The project focuses on the mechanistic characterization and engineering of hydratases for the utilization of renewable resources. For this, by ancestral sequence reconstruction and AI-based redesign will be investigated as strategies to generate highly robust protein variants, in which beneficial mutations leading to altered selectivity and substrate scope are less likely to have trade-off in terms of activity and stability. Aim is to generate biocatalysts for sustainable enzyme cascades leading to biobased polymer precursor molecules.
Key Responsibilities
- Research on enzyme engineering and computational design of enzymes
- Biocatalytic investigation of engineered and redesigned enzyme variants and integration into process setting
- Documentation of scientific results and presentations in the form of reports, specialist publications, and conference contributions
- Responsibilities, Duties and Opportunities as a Project Staff Member in the Cluster of Excellence Circular Bioengineering
Embedding in the CoE Circular Bioengineering
The project is embedded in the Cluster of Excellence Circular Bioengineering Program 3 “Biocatalytic Processes for Sustainable Synthesis”, and has strong links to research groups working on enzymatic synthesis and bioprocess engineering in Program 3.
Candidate Profile
- PhD in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biotechnology or related
- Outstanding academic record
- Advanced knowledge in one of the following areas: structural biology, computational biology, biocatalysis, molecular biology
- Excellent English language skills (spoken and written)
- Ability to work independently and scientifically; flexibility and willingness to work in an interdisciplinary environment; high level of resilience
Main supervisor: Univ. Prof. Robert Kourist
Location: Graz University of Technology
Duration: 18 Months, 40h/week
Salary:Minimum gross monthly salary according to the B1 salary group according to the Austrian university collective agreement.
Submission deadline: 14.10.2026
- Please use this Application form – PD-positions (download here). Applications submitted without this form cannot be processed.
- Please submit the following additional documents as PDF files. Applications missing any of the required documents will not be processed:
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of certificates from the applicant’s bachelor, master/diploma and doctoral studies
- A translation of the documents if the original documents are not in English or German
- Please submit your complete application by email to cb_recruiting@boku.ac.at and include the project/position number in the subject line (e.g. “Jane Doe, application for PD 3.14”).
- For information on the further application procedure – online hearing and interview – see: How to apply for PD positions.
- Submission deadline: 14.10.2026