项目介绍

2026年2月26日

As part of our Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Grant Energy Materials for the GUT (EMGUT), we are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to advance the development and testing of ingestible devices powered by novel energy‑generating materials such as triboelectric generators. The EMGUT project is now midway, and we are ready to demonstrate our technologies in animal models. In this position, you will work closely with the project team to integrate energy material-based concepts with applications in sensing, sampling, harvesting and/or delivery within the gastrointestinal tract.

You will join a creative, collaborative, and ambitious research environment. The project is embedded in the IDUN research section led by Prof. Anja Boisen at DTU Health Technology. IDUN is a vibrant, highly interdisciplinary research community of more than 50 members working on micro‑ and nanoscale sensors, detection systems, drug‑delivery devices, and advanced energy materials.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your primary responsibility will be to design and realize demonstrator devices for preclinical testing in the EMGUT project. These devices will target harvesting of energy, sensing, delivery, and/or sampling applications in the gut, powered by our developed energy materials – including triboelectric, piezoelectric, and microbial fuel cell technologies.

You will collaborate closely with current postdocs and PhD students in the EMGUT consortium. Initially, your work will focus on integrating existing energy‑harvesting materials with established sensing concepts, including testing in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo in larger animal models. As the project evolves, you will take part in creating new device concepts based on our material platforms and expanding the application space. Ultimately, your work will contribute to demonstrating the broad potential of these novel energy materials.

We are looking for a candidate with a strong background in biomedical engineering, materials science or biomaterials, ideally supplemented with knowledge in electronics, or you could have a background in electrical engineering with an interest in life science and materials. Regardless of your background, it’s a benefit if you have competence in CAD and strong will and skill to make things work. Furthermore, experience from one or more of the following fields would be beneficial to have, but not necessary:

• Sensor system design, fabrication and integration for wearable, implantable, ingestible or bioelectronics 
• Design and development of power management systems and embedded electronics for miniaturized low power energy harvesting systems
• Rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing and tabletop fabrication processes using non-conventional materials and composites for product development
• Organizing, planning and executing in vivo experiments on large animals, or developing new in vitro models for performance analysis of energy materials

You should be independent, self‑driven, and enthusiastic about working in a multidisciplinary academic environment. Strong communication skills, the ability to coordinate with collaborators, and a willingness to supervise junior team members are essential.

The position is anchored in the IDUN research section, where our motto is “bringing science to life.” We value openness, inclusiveness, ambition, and meaningful impact. You will collaborate with colleagues across diverse disciplines—including biology, microfabrication, pharmaceutical sciences, electronics, and animal studies. As the project is highly interdisciplinary, we expect that you will enjoy teamwork and thrive in a collaborative setting.

You must have a two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS points) within natural or technical science 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. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor Anja Boisen, aboi@dtu.dk 

You can read more about DTU Health Tech at www.healthtech.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 17 March 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

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.