Postdoc in Autonomous Robots and Perception for Protein Design Laboratories - DTU Electro

Are you ready to transform the future of biologics?

Are you passionate about understanding the interplay between AI-Protein design, laboratory automation, and cutting-edge data science? And would you like to be part of a newly formed research collaboration between DTU and Novo Nordisk? Then you could be our new Postdoc. Read on to learn more!

About the research program – Closed Loop Ai-driven Protein Binder Design
Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Novo Nordisk have initiated a strategic partnership and created a joint cross-disciplinary research program aimed to tackle one of the life science industry’s biggest challenges: Closed-Loop Design and Optimization of Biologics. 

The research program will build on the recent advances in protein design, automation, and multi-parameter optimization, and create a closed loop pipeline for the rapid design of protein-based binders to any target and simultaneously optimized for developability and manufacturability. 

The program is rooted in DALSA (DTU’s Arena for Life Science Automation), a new interdisciplinary center at DTU dedicated to merging life sciences, automation, and data-driven innovation to revolutionize research and development. 

The program combines the expertise of five DTU departments (Construct, Bioengineering, Compute, Electro, and Health Technology) and involves supervisors from both DTU and Novo Nordisk.

What you can expect 
As a Postdoc, you will be at the heart of a vibrant and collaborative research environment that includes:

• Fellow Postdocs, PhD students and master’s students working on related projects.
• Expert supervisors and mentors from DTU and Novo Nordisk.
• Opportunities to participate in conferences, symposia, and networking events to share and enhance your research.

Your role will be pivotal in driving innovation and contributing to a transformative approach to biologics development.

About the position 
We are seeking a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral researcher to join our interdisciplinary team in developing the next generation of autonomous laboratories. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research that integrates advanced robotics, visual perception, and artificial intelligence in laboratory environments.

The goal of this project is to enhance the visual perception capabilities of robotic manipulators, enabling them to interact intelligently with unknown and dynamic objects in their operational environment.

In a traditional closed system, a robot assumes that all objects in its environment are predefined and known, allowing for specific actions to be applied. However, laboratory environments are not always static—new objects can be introduced intentionally or unintentionally. To handle such scenarios, the robot must transition from a closed-world assumption to incorporating open-world perception and action capabilities.

The primary objectives of the project include:

• Enabling robots to detect known objects while identifying and responding appropriately to unknown ones through visual and multimodal observations.
• Developing open-world anomaly detection approaches to act as a safety net, identifying errors (originated either by machine failure or human) in laboratory settings.
• integrating these capabilities to improve the robot's reliability and adaptability, creating safer and more efficient autonomous systems for laboratory environments.

Responsibilities and qualifications
As a postdoctoral researcher, your primary responsibility will be to conduct high-quality research that aligns with the goals of the project. In this role, you will work closely with engineering lab personnel and other researchers within the program, ensuring collaboration across disciplines and contributing to the project's success. 

You will be tasked to provide innovative and state-of-the-art input to laboratory automation design, and spearheading efforts to ensure that various KPIs related to the creation and establishment of interconnectivity within the laboratory are achieved.

You are also expected to communicate effectively with different stakeholders with the Novo Nordisk -DTU corporate partnership program, provide guidance and supervision to PhD and MSc students within the scope of the program and contribute to related educational activities, such as workshops, lectures, or curriculum development, to support the program’s academic goals.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent). 

A successful candidate will have a solid background in at least two of the following areas:

• Computer vision for object detection and/or semantic segmentation
• Anomaly Detection
• Efficient multi-modal perception
• Foundation models for robotics
• Robotics simulation and synthetic data generation
• Robot manipulation
• Deep learning-based planning

Additionally, you should have good ability to present results in oral presentations and prepare scientific papers for publication in top-tier international conferences and journals.

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 terms of employment 
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 4 years. 

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Lazaros Nalpantidis, lanalpa@dtu.dk.

You can read more about DTU Electro at https://electro.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.

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 9 March 2025 (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:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications 

The hiring committee consists of representatives from DTU and Novo Nordisk.

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.

DTU Electro has 300 employees with competencies in electrical and photonics engineering. As one of Europe’s largest public research departments, DTU Electro covers a multitude of research disciplines within nanophotonics, lasers, quantum photonics, optical sensors, LEDs, photovoltaics, ultra-high speed optical transmission systems, bio-photonics, acoustics, power electronics, robotics, and autonomous systems.

Department at Novo Nordisk where the project will be anchored - Automation & Process Optimization. The department is part of the Digital Science and Innovation (DSI) area, which supports the digital transformation across all our therapy areas in Research & Early Development (R&ED) at Novo Nordisk. The department is located in Maaloev (Denmark). We work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate with all areas across R&ED to leverage scientific knowledge, partner with our IT organization to ensure access to the most advanced technology platforms and tools and engage in drug development projects across the value chain. Using Bayesian Optimization / Modern Design of Experiment, we build the data-foundation to enable true hybrid development between humans and advanced learning algorithms such as Generative AI.

Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company with a 100-year legacy of driving change to defeat serious chronic diseases. Building on our strong legacy within diabetes, we are growing massively and expanding our commitment, reaching millions around the world and impacting more than 40 million patient lives daily. All of this has made us one of the 20 most valuable companies in the world by market cap. Our success relies on the joint potential and collaboration of our more than 63,000 employees around the world. We recognize the importance of the unique skills and perspectives our people bring to the table, and we work continuously to bring out the best in them.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.