PhD Position in Peptide-Based Drug Discovery (Industry Collaboration, w/m/d)
100%, Zurich, fixed-term
The Research Group for Peptide-Based Drug Discovery (Prof. Nathalie M. Grob) at ETH Zürich in collaboration with Novo Nordisk in Copenhagen, Denmark is looking for an exceptional and highly motivated PhD candidate for a joint project. We are recruiting a full-time (100%) PhD Student with a strong interest in peptide chemistry, mass spectrometry, and modern drug discovery to establish an innovative platform for peptide drug discovery.
Project background
Peptides are privileged modalities for the development of new therapeutic avenues. To address unexploited targets and offer alternative therapeutic strategies on established disease pathways, the discovery of peptides with bioactivity is a fundamental challenge. This project focuses on developing novel technologies for hit identification and validation aiming for high experimental throughput and success rate.
Job description
The four-year project is co-funded by Novo Nordisk and will be supervised by Prof. Nathalie Grob (ETHZ) in cooperation Novo Nordisk, offering a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of academia and industry, leveraging cutting-edge technology to make a real-world impact in peptide drug discovery. Short research visits (< 3 months) at the Novo Nordisk research site in Copenhagen and access to high-throughput instrumentation are planned throughout the project. It will be a great advantage for candidates to have prior experience in peptide synthesis, mammalian tissue culture, and mass spectrometry.
To benefit the project, the candidate will be able to integrate into a multidisciplinary team and efficiently combine independent work with collaborative exchange and discussions. The project will include chemical synthesis of peptides, experimental development of a drug discovery technology, and biophysical and cellular evaluation of bioactivity.
Profile
The ideal candidate will hold a recently completed MSc degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Biology, Cellular Biology, or related disciplines, and bring experience in several of the following areas:
- Peptide synthesis
- Mammalian cell culture
- Protein biochemistry
- Mass spectrometry
- Bioinformatics and programming
A successful applicant is passionate about science and collaboration with a strong motivation and an intrinsic interest in drug discovery and development. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively in English as working language in a multidisciplinary environment.
Moreover, the candidate must be able to start the project by 01. October 2025 and requires authorization to work in Switzerland and can travel to Denmark for short-term projects (under 3 months) without needing additional permits.
Workplace
Workplace
We offer
- Collaborative project: Experience the best of two worlds by working on a close collaboration between academic and industrial partners.
- Your job with impact: Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society
- We are actively committed to a sustainable and climate-neutral university
- You can expect numerous benefits, such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ, childcare and attractive pension benefits
We value diversity
Curious? So are we.
We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents:
- Cover letter
- CV
- Diplomas and course transcripts
- Contact information of two former research project supervisors or lecturers
Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email will not be considered.
Questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Nathalie M. Grob, Tel [+41 44 633 74 57] or email [[email protected]] (no applications).
We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.
For recruitment services the GTC of ETH Zurich apply.
