Postdoctoral Position in Archaea-Bacteria Interactions, Anaerobic Microbiology, and Electromicrobiology Aarhus University in Denmark

Postdoctoral position at Aarhus University in the Department of Biology, Section for Microbiology, working in the Archaea group on archaea-bacteria interactions, anaerobic microbiology, electromicrobiology, and hydrocarbon oxidation in deep-sea systems.

The project, within ReFuel: Harnessing archaeal processes to capture carbon dioxide into alkanes as renewable fuels and energy storage agents, focuses on the mechanistic basis of syntrophic coupling between hydrocarbon-oxidizing archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria. The research asks whether electron transfer occurs via diffusible intermediates or direct cell-to-cell electron transfer (DIET), using cultivation-based microbiology, electrochemical approaches, and high-resolution imaging.

Research activities include strictly anoxic experiments, anaerobic cultivation of syntrophic consortia, microbial physiology assays, microbial electrochemistry and microbial fuel cells, stable isotope labeling with metabolomics, FISH/CARD-FISH, advanced microscopy, community sequencing, and metagenomics. The postdoc will work with unique enrichment cultures and contribute to a mechanistic framework for anaerobic microbial interactions.

Eligibility highlights: a PhD in microbiology, bioelectrochemistry, molecular biology, or a related field; strong background in anaerobic microbiology, microbial physiology, electromicrobiology, or related disciplines; excellent English communication skills; and a collaborative, interdisciplinary mindset. Experience with MFCs, cyclic voltammetry, anoxic systems, metabolomics, or advanced microscopy is desirable.

Funding and terms: 24-month fixed-term full-time postdoctoral appointment. Salary depends on seniority under Danish collective agreements. The post is based in Aarhus, Denmark, with collaborations at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig and the University of Southern Denmark in Odense.

Deadline: 1 May 2026. Apply via Aarhus University’s recruitment system and include a CV, degree certificate, publication list, research plan, and teaching/research documentation. Referee details may be added for reference letters.