PhD Position: Biocatalytic depolymerization of biopolymers

PhD Position:
Biocatalytic depolymerization of new biopolymers

Leiden University was founded in 1575 and is one of Europe’s leading international research universities.

Applying is possible until: 12 juni 2026

This PhD Position is part of the newly funded national NWA-ORC project, Ab-initio Biowaste Loop (ABEL), which is funded by NWO (Dutch Research Council). To close material loops in the Dutch bioeconomy, ABEL brings together a large multidisciplinary consortium from industry, academia, policymakers, and societal partners to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: making high-value, sustainable, and circular biomaterials from low-value waste streams that can compete and even outperform traditional alternatives.

This project is part of the subprogramme that focusses on the closed loop recycling of the biopolymer products developed in ABEL.

This project is a good match if:

• you are interested in the expression, characterisation and engineering of biocatalysts for biopolymer degradation.
• you like working in a multidisciplinary and multisectoral team, both within the group and within the consortium
• you are interested in contributing to a Green future.

As a PhD student within the ABEL consortium and the University of Leiden, you will:

• Bring innovative biotechnological solutions to ensure recycling, preferably via upscaling, or biodegradation of biopolymers.
• Publish high-quality scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and contribute to project reports in collaboration with the project supervisor and others.
• Participate in ABEL consortium meetings, workshops, and stakeholder events, and actively contribute to knowledge exchange and impact activities.
• Support the supervision of BSc, MSc students and contribute to the teaching and academic life of the Macromolecular Biochemistry group at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who:

• has a Master’s degree in Life Sciences and Technology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or a related discipline
• has experience in cloning in microbiology and/or the expression, purification and characterisation of biocatalysts.
• has a strong interest in structure function relationship of enzymes, with proven excellent technical experimental skills and ability to work independently.
• has a good proficiency in (scientific) English, and excellent communication skills.
• feels comfortable working in a collaborative environment
• has strong capabilities in analytical thinking and data analysis.

We offer a vibrant research environment within the labs of Lars Jeuken and Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski. The Jeuken lab is member of the Macromolecular Biochemistry group in the Leiden Institute of Chemistry, with a shared biochemical lab headed by 8 group leaders. The Schada von Borzyskowski lab is situated in the Microbial Sciences cluster of the Institute of Biology Leiden.

We value ourselves on providing effective support to our PhD students, who work in a collaborative, transparent and inclusive work environment that inspires new knowledge.

This PhD position is available to start between 1 October 2026 and 1 January 2027.

We also offer:

• An employment contract for the duration of one year, to be extended for 3 more years upon satisfactory performance. This contract falls under the CLA of Dutch Universities;
• A salary between €3059 - €3881 gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (PhD student);
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours; you can also save for extra leave, for example by working 40 hours a week, and in this way accrue an extra 96 leave hours, or exchange 96 leave hours for a 36-hour week.
• Lots of options when it comes to secondary employment conditions; we can, for example, discuss options for a sabbatical or paid parental leave. Within our terms of employment individual choices model, you can exchange leave days and/or salary for benefits such as an advantageous sports subscription and bicycle scheme;
• If your work allows it, hybrid working is possible within the Netherlands;
• A home-working allowance (day and internet allowance) and attention for good workplaces. The University will also provide you with a laptop and a mobile telephone.

If you would like more information about what the job entails, please contact Lars Jeuken, at l.j.c.jeukendenuniv.nl.