Postdoctoral Position in Computational Biology and Metagenomics of the Human Gut Microbiome
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Postdoctoral Position in Computational Biology and Metagenomics of the Human Gut Microbiome
The Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, invites applications for a postdoctoral position in bioinformatics and computational microbiome research. The position is for one year, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) as part of the So-Gut project (“Social Networking in the Gut Microbiome”).
Start date: 1 February, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
About So-Gut
The So-Gut project investigates how microbial interactions shape the assembly and function of the human gut microbiome, with a particular focus on collaborative microbial networks in early life. Through integrative approaches combining metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics, the project aims to uncover the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underpinning microbial interactions in early life and their impact on host health.
The So-Gut team brings together expertise in microbial ecology, molecular microbiology, and computational biology, and collaborates with international partners including COPSAC, University of Helsinki, and Newcastle University. The project contributes to a deeper understanding of microbiome development and offers a foundation for designing future microbiome-based interventions.
Job Description
The successful candidate will lead the bioinformatics and data-integration component of the project, focusing on the development and application of computational methods to analyze large-scale multi-omics datasets from human gut microbiomes. The position will involve:
Who Are We Looking For?
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in computational biology and microbial genomics. The ideal candidate will have:
Our Research Environment
The Section of Microbiology at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, is internationally recognized for its pioneering research in microbial ecology, metagenomics, and systems microbiology. We provide:
Principal Investigators:
Application Procedure
Your application must include the following documents (in PDF format):
Application deadline: 24 November 2025, 23:59 CEST.
Applications received after the deadline or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applications must be submitted electronically via the University of Copenhagen job portal by clicking “Apply Now” below.
Assessment and Recruitment Process
Terms of Employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of one year. The starting date is 1 February 2026 or after agreement.
Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 39,200 DKK/approx. 5,200 EUR (November 2025 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 18.07 % to your pension fund.
Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.
The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.
Why Copenhagen?
Copenhagen is a vibrant, safe city offering excellent work-life balance, subsidized high-quality childcare, and cultural attractions. Explore more:
The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.
You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.
Start date: 1 February, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
About So-Gut
The So-Gut project investigates how microbial interactions shape the assembly and function of the human gut microbiome, with a particular focus on collaborative microbial networks in early life. Through integrative approaches combining metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics, the project aims to uncover the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underpinning microbial interactions in early life and their impact on host health.
The So-Gut team brings together expertise in microbial ecology, molecular microbiology, and computational biology, and collaborates with international partners including COPSAC, University of Helsinki, and Newcastle University. The project contributes to a deeper understanding of microbiome development and offers a foundation for designing future microbiome-based interventions.
Job Description
The successful candidate will lead the bioinformatics and data-integration component of the project, focusing on the development and application of computational methods to analyze large-scale multi-omics datasets from human gut microbiomes. The position will involve:
- Integrating metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data to identify co-occurrence and co-activity networks in polymicrobial communities.
- Applying and developing strain-level profiling and metabolic inference approaches for microbial interaction studies.
- Conducting statistical and machine-learning analyses of longitudinal microbiome data in collaboration with the COPSAC cohort.
- Contributing to data management, pipeline optimisation, and reproducible computational workflows.
- Collaborating closely with wet-lab researchers conducting model and imaging experiments to link in silico predictions with in situ observations.
Who Are We Looking For?
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in computational biology and microbial genomics. The ideal candidate will have:
- A PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, microbiome science, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience in metagenomic data analysis, including genome-resolved or strain-level methods.
- Proficiency in programming and statistical environments (e.g. Python, R, Bash, Snakemake, or Nextflow).
- Experience with high-throughput sequencing data, multi-omics data integration, or machine-learning approaches.
- Strong English communication and writing skills, documented by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
Our Research Environment
The Section of Microbiology at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, is internationally recognized for its pioneering research in microbial ecology, metagenomics, and systems microbiology. We provide:
- A stimulating and highly supportive international research environment.
- Access to state-of-the-art sequencing facilities (Illumina, PacBio, Nanopore) and high-performance computing resources.
- Opportunities for collaboration within the Copenhagen Gut Microbiome Hub and international partners.
- A vibrant and inclusive social atmosphere, fostering scientific creativity and teamwork.
Principal Investigators:
- Assistant Professor Urvish Trivedi (urvish.trivedi@bio.ku.dk)
- Professor and Søren J. Sørensen (sjs@bio.ku.dk)
Application Procedure
Your application must include the following documents (in PDF format):
- Motivation letter (max 1 page) describing your research interests and how they align with the So-Gut project.
- Curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages).
- List of publications.
- PDFs of your two most relevant publications.
- Copies of your PhD and Master’s diplomas (or equivalent).
- Contact information for two professional referees.
Application deadline: 24 November 2025, 23:59 CEST.
Applications received after the deadline or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applications must be submitted electronically via the University of Copenhagen job portal by clicking “Apply Now” below.
Assessment and Recruitment Process
- Applications will be evaluated by independent academic experts.
- Shortlisted candidates will be notified and assessed based on their qualifications, techniques, and alignment with the position.
- Final candidates will be invited for interviews.
Terms of Employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of one year. The starting date is 1 February 2026 or after agreement.
Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 39,200 DKK/approx. 5,200 EUR (November 2025 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 18.07 % to your pension fund.
Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.
The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.
Why Copenhagen?
Copenhagen is a vibrant, safe city offering excellent work-life balance, subsidized high-quality childcare, and cultural attractions. Explore more:
The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.
You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.