PhD in Biocatalysis (1.0 FTE)

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Full-time
Posted June 11, 2026

Job Description

Job description

Are you enthusiastic about enzymes and tailoring them for applications in synthetic organic chemistry?

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic PhD student with strong backgrounds in chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology or closely related fields to join the research group of Dr Sandy Schmidt, () at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology () within the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP). The position is funded for four years by the recently awarded ERC Starting grant ‘ReCNNSTRCT’.

Biocatalysis uses enzymes to replace traditional catalysts. This technology has already established sustainable enzymatic approaches across various industrial sectors and led to economic and environmental benefits. Despite the growing impact of biocatalysis in industrial chemistry, the full potential of this technology is yet to be unlocked. Important current limitations are the following: i) only a limited...