41 million if a significant research stay abroad is included. Funding can cover salary, research technician support, operating expenses, equipment, travel and relocation, costs for working in a collaborating laboratory, conference participation, publication costs, and other eligible project-related expenses.
Applications will be evaluated by the Committee on Industrial Biotechnology and Environmental Biotechnology, with key assessment criteria including novelty and originality of the research idea, potential impact, feasibility, applicant’s achievements, and mobility or international experience. Both the quality of the project and the potential of the candidate are central to the evaluation.
All applications must be submitted in English via the NORMA application system by August 21, 2025, at 14:00 CEST. Successful applicants will be notified in December 2025, with the earliest possible start date of January 1, 2026.
For more information, visit Novo Nordisk Fonden.
